CATS’
dislike to water is widely accepted as fact but in truth, not all cats
feel the same about taking a dip. Is your cat afraid of bathtime?
One domestic breed, the strikingly beautiful Turkish Van
cat, actually delights in getting wet. His ancestors did, too, plunging
into lake waters to better cope with the extreme summer heat in the Lake
Van region of Turkey, where the breed originated.
If your cat is any other breed, he probably views swimming
and bathing as spectator sports and the prospect of being caught in a
thunderstorm with raindrops drenching his fur is unthinkable.
What do most felines really think of water? Check this out:
Enjoying Bathtime
Unlike dogs, cats rarely need a bath because they do so
much self-grooming. But if yours gets into something sticky or smelly,
or has a skin condition that requires bathing, you’ll want to help Kitty
cope with the watery experience.
If you begin bathing a cat when he’s young, he will grow
accustomed to the feeling of water. Place him in an empty tub or sink,
speak reassuringly, and run a washcloth wet with room-temperature water
over his fur — just enough to get him damp.
If he’s calm enough, start filling the bath or use a
tumbler or pitcher of warm water never hot and slowly pour this over
his fur.
You can also try a hose attached to the faucet to saturate
his coat. Working from head to tail, apply a small amount of diluted
feline shampoo and work up the suds, cleaning the cat’s fur and skin.
Be sure to rinse more than once to prevent shampoo residue
from irritating his skin, or getting into his mouth when he tries to
lick himself dry. Dry him with a clean, fluffy towel, praising him for
braving bathtime.
Water Hatred
If a cat’s experiences with water are mainly exposure to a
sopping rainstorm, a forced bath or being sprayed with water as a
disciplinary measure, why wouldn’t she shy away from water?
Scientists contend that cats’ dislike of water comes from
house cats’ owners shielding them from the elements since the earliest
periods of domestication and from their ancestors wild cats in Europe,
Africa and China’s desert cat — whose limited experience with water did
not require adapting and evolving to deal with it.
On the other hand, some big cats in the wild, especially
those in hot, arid areas, regularly swim and bathe to stay cool or catch
dinner.
The Asian fishing cat is a skilled swimmer, with partially webbed paws, that dives to nab its prey.
That Mesmerisng Drip
Despite not enjoying a full immersion, many house cats are
fascinated by water, dipping an exploring paw into the water bowl to
scatter a few drops or running into the bathroom at the sound of a
shower.
A dripping faucet is a cat magnet, an interactive toy that draws playful paws eager to catch a drop or two.
Just in case.” For cats fascinated by water, flowing pet
fountains that recirculate water in a continual whirl are great fun, and
a good way to get them to drink more.
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