While watching a YouTube video of a owner of three cats, there was a scene where he was making a fuss trying to wash a cat he had recently adopted, but ended up giving up on bathing, sighing, “This is not a water animal.” Let’s learn about cats’ water affinity, which is called ‘water affinity’ among cat owners. Why do cats hate water? There is a popular saying that ‘cats hate water.’ To be precise, it is more accurate to say that I hate getting wet rather than that I hate water. Although their ancestors came from the desert and are not naturally accustomed to water, the reason modern cats dislike water is closely related to the threat to their lives when their fur gets wet. Since most cats have a double coat consisting of an undercoat and an outer coat, it takes a long time for it to dry when it gets wet. In the meantime, your body feels heavy, your body temperature drops, your activity level decreases, and you feel unsafe, which increases your anxiety level. Olfactory stress also plays a role. The smell of chlorine in tap water is very unpleasant, and bathing is perceived as a loss of territory by removing one's body odor, which adds to stress. In fact, cats keep their fur clean through regular grooming, so bathing is not essential. However, if the pet is covered in dirt or toxic substances, has a skin disease and requires medicinal bath treatment, or is difficult to groom due to age, obesity, or joint disease, a butler's assistance in bathing is required. There are also ‘swimming cats.’ There are also cats that are not afraid of water or actually like it. If you are a breed whose ancestors hunted birds or insects in shallow water, they may recognize water as an interesting hunting ground. Also, cats with sensitive senses are curious about the sparkle and sounds of water. If your cat stares intently at running water, gently touches the water stream, dips its paws in the water in the bowl to drink, approaches people without fail when they stand at the sink, or enjoys sitting by the window listening to the sound of rain, there is a high possibility that they are water-oriented. On the other hand, there are cat breeds that are naturally familiar with water. A representative example is ‘Turkish Van’, famous for being a ‘swimming cat’. This breed evolved around lakes and is not afraid of entering the water. The curious ‘Bengal’ also likes to get close to water purifiers and faucets, and the large cat ‘Maine Coon’ has no hesitation in playing and playing in water and snow. ‘Norwegian Forest’ cats have thick, waterproof fur that is resistant to moisture and water, and has little resistance to bathing. In addition, cats that have been exposed to water frequently and comfortably through adaptation training from a young age can become friendly with water. [Written by Kyeong-hye Lee (freelancer) Photo Freepick] [This article is from Maeil Business Newspaper Citylife No. 1016 (26.02.03)]