Not all cats dislike water. Cats that have had a positive experience around or in water, especially if this experience was during their socialization period (early socialization occurs in weeks 3–8 and late socialization occurs after weeks 9–16) often They like water. Also, certain breeds of cats love water. The point is to try to treat your cat like someone who has no background in water.
Many cats have evolved to hate water
Cats are believed to have been domesticated in the Middle East around 9,500 years ago. They lived in dry deserts and had no access to sea, river or rain. This has caused modern cats to avoid water. Even street cats sometimes take shelter during rain and thunderstorms.
Of course, this issue does not apply to all races; Because some races enjoy being in water because of their evolutionary background. For example, Turkish Van and Turkish Angora love water and are good swimmers. They are used to the climate of the Van region and its lake, and in the summers they used to enter the water to swim and catch fish. Some other breeds that probably don't have a problem with water include: Bengal, Maine Coon, and American Bobtail.
Cats are sensitive to smell
Cats have a wonderful sense of smell that is about 14 times more sensitive than a human's sense of smell. The strong smell of shampoos and conditioners can make your cat dislike water and bathing. Your cat may also dislike the smell of chemicals in treated water.
Cats like to be clean and warm (moisture factor)
Cats care about their cleanliness and spend a lot of time cleaning and grooming themselves. Cats maintain their body temperature by grooming. When a cat's fur gets wet, it makes the animal heavier; As a result, it becomes difficult for him to dry and reach a stable, warm and dry state. The wet coating makes the cat feel that it is out of its agility state and imagine that it cannot escape from the danger.
Water repellency
The experience of cats in dealing with water is not positive in most cases; Staying homeless in the rain, being sprayed with water on them, and forced baths are among the negative experiences for them. So it's completely understandable why cats hate water.
Do cats need a bath?
As we said before, cats do an amazing job of keeping themselves clean. They spend 40% of the day grooming themselves, so you may not need to bathe them at all.
Cats may require medicated baths due to skin problems. Fat and old cats also find it difficult to bathe. Also, when the cat's skin is covered with sticky or smelly substances, bathing becomes necessary.
Happy cat is a good website for cat food.
What can I do to make my cat enjoy bathing?
Before the bath
Introduce him to the bathroom. A few weeks before the bath, take him to the tub where he is going to bathe, so that he gets familiar with the bathroom environment. Put him in an empty tub with his toys and cat treats so he can interact with the space. Use different incentives in the tub to get the cat to lick them.
Once the cat is comfortable eating and playing in the tub, you can fill the tub with 2 to 5 inches of warm water. Throw toys in the water to have fun with them. Encourage him to engage with the toys and then give him a reward.
Prepare everything before the bath. These include cat shampoo, special treats, favorite toys, warm towels, a plastic cup to pour water over the cat, a non-slip surface such as a rubber band, and a mat or towel for the cat to sit on in the tub. stand up
Provide a calm environment. Close the door and keep noise to a minimum. Be calm and speak softly. If the bathroom shower is noisy, wash the cat with a cup. If you are stressed, the cat will be stressed too!
During the bath
Distract the cat when necessary. Avoid holding the cat upside down. Be calm, pay attention to the cat's body language and use special toys and special incentives to distract the cat.
Be careful not to pour water on the cat's face or inside the cat's ears and eyes. Avoid getting the cat's whiskers wet. A cat's whiskers have touch receptors; Therefore, cats do not like their whiskers to be covered with water, food and dirt. Make sure the shampoo is completely removed from the skin to avoid future skin problems.
After bath
Dry the cat with a towel. Gently take him out of the tub and immediately lay him in a warm towel to dry. If the cat does not like to be touched, let it dry in the tub. Cats dry naturally within a few hours, but they should be kept warm during this time. End the bath by cuddling the cat, playing with it, or giving it a treat!
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