Have you ever seen your cat get wet? After seeing their reaction, you must have noticed that they hated it.

The vast majority of cats hate water. But why is this? In this article, we will try to help you understand this mystery!

Just look at their face when it starts to rain and they are stuck outside! They are like this because of their origins: most cat breeds come from the Middle East and the desert regions. They later ventured out into wooded areas and encountered bodies of water. This explains why they do not have feel safe around this weird liquid!

For example: the Norwegian Forest Cat, which is native to the forests of Norway, has no major issues with water and even can accept a shower from time to time! This is also true for Maine Coons and Siberian cats.

The strangest thing about all this is that cats swim very well, it is innate and in their nature! With that being said, please do not throw your cat into a lake to test their swimming abilities. They will not like this at all.

If you wonder why your cat gets near water if they hate it so much, its because water fascinates cats! Have you ever noticed how long a cat can watch the water flowing from the tap? It flows continuously and does not stop, and cats find this mysterious. A faucet is a lik little TV for our kitties!

cat play water sprinkler wet

Don't worry, though, cats will not intentionally throw themselves into water. Unlike bears, they never learned how to fish. Bodies of water were not part of cats life until much later in their evolution. Thus, a cat will never associate a river, despite being full of fish, with food! The same applies to oceans and lakes.

You can try to train your cat to like water (as long as they are not completely paralyzed at the sight of it, of course). Be aware that it is pointless to rush them. This will only make it worse. It is best to start at a young age with warm water (you probably noticed that your kitty loves heat and radiators), and especially in a quiet place. Your cat will get used to water, and may even become adventurous!

The cat's larger cousins​​: the lion and cheetah are not big fans of water either, and grimace a bit when they have to cross a river. Oddly, the jaguar and the tiger fish regularly and love to swim. Nature is strange sometimes!

You might find this article useful: Is it necessary to give my cat a bath?

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