Not all cats love water, on the contrary, it would be more appropriate to say that most cats have a great fear of water and if they hate wetting their legs, much less submerge the rest of the body! However, some cats love to play with water and the question that arises here, why don't all our cat friends love getting wet?
Being soaked inhibits movement. Cats are very agile creatures and often surprise even their owners when they see what they can do. One of the things that stress cats the most is the feeling of being trapped.
They get very anxious if they think they can't escape a situation they find horrifying. If your hair is soaked, it could have a serious impact on your mobility because it weighs them a lot and makes movements impossible.
When a cat has very wet hair, he feels extremely vulnerable and this may be one of the reasons he doesn't like water very much. The upper part of the cat's hair offers slight protection, but it is not enough to make it completely waterproof.
Cats are habitual creatures of habit and do not love when their routine changes or is interrupted. Wild cats can always choose what to do and whether they get wet or not at certain times. Our domestic cats do not have this luxury because it is the master who decides their routine, and therefore when to feed them and when they may need a bath!
Our cat friends hate surprises, so when they suddenly find themselves in front of a bathtub full of water or even a wet sponge, they can react very spectacularly. In short, even lazy cats can become alive in the desperate attempt to escape!
What to do if you need a bathroom
You may have a time when you have no choice but to wash your cat. It can happen because you suffer from a particular allergy and you need to use a hair and skin shampoo, or because it gets very dirty and starts to smell bad because it cannot be cleaned well, luckily it does not happen often!
In any case, you will not have to soak your cat in the water to wash it because it would not behave politely. The best way to wash a cat is to use a sponge and remember to wear thick gloves and long-sleeved shirts to prevent scratching.
You should clean your cat with the sponge trying to clean the small sections gently at the same time. You will also need to make sure you have dried it well after washing it to prevent it from cooling.
Slowly loose
Many cats are slightly fascinated by water and could sit on wet edges looking at the tap for a while before touching the water with their legs. Some owners have found their cats with their heads under a tap to try to drink water.
This does not mean that he likes water and if you try to put them in a bathtub, they could go crazy enough to run away and hide without leaving until they are sure that the area is safe!
There is a big difference between playing with one or two drops of water that fall from a tap and being submerged in the water to the navel. Especially if the cat is forced to get wet without wanting to.
Spokesmen who love water
There are some breeds that love swimming, including: Maine Coon, Bengal, Angora, Turkish Angora, Japanese Angora, Bobtail, Manx Cat, Norwegian Forest Cat, Abyssine, Savannah Turkish Forest, American Bobtail.
All the races named love playing with water on hot days and some of them might even take a bath, some also love to take a shower. In any case, like humans, no cat likes to get wet when it's cold outside.
Reasons why your cat doesn't like water
There are multiple reasons why your cat will not like diving in the water.
One is that the cat's skin is soaked with water, which means a lot of extra weight on its body. While the top layer of its fur is water resistant to some extent, if all hair is soaked, your pet will feel uncomfortable. Cats are also sensitive to odors, and it is speculated that cats may not like odors from tap water chemicals.
In addition, some cats may not like to dive into the water simply because they have simply never experienced it before, and cats are by nature prudent and scary.
Some cats do like water
And it is that some domestic cats really enjoy the water, particularly if they live in an area that has warm and dry weather. The water is fresh and refreshing for the cat, and the cat can swim or dive into it. There are cats as expert in fishing as in the hunting of mice, and there are cats that sit in the water or on the edge of a water source to catch fish. The big cats of the jungle, such as lions and tigers, spend a lot Time chilling in the water, and they are great swimmers. As with people, cats in colder climates do not like to get completely wet because it is not pleasant to lose their body heat.
To each his own. do not force it
Your cat can enjoy the water to some extent, or may prefer to avoid it at any cost. Most cats tend to feel at least a little curious about the water and may put a leg in a sink full of water or under an open tap. However, putting one foot in the water and taking a bath are completely different things.
If your cat is apprehensive about being in or near the water, then it is probably best for you and him if you don't push him.
Could you convince my cat to bathe?
Since your kitten spends much of his waking hours on cleaning, bathing does not contribute much, and in most cases it will be a problem. However, if your kitten gets into something sticky or stains, you can consider washing it gently. Bring it affably to the water. Make sure the water is warm, and do not use any additives, such as a bubble bath, in the water. Gently place it in the water while you caress it and speak gently.
However, do not be surprised if your hair is spiky and the claws of its legs come out, unless you have bathed it since childhood, you may have trouble getting it to access to take a bath. If the kitten is dirty or sticky, you can try a soft sponge to dress it up. Use a special shampoo formulated for cats that does not dry your skin, and apply it to the sponge or cloth. Rub the dirty spots or clean it whole. Rinse the cloth or sponge and gently clean your cat with clean water. He will take care of the rest.
Why are cats afraid of water?
Theories of cat conspiracy against the bathroom are diverse. The main one has to do with its origin as a species. Most cats come from desert regions in the Middle East, which means that access to water was not so constant.
Later with the evolution and the migrations, the cats were experiencing life in other areas where water was more frequent. This means that some cat breeds have in their genes a tendency to stay away from water, while other breeds are already more habituated.
In fact, cats feel a magnetism by water and can be dumbfounded watching it but, at the same time, they feel a certain respect. It is similar to the reaction we humans have with the ocean.
They feel trapped
Cats, although domesticated, are wild animals in their essence. They don't like feeling trapped and enjoy having some independence. When a cat is soaked with water, its fur weighs much more and this makes them compromise its agility and mobility. Wet skin becomes a antonym of freedom.
Lack of well-being and calm
Most cats love water, and despite the fact that they are great swimmers, what does not attract too much attention is being immersed in it and less unexpectedly. Cats like to take things easy and keep their own pace.
Our favorite cats are customs animals and they don't enjoy surprises very much, not even on their birthday. That is why it is very important to educate them the bath routine since they are small, otherwise, it could become an unpleasant experience for them and you will make the water have a negative connotation in the life of your pet.
The key: patience
Cats love to feel that they can control their environment and the things that happen in it. On the other hand, they are extremely curious creatures, but it is a discreet and cautious curiositySo, before fully experimenting with water, a cat will first pass sideways and calmly, through a place where there is water, then it will introduce its legs, it will smell the liquid, it will put its head and so on, the last will be the body. Be patient, as always, never force it.
The ignorance it causes
The smell of water is essential for a cat to feel interested in it. Cats are animals with a highly developed smell and can differentiate between fresh water that comes from natural sources, water processed with chemicals.
It's no surprise to see cats enjoying a natural well or puddle and then desperately run away from a bath in a bathtub or a stream of water from a tap.
All the previous theories are supported in some studies of cat specialists, not only at the scientific level, but also at the psychological level. However, there is much to know and experts continue to investigate the deep and interesting world of domestic cats,
What if I want to bathe my cat? Are there cats that like water?
Although it is possible to clean a cat without bathing, in cases of extreme dirt that will not be possible. If you find yourself in this situation it will be important to resort to products such as the dry wash shampoo for cats
The cat that does not want to bathe should not be forced. Only small cats that have followed a socialization process in which water has been included, they are accustomed and tolerate this human hygienic routine.
However, if your cat is accustomed or you have not yet tried to bathe him and you do not know what his reaction is going to be, we recommend you visit our article to know how to bathe a cat step by step.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why cats hate water?, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.
You will not believe why cats run away when they touch the water. You'll think twice if you put your cat in the bathtub
Cats do not like water as a rule. The origin of that fear is found in the origins of cats.
The ancestors of the cats that lived in the deserts had no experience with the Water. Cats have not evolved to interact much with water. Since humans began to domesticate cats, that has been about 9000 years ago in Cyprus, lCat owners have protected them from the rudeness of the elements including water.
That a cat enjoys the water is not only related to the place where he lives, but also to the prey he can find there.
Cat owners can also accustom them to water, bathing them when they are puppies, but most veterinarians do not recommend it because they can dry the cat's skin and eliminate pheromones from cats that help to communicate with other cats.
In addition the cat has everything necessary to stay clean.
Your saliva contains a natural detergent to reduce fat and your tongue is rough to clean dirt. However, some cats do like to get wet.
Another reason about that rejection of water is because the mininos have the very delicate respiratory system. Remember that cats are very intelligent animals and to protect themselves they avoid water as well they will avoid flu and other respiratory diseases.
The fact of avoid water it's not only in small cats, since the big cats as the lions avoid at all costs approaching to hunt in the great rivers and lakes to avoid that a crocodile can leave the interior of this one. The crocodile is one of the animals that hunts without being seen, since it waits patiently under water until someone approaches to drink water.
So that your cat can bathe when you want what you should do is give him several baths between 2 and 3 months, which is when cats start to socialize things and understand them.
But as I mentioned earlier it is not necessary because they clean themselves. But you can experiment to see what happens, if your cat runs away you will know why.
Are all cats afraid of water?
Why cats hate water?
While it is true that many cats do not like water, others seem to show tolerance or preference for it. It could be a myth the theory that all cats do not like water.
Some cats can get away from the water without disliking it. Others may show preference for water and consider it as a toy. On the Internet there are many funny videos of cats playing with water. For example, there are cats who like to play with water from their bowl, sink, bathtub or even the toilet. There are cats who like to be sprayed with a few drops of water.
Why are there other cats who don't like water?
Part of the alleged aversion to water could be due to the fact that the cat, at some point, has been able to have a negative experience.
Cats usually have limited exposure to water, since most of their owners do not bathe them as often as a dog owner does (if they do). It is very likely that kittens that acclimatize to having regular baths when they are young and taught to enjoy them, become adult cats that enjoy their baths. This can be very useful if you ever have to bathe your cat for a medical or health reason. But, many owners do not bathe their cats because most of them are experts in keeping clean and rarely need a bath.
How to make your cat like water
If you want your feline pet to enjoy the bath, you have to teach it to tolerate water. To achieve this, you will need to use positive reinforcements to reward you for any interaction with water. You can use toys and attract your cat with them to the water. You can drag a rope or a feather toy near a sink or bathtub that has a small amount of water. Reward any movement your cat makes to the water using food, praise, attention or any reward your cat likes. If you follow this method, over time your cat will get closer and closer to the water and may, almost without realizing it, touch the water. Once the cat has come in contact with the water, be sure to offer treats and compliments.
While it is true that many cats, like many people, dislike water, do not assume that you will not be able to teach them to enjoy an occasional bath.
Remember that, like any other pet, cats may also need a bath.
