Your cat probably hisses and runs away at the sight of water. Most cat owners face this challenge. The numbers tell an interesting story – all but one of these domestic cats avoid water. This makes water-loving cat breeds quite remarkable.
Most cats stay away from anything wet. A select few breeds break this stereotype and actually love to swim. These unique felines show their love for water near lakes, pools and even follow you into the bathroom shower.
The sort of thing I love about certain cat breeds is their natural swimming ability. Many people believe cats hate water, but research shows several breeds have special traits that make them excellent swimmers. Some breeds even come equipped with water-repellent fur that helps them stay relatively dry after swimming! The Turkish Van and Maine Coon are just two examples among nine swimming cat breeds that challenge our assumptions about cats and water.
Turkish Van
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The Turkish Van represents the perfect example of a water-loving cat breed. People call it the “swimming cat,” and this ancient breed shows a natural love for water that makes it unique among cats. These fascinating cats originated in Turkey’s Lake Van region and have a documented history spanning almost five thousand years.
The Turkish Van’s love for water makes them special. These cats actually look for opportunities to swim and play in water. Your Turkish Van might splash around in their water bowl, hop into the shower with you, or figure out how to turn on water faucets!
These cats combine athletic ability with impressive strength and intelligence. Their distinctive looks feature a mostly white coat with colored markings on the head and tail – a pattern that experts now call the “van pattern”. Their medium-length fur feels like cashmere and naturally stays tangle-free.
Turkish Vans bring playfulness, energy and affection to their homes, though they usually prefer staying close rather than sitting in laps. They create deep bonds with their families while keeping their independent spirit. These smart cats love to interact and can learn fun tricks like fetching.
Anyone looking to challenge the typical cat-hates-water stereotype should consider a Turkish Van. These remarkable companions might amaze you with their swimming skills.
Maine Coon
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Maine Coons stand out as the sort of thing I love about cats – they break the usual rule about felines hating water. These gentle giants evolved special traits that make them comfortable around water, thanks to their ancestry surviving harsh New England winters.
Their most remarkable feature is their semi water-resistant coat that stays silky, slightly oily, and water-repellent. This special fur helps them stay warm and dry in bad weather by repelling rain and snow. Their bushy raccoon-like tail gives them extra protection when conditions get wet.
Maine Coons show a real love for water that makes them seem almost dog-like. Their owners often tell stories about their cats’ clever paws turning on faucets, dunking their heads under running water, and even hopping into the shower with them. One owner’s experience captures this perfectly: “Fire loves water, he sits between the shower liner and curtain every time I take a shower and licks the shower wall”.
These cats usually like their water moving – they’ll sit by sinks or tubs until someone turns on the tap. They also act like raccoons sometimes and use their paws to scoop water or play with toys in their water bowls.
While each cat’s priorities differ, Maine Coons handle baths better than most cats. Their physical features and naturally curious nature make them perfect pets to have when you want a cat that doesn’t mind getting wet.
Bengal
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Bengal cats captivate with their leopard-like spots and wild appearance. These exotic beauties bring something unexpected to your home—an extraordinary love for water that comes from their unique heritage. Scientists created these magnificent felines by crossing domestic cats with Asian Leopard Cats in the 1960s.
These cats don’t just put up with water—they love playing in it. Owners often find their Bengal companions dropping food into water bowls to play with it. You’ll spot these playful creatures pawing at running faucets. They’ll join you in the shower or take a swim in the bathtub.
Their water fascination traces back to their Asian Leopard Cat ancestors’ natural swimming habits. Wild cats would sweep debris from water surfaces before drinking. Modern Bengals show this same instinct when they “swish” their paws through water before taking a drink.
Bengal cats’ personality goes beyond their water adventures. These incredibly smart and athletic cats just need most important attention to thrive. Active households will find perfect companions in these pets that break typical cat stereotypes. Their high energy and dog-like traits make them challenging for first-time cat owners since they need plenty of interaction and mental stimulation.
Turkish Angora
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The Turkish Angora stands out as one of the few cats that actually likes water instead of running away from it. These cats are silky, graceful, and surprisingly good swimmers. Turkey’s Ankara region (formerly Angora) is their homeland, where they’ve been known since the 16th century and remain the country’s national treasure.
These cats break the typical feline stereotype with their love for water. You’ll find them playing in sinks, jumping into showers, or paddling around in water bodies. Some outdoor Turkish Angoras even wade through shallow ponds and streams, showing off their natural swimming skills.
People often call them “the ballerina among cats” because of their grace, but there’s more to these elegant creatures. Their athletic and intelligent nature shines through their delicate looks. These outgoing cats love attention and will keep their owners entertained for hours.
The Turkish Angora’s medium-length silky coat comes in many colors, though white remains the most well-known. Their fur stays tangle-free more easily than other longhaired breeds. A weekly combing is enough to keep their coat looking beautiful.
These cats make perfect companions for active households that want a water-loving pet. Their playful, kitten-like energy stays with them through adulthood. They’ll keep you smiling as they find new water spots to explore and play in.
Norwegian Forest Cat
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Viking ships carried Norwegian Forest Cats across dangerous seas, giving these felines remarkable water-friendly features that set them apart from other breeds. Native Norwegians call them “Skogkatt,” and these magnificent cats adapted to survive harsh Scandinavian winters with a coat that keeps water at bay.
A Norwegian Forest Cat’s water-resistant fur has two distinct layers. The top layer stays long and glossy to repel water, while a wooly undercoat provides warmth. This special fur lets them swim without getting soaked or cold. These cats love water so much that they run to sinks when water flows and might even hop into the shower with their owners.
Their comfort around water makes sense given their heritage. These cats served as mousers on Viking ships where staying dry in ocean spray meant survival. This seafaring background explains their natural ease around water.
Norwegian Forest Cats keep their playful nature throughout life. They show boundless energy and make unique chirping sounds. Their sharp minds and athletic bodies make them natural climbers and adventurers.
Taking care of these water-friendly cats is simple. Weekly brushing works fine most of the year, though they need extra grooming during shedding seasons. Thanks to their love of water, bath time goes smoother than with other cat breeds.
Savannah
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The Savannah cat comes from breeding domestic cats with wild African servals. These amazing hybrids got their exotic looks and a surprising love for water from this mix. The first Savannah appeared in 1986, and these striking cats show water behaviors you wouldn’t expect from regular house cats.
Each Savannah’s personality ended up deciding how much they love water. Many Savannah owners say their cats play with water in creative ways. They drop toys in water bowls and fish them out, play with running faucets, and some even jump in the shower with their humans. A few brave ones take supervised swims in pools.
Their attraction to water might come from their serval ancestors, since wild servals love wetland areas. This is just a theory though, since today’s Savannahs are nowhere near as wild as their ancestors.
These cats act a lot like dogs. They follow their people around and build strong bonds. Smart enough to learn tricks, they can even figure out how to turn on faucets for their water games.
Water-loving Savannahs need some safety rules. Owners should keep toilet lids down, watch their cats during swim time, and use pet-friendly bath products to protect their skin.
A Savannah cat breaks the usual cat-hates-water rule. You get an exotic-looking pet that loves to play in water – quite a special combination.
Abyssinian
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Abyssinians shatter the typical cat stereotypes with their love for water. These graceful athletes trace their ancestry to Egypt and show a remarkable fondness for aquatic activities that sets them apart from other house cats.
These intelligent cats love to play with water. They splash around in their water bowls and fountains. Many owners are surprised at the time they find their cats operating faucets on their own. No water source stays untouched – from garden features to bathroom sinks.
The Abyssinian’s body seems built for swimming adventures. Their sleek, muscular frame and short, dense coat doesn’t hold them back in water. These cats can leap six feet high, which makes them naturally skilled at maneuvering through wet environments.
A striking ticked coat covers their body, with each hair showing bands of alternating colors. These smart and attention-loving cats learn tricks fast and create their own water games.
Their short coat needs weekly brushing to stay healthy. Most Abyssinians don’t mind baths – some even want to join their owner’s shower time. This behavior shows how comfortable these amazing cats are with water.
American Bobtail
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American Bobtails break feline stereotypes with their love of water, earning them the nickname “Golden Retriever of cats”. These unique cats love splashing in water bowls and playing with running faucets. Some will even join their owners in the shower.
The breed’s story began in the 1960s United States after breeders paired a naturally short-tailed feral cat with domestic breeds. Their signature bobbed tail, which measures 1-4 inches, comes from a dominant genetic mutation that makes them different from other short-tailed breeds like the Japanese Bobtail.
These robust cats have rectangular bodies and weigh between 7-16 pounds, though male cats can reach 20 pounds. Their powerful hind legs let them jump up to six feet high, giving them the strength and agility they need to swim.
American Bobtails’ intelligence shines through their ability to learn tricks like walking on leashes, playing fetch, and solving puzzles. Their dog-like nature makes them excellent companions for RV enthusiasts and truck drivers.
These social butterflies create deep bonds with their families and welcome children and other pets, including dogs, into their circle. Instead of typical meows, they communicate through chirps and trills.
Grooming these cats is straightforward. Weekly brushing is enough for short-haired varieties, while long-haired types need brushing twice a month.
Manx
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Manx cats first emerged as mousers on the Isle of Man. Their most distinctive feature makes them unique among water-loving felines – they have either no tail or just a stubby one. Local islanders lovingly call these ancient seafaring cats “stubbins,” and they break the usual cat stereotypes with their
special affinity for water.
You might wonder how they balance without a tail – what many call a cat’s natural rudder. Yet these cats are
excellent swimmers. Their natural swimming talent comes from growing up on an island, which makes them great partners for beach trips or kayaking adventures. Their love of water makes perfect sense given their history as valued ship cats that hunted rats during rough sea voyages.
These cuddly-looking cats are actually
skilled hunters with sharp minds. A Manx cat’s thick double coat needs regular brushing to stay healthy, especially when they shed. Weekly grooming sessions are essential for these cats, whether they have short or long fur.
Records show these cats first appeared around 1750. The Manx breed has evolved into sweet-natured cats that stay calm in most situations. These smart felines often act like dogs – they learn voice commands, stay close to their humans, and even fetch toys.
Anyone looking to adopt a Manx should learn about their genetic health background. Finding reputable breeders helps ensure these water-loving companions stay healthy throughout their lives.
Conclusion
Nine exceptional cat breeds challenge the common belief that all felines hate water. Most domestic cats avoid getting wet, but these unique breeds show that cats can be natural swimmers and water lovers. Their special traits range from Maine Coons’ and Norwegian Forest Cats’ water-repellent coats to Turkish Vans’ natural swimming abilities, which shows remarkable adaptations.
The sort of thing I love about these water-loving felines is how their history explains their unusual love for water. Turkish Vans’ development near Lake Van, Norwegian Forest Cats’ Viking ship heritage, and Manx cats’ island upbringing shaped their comfort around water. Breeds like Bengals and Savannahs inherited their aquatic tendencies from wild ancestors, which shows the amazing diversity in the feline world.
These cats’ personality traits shape their connection to water. Many act like dogs – they follow their owners, learn tricks, and seek interaction actively. Their smart nature helps them find creative ways to play with water, from fishing toys out of bowls to figuring out how faucets work.
Thinking about adopting one of these water-friendly companions? Note that each cat’s priorities vary, even within these breeds. Notwithstanding that, these remarkable cats are a chance to see a side of feline behavior that most cat owners never experience.
Next time someone says all cats hate water, you can point to these nine extraordinary breeds as proof that feline diversity goes way beyond the reach and influence of common stereotypes. Their special bond with water shows that cats, just like humans, can’t be put in simple boxes—and maybe that’s what makes them such fascinating companions.