Why do cats hate water?

You probably already have tried to wet your cat, either by sprinkling a few drops on them, or by trying to wash them. And you saw their reaction: they hate it! Well, the vast majority of cats hate it. But why? Lets try to solve the mystery!

And yes, your cat does not like water - it revolts them to be just a little wet and just look at their face when it rains and they are stuck outside! Well this is simply because of their origins: most cat breeds comes from the Middle East and its desert regions. It was only later that they ventured into wooded areas and thus encountered water. This explains why they do not have "confidence" in this weird liquid!

For example: the Norwegian, which is native of forests of Norway, has no big issues with water and even accepts a shower from time to time! This is also true for Maine Coons or Siberians.

The strangest thing about all this is that cats swim very well, it is innate and in their nature! Warning: do not throw your cat in a lake, however, because they will not like at all...

And 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 moves, it does not stop, it is mysterious: the leaky faucet is a little TV for our kitties!

But do not worry, they will never intentionally throw themselves into water. In fact, they never learned to fish, such as bears, for example. The water did not arrive until much later in the evolution of our kitties, thus a cat will never associate a river, even full of fish, with food! The same applies to oceans or lakes.

You can try to train your cat to like water (if not completely paralyzed at the sight of course, it is useless to rush them, the force will make things 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 and take a shower with you!

Here is some information about our beloved companion who is terrified of water! This is also the case for its larger cousins​​: the lion and cheetah are not big fans of water, 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!