Why can't cats swim

We have all seen how a cat retreats from the bathtub in horror, avoids puddles, and flees from the shower in a panic. But did you know that catscanswimming - they just don't want to? And that their 'unsinkability' is not a flaw, but a brilliant evolutionary strategy?

Cats are not fish, but they don't sink either

Yes, cats are physically capable of swimming. If you catch one off guard and throw a cat into the water, it will most likely start paddling its paws like a little doggy paddle. They have muscles, lungs, and even webbing between their toes (though weak). In nature, there are cats that swim willingly: for example,Turkish Van cats— the only breed thatloveswater. They dive into ponds, play with water, and even follow their owners into the bathroom.

But most domestic cats are not. Why?

Evolution versus the bath

The homeland of the domestic cat is the arid regions of the Middle East. There were no rivers, lakes, or rains here that would encourage swimming. Instead, cats developed other skills: jumping, camouflage, accuracy of grip, the ability to hide. Water for them was not a resource, but adangerThe cold water lowers the body temperature, wet fur makes them heavier and less mobile, and in nature, it is an invitation for predators.

So cats don't 'not know how' to swim - they justthey don't see the point in this. It's as if a person didn't learn to fly: technically possible, but why, if you already run great?

Swimming as social stress

Scientists from the University of California have found that cats experience severe stress when in contact with water not only for physical reasons, but also because ofloss of control. Cats are creatures that love predictability. When you take one into the bath, you deprive it of all its reference points: it cannot control its movement, it doesn't know where it will end up, it doesn't feel the surface under its paws. This causes panic, not the survival instinct.

And what about wild cats?

Interesting: some big cats—tigers, leopards, jaguars—excellent swimmers. They swim to hunt, cross rivers, cool off in the heat. But they have a different ecology - aquatic environments are part of their lives. The domestic cat is the result of 10,000 years of selection not for endurance, but forcomfort and safety.

So, can a cat be taught to swim?

Possible. But why?
If your cat accidentally falls into the pool, let it swim.
If you want her not to be afraid of water, gradually introduce her to it at an early age, play with water in the form of a stream from the tap or a light spray.
But if your cat tells you, 'I don't want to take a bath'—listen to her. She's not stupid. She's just wise.

Philosophical conclusion

Cats don't swim - because they don't need to.
They don't clean themselves after the rain — because they don't have to.
They don't eat what we eat — because they don't have to.
Their greatness is that they live by their own rules.
And we are simply happy witnesses to their impeccable, independent elegance.

So next time your cat refuses to bathe, don't get angry.
Tell her:

"You are right. You are a queen. And you don't need to swim. You are already soaring above the ground."

And then put a piece of salmon on a towel for her and sit nearby - in silence.
For that is precisely how harmony is arranged:
Not everyone has to be the same.
And sometimes it's better not to know how than to do what you don't want to.

P.S. If your cat still loves water, congratulations! You have a rare specimen. Perhaps it will be a future YouTube star called “Splash the Cat.”