Why Cats Hate Water

Cats are adorable pets, but when it comes to understanding why many cats dislike water, most cat owners receive conflicting information. Now, you may not know the deal between most cats and water until you actually take one for a dip. What’s more, you may be wondering how cats manage to keep themselves clean given their sour relationship with water.

Well, stick around. You’re about to get some answers.

Water Holds Cats Back 

To begin with, dipping a cat in water definitely makes its fur is wet. As a result, the cat becomes weighed down, which affects its movement and agility, thus making it more vulnerable to attacks.

Additionally, cats have multiple scent glands in their bodies that produce pheromones used for marking territories, communication, identification etc. Haven’t we all seen a cat rubbing its head up against something or someone? Water especially impure one can interfere with this aspect and hold back a cat’s hormonal ability.

The History of the Cat and Water

Most of the cat’s predecessors originated from dry areas of the world with only a few water bodies meaning that navigating water wasn’t an obstacle they had to face. Subsequently, this behavioral instinct was carried on to modern cats which helps explain why cats avoid water and will determinedly find an escape route from owners determined to get them into the water.

Cats can Smell Chemicals in Water

Cats are very sensitive to smell. Given this, they will pick up any odor straight away. Humans aren’t usually able to detect chemicals in tap water, but cats will detect such smells quickly and shun any efforts to have them submerged in a fluid that doesn’t sit well with them.

Past Negative Experiences

Another reason cats may not be fond of water is because of previous bad experiences. If a cat’s first experiences with water were stressful and terrifying, it’s barely surprising that they will enjoy or fancy such interactions again.

Lack of Control and Fear

Most cats hate surprises. If your cat is unfamiliar with water, trying to force it into water will more than likely initiate fear in which case the response may be wild or violent, potentially injuring you or itself or causing damage to your residence.

How do You Bathe Your Cat in Water?

As the saying goes, there are two sides to a coin. Some cat breeds handle water better than others. A few of them are:

• Turkish Angora
• Maine Coon
• American Bobtail

However, if your cat doesn’t fall in among such breeds and gets into some mischief like something gluey or muddy, you may need to clean them quickly.

In such an event, you may also want try a sponge bath for the cat and make sure you don’t use any water additives.

In conclusion, different cats may enjoy water to some degree. But if your cat is agitated about getting near or getting into water, then it’s probably best to avoid it at all costs - unless it’s extremely necessary.