Cats have a bad reputation when it comes to bathing. It is believed that cats hate water. But have anyone ever wonder why is it so? Is it true? Maybe its just myth. We have seen many people asking around Why do Cats Hate Water? Firstly you should know that not all cats hate water. Some cats do have a positive attitude towards the water. The one having a negative attitude may have faced something horrible. So, before interpreting, you should know each factor and reason affecting their behavior towards the water.
Here in this article, we are going to answer the query that is queried many times, Why Don’t Cats Like Water?
Radically, there are four main reasons why cats behave awkwardly around the water.
Because of History
You know, it is said that cats were domesticated long ago in the middle east around 9500 years ago. They were raised in arid desert areas and weren’t introduced to water bodies like rivers, lakes, ponds, etc. and maybe this is the reason that they still feel strange around water. Genetic thing.
But as we said, not all cats are reluctant to water. There are breeds like Turkish van, Turkish angora, Maine coon, Bengal, and American Bobtail that were exposed to water and they still love playing with water. Of them, Turkish Van and Turkish Angora are known for their swimming ability. Due to the weather in the Van region of Turkey, they adapted the habit of shedding their fur coat in summers to swim.
Now, this clearly states that felines ancestors can be the reason Why Cats Hate Water.
Scent Sensitive
Facts
- “A domestic cat’s sense of smell is about fourteen times as strong as humans.”
- “Cats have 200 million odor-sensitive cells in their noses whereas humans only have 5 million odor-sensitive cells.”
After reading the above facts, you would have realized that cats can smell the detailed scent as well. There are higher possibilities that cats are allergic to scents of chemicals. And due to her strong smelling sense, she can sense it well and avoids being in the water for a longer time.
Due to their Coats
Everyone knows cats are cleanliness freak. And this quality makes her a favorite among many of us. It is observe that cats spend one-third of their waking hours in grooming herself. She keeps herself clean, her fur detangles and condition. She loves doing this. Cats have double coats, and their coat gets heavy when soak. And this makes it difficult for her to maintain herself and that thing irritates her. She can get cranky when soaking in water.
You know how it feels when our hairs get drench in the rain, right? That is what they exactly feel. Though some cats are playful around still water, try to give them a positive experience, when they are in a socializing period, this will help fur baby to get liking towards the water. Every cat has different characteristics, so treat them accordingly without any expectations.
Reluctance to Water
Water reluctance can also be the reason. The reason for this water aversion can be the result of negative experiences around water. The negative experiences include being stuck in the rain, forceful bath, or being spray with water. It has been observing that most of the house cats are reluctant to water, and the reason is the extra protectiveness of owners. They believe in the myth that cats and water can’t stay in one place though they aren’t as active as dogs while in the water, there isn’t anything like total disliking.
Conclusion
So try to socialize your kitty around water but within her tolerance capacity. If she feels nauseous around water, avoid it after all your kitty likes to be clean and warm and gives her best in that. You don’t need to take tension about bathing them.
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