Do you know why cats are afraid of water?

Surely this question has arisen at least once among cat owners who are trying to wash their pet. Most animals will rest on all four limbs and scream heart-rendingly, but will not allow themselves to be driven into the water until the last moment.

So why are cats afraid of her? Behavioral scientists believethat this is due to a number of reasons.

First of all, pets are happening from wild predatory Middle Eastern cats. Their ancestors lived in a dry and hot environment where water was a rare resource. And in the process of evolution, cats have learned to hunt effectively in such conditions, so they run and climb trees well. But they simply had no need to learn to swim.

In addition, wild cats drink less than other animals. In nature they get Most of the fluid the body needs comes from food. Therefore, they rarely have to approach open bodies of water - unless the animals are dehydrated.

In general, wild cats have always been good with water, and this behavior was passed on to their domesticated descendants.

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Besides the behavioral aspects, there is another cause of hydrophobia that is more pressing: their fur. She is at cats thick and dense and gets wet easily. But these animals are incapable of shaking themselves off quickly like dogs.

When the hair gets wet, it loses its insulating properties, the cat quickly begins to freeze and may catch a cold. Naturally, these are not the most pleasant sensations, and therefore she seeks to avoid them. In addition, wet fur becomes heavy and makes movement more constrained, which creates a feeling of discomfort and vulnerability in the animal.

Finally, some behaviorists believethat hydrophobia is especially severe in cats that have experienced traumatic events involving water, such as falling into a full bathtub. This can make the animal afraid of liquids for the rest of its life.

However, not all cats suffer from hydrophobia - there are exceptions. Some pets that have been taught to bathe from a young age may exhibit interest to the water and even have fun splashing in it. However, this is the exception rather than the rule.