Have you ever tried to give your kitty a bath? You must have noticed that cats generally don’t like to bathe or get wet. This fact makes many owners think that cats are afraid of water.
Many owners have a query that,
“Does most cats fear/ hate getting wet?”
If not then,
“What is the reason that actually makes cat struggle to get away while bathing?”
They do also ask that,
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“Do cats have any psychological, biological, or behavioral reason behind this fact?”
Well, the answer to this is, cats are actually not afraid of water. Drinking water by cats proves that they are not afraid of water? All they don’t like is taking a bath or being forced to bathing.
In case when cats start receiving regular bath, they get habitual to bath and begin to hate them less. Bathing regularly makes the cat learn that bath is just a normal part of their grooming schedule.
Why do most cats fear/ hate to get wet?
As mentioned, cats are not really scared of water. But they hate bathing because of some biological and evolutionary reasons. Since the cat is a predator animal, they must not have any scent in their thick fur as it may get them tracked.
In case when cats get wet, they start giving the smell of boggy water in their fur. This could make them miss a badly-needed meal or may have chances to become meals themselves. Also, on getting wet, their fur starts picking up more dirt, leaves, or anything it touches. This also increases their grooming time, and they need to repeat it until the coat is dry.
Since cats with constant regular licking, keep grooming themselves. This stops the building up of the skin oils on their fur. This makes the cat’s coatless waterproof and fluffier more prone to the cold as well. As they have little fur on their bodies, the water comes in contact directly with their skin and makes them feel too chill.
When the cat is long-haired, getting wet make their coat feels heavier. Also, the cats’ fur is not water-resistant, which makes them feel even less secure in the water. Many cat owners even say, encountering some bad experiences during early kittenhood also makes the cat scared of water.
How to get the cat used to water and bathing?
If you want you to go with your cat for an adventurous ride that involves wetting or being exposed to streams or lakes, you should expose it at an early age with positive reinforcement.
Why do cats go crazy when it rains?
You must have noticed your cats go crazy when it is rain or thunderstorms strike. Along with disliking getting wet, thunder sound and lightning can also make the cat scared.
Many theories are supporting the fact that cats may react to change in weather. Also, it is hypothesized that cat may have the ability to detect the change in air pressure in case of changing weather, and the cat’s very actual hearing makes them crazy when its rain with thunderstorm.
Storms and sometimes the rain makes our felines friends get crazy, shake, and take cover anywhere like under beds, couches, blankets, or in the cabinet. If your cat is behaving similarly, then the most probable reason would be is its association with an unpleasant past.
For example, she might associate with rain being damp and get cold, making the cat shake or shiver. Electricity is maybe the other reason that is present in the air. Since cats are covered with hair, this makes the cats even more prone to shock.
How to help a cat who is scared of thunderstorms?
There is a need for care and protection for the cats, which are scared of the lights and noise. Here we present you some tips that will help you keep your cat comfortable during thunderstorm rain:
So, all these reasons make the cat scared of water. But like other rules, this fact also has an exception, and some cats love swimming or playing in the water tub.