Most cats avoid water at all costs. We asked veterinarians to explain the aversion, from evolutionary traits to unique feline sensitivities.
Why Do Cats Hate Water? 4 Reasons Your Cat Doesn’t Want to Get Wet
Updated on Jun. 04, 2025
It doesn’t seem to make sense: Why do cats hate water when their bigger cousins—like tigers, bobcats and leopards—don’t mind taking a dip to cool off or catch prey? Why do cats avoid bath time at all costs but willingly bat their paws at the tap when you’ve left the water running?
While veterinarians and researchers aren’t entirely sure, they have some ideas. So we asked three veterinarians to explain the theories and what they reveal about a cat’s behavior. Read on to find out why cats hate water and ways to get your kitty on board with bath time.
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Why do cats hate water?
Though scientists aren’t 100% sure why cats dislike water, they can use a cat’s body language and biology to make some strong guesses. The following are the most likely reasons your cat considers bath time a crime.
Water makes a cat’s coat feel icky
A curious cat that accidentally falls into your bubble bath or is caught outside in the rain may tend to avoid water. So why do cats hate water once they’ve experienced it? While we could write it off as one of those unexplainable cat facts, Eve Elektra Cohen, DVM, an emergency and critical care veterinarian with Boston West Veterinary Emergency & Specialty, has a compelling theory.
“When a cat becomes wet, their hair/coat is heavier, colder and uncomfortable. It can also take a long time for a cat’s hair to dry on its own,” she explains. “Another aspect of discomfort is that cats are quick and nimble creatures, light on their feet and adept at jumping and balancing. In water, they may feel a loss of control, as it slows them down.” According to Pet MD, just one negative experience, especially one involving discomfort, can turn your cat off water for good.
They would rather bathe in the sun than in the water
The cuddly cats we love to snuggle are descendants of the Felis silvestris lybica, a small wildcat that thrived in dry, desert environments in the Middle East. Since there were limited natural water sources like rivers or lakes, they weren’t prone to frolicking in the water and preferred to keep their paws and coats dry, often sunbathing under a desert sky.
Sun worshipping, according to Cats.com, is a preference likely passed down to modern domesticated cats, who relish stretching out in sunny spots while they snooze.
Cats fear the unknown
Cats aren’t big fans of unfamiliar things or sudden changes, and they’re not accustomed to bodies of water larger than a small water dish. So a bathtub or a swimming pool can appear to be pretty scary, imposing territory.
“Like anything else unfamiliar, the initial reaction may be fear,” says Jennifer Kasten, DVM, a veterinarian with Dechra Veterinary Products. “This fear reaction can be exacerbated if owners have used a squirt gun or spray bottle to dissuade cats from being on surfaces such as furniture or the kitchen counter,” she explains.
If your furry friend is afraid of water, you’re probably wondering: Do cats need baths? Your kitty is naturally fastidious about grooming; around 30% to 50% of its day is typically spent licking and fluffing its coat. So you might not need to force it into a bath regularly. That said, some cats might not be able to groom those hard-to-reach places, especially if they have arthritis, are obese or are suffering from an illness, and may genuinely need help in the bathing department.
They don’t need to drink much water
Have you ever spotted your cat sticking its nose up at its water dish? Though a cat’s sense of smell is 14 times greater than a human’s, it’s not likely that your cat is turned off by an odor in the water, whether it is for drinking or bathing, says Zac Pilossoph, DVM, a consulting veterinarian with Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.
The lack of interest can be traced back to their ancestors. In nature, cats got most of the water their body needed directly from the food they ate. They weren’t particularly drawn to open water sources unless they were severely dehydrated, Dr. Pilossoph explains. “There are theories that the reason domesticated cats drink water is because their food is actually dehydrated and does not supply them with water, so they need to drink a bit.”
While there is no single diet that is perfect for all cats, offering plenty of moisture is key, which is why the best diet for cats just might include wet canned food.
Why do cats hate water but play with a running faucet?
How is it that some cats are fascinated by running water or even drink from a kitchen faucet yet vehemently hate still water? “The appeal is likely more about the movement of the water, the noise it makes and the light reflecting off of it,” says Dr. Cohen. “This stimulates the cat’s strong prey drive.”
Other experts theorize that cats evolved to prefer clean and safe tap water over the stagnant water found in nature, which could be contaminated.
Do all cats hate water?
A lot of cats do hate water—they’re not a particularly water-loving species, and they evolved in dry climates with little exposure to rivers and lakes—but not all cats flee the scene when they hear the tub filling with water. Some don’t mind it at all.
A cat’s tolerance for water depends on the individual animal and its breed. Some of the cats that enjoy water the most also happen to be the cat breeds that get along with dogs. That’s right—the Abyssinian, Turkish Van, Maine coon, Norwegian forest cat, Bengal and American shorthair are some of the water-loving kitties that could even be besties with your pup. These specific cat breeds have a different texture to their hair that makes it more resistant to water, so they don’t experience the same discomfort as other cats and can actually enjoy the water.
But can cats swim? Yes, and in fact, Dr. Kasten says those cat breeds are known to love swimming.
Tips for getting your cat used to water
If you have a kitten, take proactive steps to help it feel more comfortable around water. “For kittens, the most impressionable time of life is between 3 and 16 weeks of life,” says Dr. Kasten. “That is the ideal time for a pet parent to expose their kitten to water using treats or toys as positive reinforcement.”
You can place the toys in a bowl of water and see how your cat reacts. If your pet appears upset or stressed by the water, it’s probably best not to force your cat to like it. But if it’s curious, you can work your way up to a bath using the same toys-in-water or treat trick.
And while you may or may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, you can certainly teach an older cat to be comfortable around water. “Older cats can also be conditioned to tolerate or enjoy the water, but it may be a bit slower process,” she cautions.
Summon your patience, because training your older cat to accept water is worth the time commitment. If your cat’s natural grooming is limited because of health conditions or mobility issues, you’ll likely need to bathe it regularly—and you’ll be glad you taught it to enjoy (or at least tolerate) water. Learn how to bathe a cat the right way so that, when your cat is ready, you can make the process as pain-free as possible.
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Sources:
- Eve Elektra Cohen, DVM, emergency and critical care veterinarian at Boston West Veterinary Emergency & Specialty
- Jennifer Kasten, DVM, professional services veterinarian with Dechra Veterinary Products
- Zac Pilossoph, DVM, nationally recognized Fear-Free integrative veterinarian, a relief veterinarian at Miami Veterinary Specialists and consulting veterinarian at Healthy Paws Pet insurance
- Purina: “Why Do Cats Hate Water?”
- PetMD: “Why Do Some Cats Hate Water?”
- Pet Assure: “Cat Breeds that Like Water”
- Nature Ecology & Evolution: “The palaeogenetics of cat dispersal in the ancient world”
- Cats.com: “Why Do Cats Love to Sunbathe?”
