Why Cats Dislike Water [Full Guide]

It’s widely believed that cats and water don’t do well together. If you try to put a cat into a bathtub full of water, it will fiercely move its paws and even try to scratch you. Well, it shows how determined the cat is when it comes to avoiding water. You’ll already be familiar with this if you own cats. If not, here are all the answers. Let’s find out why cats dislike water and if all of them behave the same way!

Cats spend 30-50% of their awake time grooming themselves. However, they don’t like to wet their fur. Even though the top layer of their fur is water-resistant, cats still get uncomfortable. The most important reason is that water weighs them down. It further makes their body heavy which hinders them from moving freely and quickly. Besides, sometimes they aren’t able to get out of situations that are deadly in the speed-dominant wild world.

The second reason lies in evolution. Cats were initially domesticated in the middle east and have lived in harsh desert climates without a water body in the surrounding. So the instinct of avoiding water comes off naturally. However, some species live in an environment that comprises water. In fact, species like Bengal and Maine Coon are able to swim as well.

The third reason could be the odor in the water. Cats are well known to have an excellent sense of smell. They can even smell the chemicals in the water; no wonder why they refuse to get into it!

If that’s the case, you may wonder why cats dip their paws in the water or why do they play with the water coming out from the faucet? Well, it’s fine if their paws get wet since they can easily clean their paws by licking them. As for the latter, don’t forget that cats are inborn hunters. Even domestic cats show predatory behaviors. They perceive moving objects as living things and try to catch them or just play with them.

So, if you’re worried about your cat’s water intake, you can consider getting a water fountain. And WOpet cat water fountain is a good option if you need such a tool. It will be able to continuously flow water for your cat to encourage it to drink more water. And its glowing blue lights can also remind your pet to drink water at night.