Why do cats hate water? An expert explains.

It can happen in an instant. Your feline friend walks your bathtub like a balance beam, curious what you’re doing behind the shower curtain. Then, a paw slips. They fall in. Water goes everywhere. You’re stunned. They’re horrified. And, as quickly as they fell in, they zoomed away.

Cats and water just don’t mix—that’s the prevailing narrative. And yet, some cats seem to love water. Just poke around on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or the more specialized subgenre of the platform, #CatTok, and you’re bound to find some water-loving felines enjoying a shower or swim. So what gives?

“In general, most cats are averse” to water, says Kristyn Vitale, an animal behaviorist at Maueyes Cat Science and Education. “But I think it’s just like anything else, like with people as well, that a blanket statement never applies to every individual.” To uncover the reason most cats aren’t water fans, we have to look at our furry friends’ evolution, upbringing, and biology for answers that stretch thousands of years into the past.

First, blame evolution

In many ways, cats haven’t changed much in 10,000 years of domestication. Unlike dogs, our feline companions “haven’t really been selectively bred as much. So their predatory motor pattern is basically still intact,” says Vitale. “A lot of their behavior is going to be very [similar to] their wild ancestor.” 

That ancestor is the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). Clocking in between six and 18 pounds, the African wildcat looks pretty much the same as a large, tabby housecat—and like a tabby housecat, this wildcat isn’t into water either. 

“African wildcats are typically going to be hunting on land and hunting terrestrial animals. So they didn’t really develop a lot of behaviors to be in the water or hunting around water,” says Vitale. They are, and always have been, land animals—specifically arid land animals.

African wildcats primarily live in deserts and savannas. When they were first being domesticated some 10,000 years ago, they called the dry plains of the Fertile Crescent, a large swath of the Middle East that stretched from northern Egypt to Iran, home. So it makes sense that their modern descendants aren’t hopping into pools with much gusto. 

A cat’s upbringing also plays a role

But evolution is only part of the equation. How cats are raised also plays an important role in why some, if not most, of our feline friends are apprehensive about water. 

“If you think about dogs, a lot of pet owners will take their dog to the beach or their dogs are going to be getting baths more often. So from an early age, dogs are learning about water and hopefully that water isn’t something scary,” says Vitale. “But as cat owners, we don’t really do that.” 

Most domestic house cats aren’t exposed to water as often as their canine counterparts. Some cats may even develop a fear of water if, say, they’re falling into your shower accidentally or getting a bath after getting sprayed by a skunk. Unpleasant experiences like those may turn off cats even more from getting wet, says Vitale.

On the other hand, if your cat has positive experiences with water, they may start to seek it out. In more extreme instances, maybe they’ll even join you for a shower. May I introduce you to Pym the Shower Cat.

You shouldn’t bathe your cat

To be clear, it’s usually best not to bathe your cat. Most cats self-clean, using their coarse tongues to groom themselves or one another. “Bathing them might cause issues because you’re potentially masking the cat’s scent,” says Vitale, especially if you use a scented shampoo or soap. “Cats feel safe and secure when they can smell themselves. And if you’re masking their scent, that can cause stress and anxiety,” says Vitale. It’s bad news if your furry friend starts associating water with being stripped of their natural scent. 

There’s also the potential that getting wet may throw off a cat’s balance. For instance, whiskers play a vital role in how cats interpret the world around them. They provide information about their environment and how to navigate it. “It’s very possible getting wet might hinder [whiskers’] ability to pick up on vibrations and sensations,” says Vitale. 

That said, Vitale says there’s no need to worry if your cat enjoys a splash in the tub or a quick rinse. “It’s just like people, you know, some people love to go swimming and some are definitely afraid of water. It’s the same kind of individuality we see in cats.” So, don’t worry, Pym the Shower Cat is doing just fine. 

Introducing water slowly can be beneficial

In general, you want to avoid forcing your cat to interact with water. That will only lead to an association with water and negative experiences. Instead, Vitale suggests introducing your cat to water slowly, especially if you have a kitten or young cat who may not yet see water as an enemy. One of the best ways to introduce water to cats is to get them a fountain, that way “they can kind of test the water out themselves,” says Vitale. “They can put their paw in. They can put their tail in.” It’s on their terms. 

You can also find opportunities to introduce water to activities your cat already enjoys, like pets. Next time your cat jumps near a sink, “turn on the faucet for them and maybe just sprinkle a little bit of water [on them] or get your hand wet and pet them with your wet hands to start, and see how they react,” says Vitale.

“If they really freak out about it, then maybe, you know, back off and go even slower. But a lot of times just those gradual introductions to water can really help them like realize that, ‘Hey, water’s not something to fear.’”

This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

 

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