Why Do Cats Hate Water? (And the Ones That Don't)

Most cats treat a bath as an emergency. The same cat will happily sit on the edge of the tub, bat at a dripping tap for ten minutes, and drink from a glass of water you were using. So the popular claim that cats “hate water” is not quite right: most cats dislike being soaked, and are perfectly interested in water otherwise.

The coat is the main reason

A domestic cat’s fur is not built to get wet. Unlike ducks or otters, cats have no strongly water-repellent outer coat, so water soaks through to the skin, sits there and takes a long time to dry. A soaked cat is heavy, cold, and less able to move quickly — an unpleasant and, in evolutionary terms, dangerous state.

Long-haired cats have it worst. A wet Persian coat can take hours to dry and mats easily while damp.

Ancestry matters

The domestic cat descends from the African wildcat, a species of dry and semi-arid regions. Unlike animals that evolved around rivers and wetlands, these cats had little reason to swim and no adaptations for it. There was never any selection pressure to be comfortable in water.

Smell and temperature

Cats groom constantly, and their own scent is part of how they recognise themselves and their territory. A bath strips that scent and replaces it with the smell of shampoo and tap-water chemicals, which is disorienting.

Temperature matters too. Cats typically run a body temperature a little above ours and tend to prefer warmer surroundings than people do. Bathwater that feels pleasant to you can feel cool to a cat, and evaporation from a wet coat cools them further.

Experience and early life

Kittens handled gently and exposed to new experiences during their socialisation period — roughly two to seven weeks old — tend to become adults that tolerate handling better, including the occasional wash. A cat whose only experience of water is being grabbed and dunked will, reasonably, form a strong opinion.

The cats that do like water

Plenty of exceptions exist. Turkish Vans have a long-standing reputation for swimming, and Maine Coons, Bengals and Turkish Angoras are often described as unusually water-tolerant. Individual personality varies more than breed does, though: some ordinary moggies will join you in the shower.

Running water is a special case. Many cats prefer to drink from a tap or fountain rather than a bowl — moving water is easier to see, and it is often fresher. If your cat drinks badly from a bowl, a pet fountain can measurably increase how much it drinks, which is useful for urinary health.

Do cats even need baths?

Usually not. A healthy cat's grooming keeps its coat clean, and routine bathing is unnecessary and stressful. Baths are worth it when:

• your cat has got into something oily, sticky or toxic that it must not lick off;
• a vet has prescribed a medicated wash;
• an elderly, obese or arthritic cat can no longer groom parts of its body;
• a long-haired cat has matting that brushing cannot solve — often a groomer's job.

For everything else, regular brushing does the work with none of the drama.

If you must bathe a cat

• Trim the claws first and enlist a second person if you can.
• Use a few inches of warm water in a sink or tub, not a running shower over the head.
• Put a towel or mat down so your cat has grip. Slipping is a large part of the panic.
• Use a cup or damp cloth, not a sprayer, and keep water out of ears, eyes and nose.
• Cat shampoo only. Human and dog products can irritate skin or be toxic — never use dog flea treatment on a cat.
• Be quick, then warm. Rinse thoroughly, wrap in a warm towel, and let the cat dry in a warm room. Most cats hate hairdryers.
• Stop if panic sets in. A thrashing cat can injure you and itself. A groomer or vet nurse is the better answer.

The short version

Cats dislike being soaked because their coats hold water, their ancestors never needed to swim, and wet fur is cold, heavy and smells wrong. They are still curious about water they are not submerged in. Skip baths unless there is a real reason, brush regularly, and consider a fountain if your cat drinks poorly.

If you do end up with a damp, outraged cat, that is prime photo material — see our phone photography guide and then enter the result on Katwars.