Cats and water, like oil and water, are thought not to mix. In fact, it’s quite the opposite for some cats. There are those, for example, that come from a swimming or at least wading background. The big cats living in hot climates will take a dip, for example. The Asian fishing cat is a good swimmer as he must be to go fishing for his supper. And the Turkish van actually likes to get wet—it’s in his genes to cool off in a pool of water on a hot day.
Also naturally attracted to water are the manx, Abyssinian, Maine Coon, Norwegian forest cat and the American shorthair, among a few others.
So why do so many cats–including some in these breeds–seem to HATE water? One reason is domestication. For some cats, the only experience they’ve had with water is negative. We might give them a bath under duress, for example. We use a spray bottle of water to teach them to stay away from our favorite plants or to stop scratching on the furniture. Of course, they’re not going to like getting wet under those circumstances.In some parts of the world, the big cats stay away from rivers because that’s where crocodiles live.
As far as drinking water, it isn’t typical for cats to take in a lot of water because in the wilds, they get plenty of fluids through their diet of live rodents and such. Those with a diet of kibbles, however, will drink more water by necessity.
Some of us have known cats with a real fascination for water. Our white odd-eye cat,
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Winfield, used to love playing in the water bowl. Most days we’d find a puddle of water around the bowl. Part of the reason was that he’d drink water using his paw. He’d dip his paw into the water, then lick the water off it. This isn’t something he’d do only sometimes. That’s how he drank water.
Many cats like drinking from the tap. Is that because the water is fresher or is it the novelty? I tend to think it’s the latter—at least for Lily. She has access to four water bowls and a fountain that are refreshed regularly, yet she still begs for running tap water daily.
I believe that one reason cats are fascinated by water is the fact that it moves: it trickles, swirls, runs. You can make it move by touching it. Oh yes. Water, for some cats, must be one of those mysteries they love to explore.
