Cats, Water and Snow

Generally speaking, cats do not like water. They hate being bathed and get used to it with difficulty. The cat really has to be escaping in danger of its life before it will jump into a lake or stream of its own accord.

Strangely, though, if a cat does end up in the water for the first time, it instinctively knows how to swim and will get out alright -as long as it does not have to swim too far, since it soon runs out of breath. Many cats will have nothing to do with the water even though they have realized they can survive in it.

A few, on the other hand, love it and will dive in. Of the pure bred cats there is only breed which is known to be totally happy in the water: the Lake Van cat from Turkey. But no one knows why they are the exception to the rule.

But while cats do not like water they have no problems with snow. Seeing snow for the first time they will timidly proceed, one paw at a time. They soon realize the strange white blanket on the ground is not dangerous, even if it is rather cold. You can see young cats playing and rolling in the snow -until their fur gets wet!