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Why Do Cats Hate Water So Much?

Cats are some of the cleanest animals and spend many hours looking after their fur every day. However, that doesn’t mean that they love contact with water – most cats are afraid of water. Many cats even ignore the refreshing water in the water bowl, which is lovingly filled every day. We explain why cats don’t like water.

Why Do Cats Hate Baths?

The aversion to swimming has a good reason: the thick cat fur takes a long time to dry. When the cat is wet, the coat structure is not as fluffy as usual, which bothers the huntress in everyday life. Some breeds of cats, such as the Maine Coon, tend to have a slightly oily film on their back and tail. This is used to make the fur weatherproof against moisture. However, that doesn’t mean that every Maine Coon is a water rat.

In addition, cats lose their own body odor when they get wet.

Because when the cat is busy cleaning, it spreads its own fragrances on its fur. We humans do not perceive these, but cats recognize each other by these smells.

Cats are not big water rats – however, a bath may be necessary in certain cases. If you plan to do this regularly, for example for exhibitions, you should definitely get your velvet paw used to it as a kitten. In no case do not put the cat in the full tub, but lead it slowly towards the wet element using these tips for bathing cats.

Are There Cats Who Like Water?

Again and again, you can read that Turkish Van, Turkish Angora, or Norwegian Forest Cats like to swim. But the majority of these velvet paws prefer to stay dry. It is correct: Many of the breeds mentioned like to splash their paws in shallow water or love to throw toys into their water bowls and fish them out. Wet paws are ok, but the pool beauty does not lure deeper into the cool water. A small cat pool to play with is also fun for such velvet paws. But full-body swimming is valued only by individual cats besides their big relatives, the tigers. Most of them voluntarily seek contact with water from an early age.

Water Gun: Cats are Afraid of Water

Don’t take advantage of your fear of water to raise your cat: Punishing cats with a water pistol or plant sprayer when they do something wrong is not a good idea. If the cat is exhibiting undesirable behavior, finding the reason for it and changing it is more effective.

An example: cats who scratch furniture out of boredom find a little hunt with a water pistol a welcome change. Shy velvet paws, on the other hand, can panic. In both cases, the basic problem remains: the velvet paw has too little activity.

The Cat Does Not Like to Drink Water – What to Do?

Water should always be available, but not every cat uses the water bowl. As a former desert animal, today’s house tigers also primarily take in the fluids they need through their food. Wet food, which consists of 80 percent moisture, is particularly suitable for meeting the cat’s fluid needs. If your cat only eats dry food, you can motivate them to drink with the help of a drinking fountain or several bowls distributed around the apartment.

Alice White

Written by Alice White

Alice White, a devoted pet lover and writer, has turned her boundless affection for animals into a fulfilling career. Originally dreaming of wildlife, her limited scientific background led her to specialize in animal literature. Now she happily spends her days researching and writing about various creatures, living her dream.

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