Monitoringclub.org | Why Are Cats Afraid of Water? It’s not surprising that cats are afraid of water. Often the cat will avoid water. If they want to clean themselves, they usually prefer to lick the body.
Actually, why do cats dislike water? Can licking the body clean all the dirt on the cat’s body? Read the article below for an explanation Why Are Cats Afraid of Water.
Why Are Cats Afraid of Water?
1. Usually live in a dry place
One of the reasons cats doesn’t like water is that they rarely live near water. Launching Britannica, there is an opinion that cats evolved in areas with dry climates. Apart from drinking, cats rarely interact with water.
This leaves the cat barely touching water other than to drink. Water becomes unfamiliar to cats so they are not comfortable. This habit makes cats avoid water.
2. Have long hair
Some types of cats such as Persians have long hair. Cat hair itself is not waterproof. If cats with long hair enter the water, their hair will absorb the water.
As a result, the cat’s body becomes heavier when it is wet. This heavy body makes it difficult for cats to move in the water. Also, wet hair is uncomfortable for cats and it can take a long time to dry.
3. Sensitive to aroma
A cat’s sense of smell is sensitive to the scents around it. This can cause the cat to avoid water, especially outdoors. Good sense of smell can make them know the aroma in the water.
Cats may notice an odd smell in the water or a chemical in the water. This chemical content can be dangerous for cats. This can also happen when the cat refuses to drink the water you give it.
4. They clean themselves
Cats are one of the clean animals. They can clean their own body. When you see cats licking themselves, they are cleaning themselves of dust and fleas.
This body licking behavior can help the cat’s skin to produce a substance called sebum. This substance is produced by the sweat glands at the base of the hair. With the presence of sebum, cat hair can be protected from dirt and make it shiny.
5. Fear of trauma
Not only humans, cats can also experience trauma, you know! Of course, when experiencing trauma, cats will be afraid to approach the thing that triggers the trauma. This trauma factor can also make cats afraid of water.
An example of an incident that can traumatize a cat is when it falls into a tub full of water. When it falls, the cat will certainly panic and run away from the tub. This experience can traumatize the cat from going near the water.
Even though cats are afraid of water, it turns out that there are types of cats that are good at swimming. Examples of this type of cat are Bengal, Maine Coon, and Turkish Van. They are more daring to move near water and like to swim.
Now you know why cats are afraid of water. Actually, cats can also be taught to bathe, but you have to remember to use warm water so that the cat doesn’t get cold.
For you cat lovers, are there any other tips so that cats are not afraid of water?
