Why Do Cats Hate Water So A lot? Prime 3 Causes Defined!
If you happen to’ve ever tried to wash your cat, you most likely know simply how a lot cats hate water. Most cats very distinctly hate water and getting moist in nearly any scenario, even when it’s a scenario they put themselves in.
As in all issues, there are cats that love the water and swimming. Some cats even love water sufficient to leap in bathtubs or swimming swimming pools with folks. These cats are few and much between, although (I’ve by no means met one!). Why do cats hate water a lot? It appears so unusual for them to hate one thing that can also be required for retaining them alive. There are just a few good explanations for why your cat hates water, although.
Prime 3 Causes Your Cat Hates Water:
1. Your Cat’s DNA
The primary cause your cat hates water is their heritage. The predecessors to home cats lived in arid desert environments the place massive our bodies of water would have been non-existent. It’s constructed into your cat’s DNA that they need to be uncomfortable with extra water in a single place than you may discover in a desert.
2. Your Cat’s Coat
It’s seemingly that cats are extraordinarily sad with the impact of water on their coats as nicely. Cats are recognized for his or her fastidious nature and frequent grooming. If you happen to’ve ever seen a moist cat, you know the way uncomfortable it seems to be to be coated in all that moist fur. As a human, it may be uncomfortable to be soaked, so think about how uncomfortable it will be to be coated in fur that isn’t meant for publicity to moisture.
Cats’ coats will not be made to repel water in the identical approach that some canine breeds’ coats are, so when cats are uncovered to water, they’re prone to develop into soaked, heavy, and chilly simply and rapidly. Cats have the next physique temperature than people, so it’s necessary for them to keep up their physique temperature at this larger baseline.
3. Your Cat’s Aversion to Uncomfortable Experiences
Cats are extraordinarily explicit animals, as all of us nicely know. They usually don’t like new and unfamiliar experiences. Getting a shower or in any other case being uncovered to water is probably going an expertise that your cat shouldn’t be used to, which might make their want to battle when uncovered to water fairly excessive. Many cats enter a battle or flight mode when uncovered to water as a result of their discomfort with the expertise, which might result in each of you being injured.
Cats additionally don’t like feeling like they aren’t accountable for their atmosphere. Cats are agile animals which are typically in glorious management of their our bodies, in addition to managing their atmosphere. Cats can soar, climb, and shrink their approach all through their atmosphere in a approach that few different animals can. In case your cat is instantly in a bath or rain storm, then they received’t really feel like they’re accountable for their present atmosphere, which might result in a way of panic.
The extra your cat has unfavorable experiences with water, the extra seemingly they’re to battle it the following time they’re uncovered. Generally, it doesn’t matter how onerous you’re employed to make water an gratifying factor to your cat. In case your cat fights you throughout a shower, this will result in an aversion to repeating the scenario, even when you labored to wash them gently, made the atmosphere calm, and slowly and calmly helped them via the expertise.
Why Do Some Cats Like Water?
It’s not likely clear why some cat breeds are inclined to get pleasure from water, though it’s constant sufficient amongst a number of breeds that it seemingly has a powerful genetic hyperlink. Bengal cats are well-known for his or her enjoyment of swimming and making an attempt to affix their people within the bathtub or bathe.
Different cat breeds which are recognized to love water are Turkish Vans, Maine Coons, and Abyssinians. The Maine Coon and Turkish Van each have a water resistant coat that’s much like water resistant canine coats. Maine Coons have been lengthy saved on ships as pest management.
In Conclusion
Normally, cats simply don’t like water, though there are some exceptions in particular person cats, in addition to breeds just like the Bengal and Maine Coon. In my expertise, only a few cats will get pleasure from getting moist!
Your cat’s dislike of water is probably going multifactorial, combining two or extra causes for disliking water. Whereas it isn’t within the DNA of home cats to be comfy with water, there are different causes they’re prone to be water averse. Disdain and mistrust of change and new conditions, a historical past of unfavorable experiences, feeling not accountable for their atmosphere, and a way of discomfort related to a moist coat are all viable causes that your cat might hate water.
Featured Picture Credit score: Külli Kittus, Unsplash
Cat mother to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that’s her one and solely little one. For now! All through her life, she has been launched to the particular love that may be discovered within the bond with a cat. Having owned a number of felines, she is greater than sure that their love is unmatched, unconditional and in contrast to another. With a ardour to coach the general public about every thing, there may be to find out about felines, their habits, and their distinctive personalities, Crystal is devoted to creating certain that each one cats and their house owners know the significance of aware dwelling – and loving!