Cats and water, like oil and water, are thought not to mix. In fact, it’s quite the opposite for some cats. There are those, for example, that come from a swimming or at least wading background. The big cats living in hot climates will take a dip, for example. The Asian fishing cat is a good swimmer as he must be to go fishing for his supper. And the Turkish van actually likes to get wet—it’s in his genes to cool off in a pool of water on a hot day.
Also naturally attracted to water are the manx, Abyssinian, Maine Coon, Norwegian forest cat and the American shorthair, among a few others.
So why do so many cats–including some in these breeds–seem to HATE water? One reason is domestication. For some cats, the only experience they’ve had with water is negative. We might give them a bath under duress, for example. We use a spray bottle of water to teach them to stay away from our favorite plants or to stop scratching on the furniture. Of course, they’re not going to like getting wet under those circumstances.In some parts of the world, the big cats stay away from rivers because that’s where crocodiles live.
As far as drinking water, it isn’t typical for cats to take in a lot of water because in the wilds, they get plenty of fluids through their diet of live rodents and such. Those with a diet of kibbles, however, will drink more water by necessity.
Some of us have known cats with a real fascination for water. Our white odd-eye cat,
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Winfield, used to love playing in the water bowl. Most days we’d find a puddle of water around the bowl. Part of the reason was that he’d drink water using his paw. He’d dip his paw into the water, then lick the water off it. This isn’t something he’d do only sometimes. That’s how he drank water.
Many cats like drinking from the tap. Is that because the water is fresher or is it the novelty? I tend to think it’s the latter—at least for Lily. She has access to four water bowls and a fountain that are refreshed regularly, yet she still begs for running tap water daily.
I believe that one reason cats are fascinated by water is the fact that it moves: it trickles, swirls, runs. You can make it move by touching it. Oh yes. Water, for some cats, must be one of those mysteries they love to explore.
I write cat fiction—that is, my mysteries involve and include some interesting cat characters. And I’ve made up some intriguing stories. But, as they say, fact is stranger than fiction and these news stories prove it.
be a veterinary student practicing his surgical prep skills??? Do the cats have mats and the person with the razor is sympathetic to the discomfort the animal is experiencing? Maybe there’s an avid spay-neuter advocate who wants to check neighborhood female cats to see if they’ve been spayed. Or is someone collecting fur to make cat-fur items? Remember my post about items made from fur? I used to spin and some of the students in the class I took were spinning cat fur. You can get plenty by just brushing, however. But I found that most cat fur is actually too fine to spin. So that probably isn’t the reason why someone is shaving cats. Any ideas?
Yesterday was the second National Tabby Day. We first blogged about National Tabby Day last year at this time. Did you know there are some famous tabbies? There’s Garfield, of course. Winston Churchill adored a marmalade tabby named Jock. Orangey was in the movies Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Rhubarb. Can you think of others?
swirls and stripes and smudges and spots of color. There’s Tabby, of course, and Cappuccino, Candy Cane, Speckles (cute), Marble, Tiger, Pebbles, and, of course, Marmalade. If you’re seeking a name for a tabby cat, here’s a site that might help. 
You probably already have your own list of things that make your cat special. But, just in case you’ve forgotten or haven’t thought of the reasons lately, here’s a list your cat wants you to read.
interaction—or if they’re using us, as the jokes go. They used 50 cats in this study—some of them household pets and some from shelters. They deprived the cats of human company, food, and toys for a couple of hours and when they presented these to the cats again, 50% of them seemed more interested in human interaction than in food. 37% chose food first. Their conclusion is that cats like us better than food. Would you agree?
Here we go again–debating the age-old question as to whether a dog or a cat makes a better pet. According to statistics, more households in the US have dogs, but there are more pet cats than pet dogs in our homes. Cat people are more inclined to adopt more cats.
Wow! We’ve chosen to raise our cats indoors. Research shows that it’s safer for cats to live inside. Experts say that cats kept inside are healthier and live longer. They are protected from dogs, coyotes and such, as well as traffic, fleas and ticks, foxtails, poisoned rodents, catnapping, and more. However, an article in Science Daily published in February suggests a danger most of us have probably not considered. By keeping our cats confined inside, we may be exposing them to dangerous chemicals.
Thank you for following my blog. I thoroughly enjoy bringing you news, stories, information, resources, and photos related to cats five-days a week. In case you’re interested in additional blogs, you can find them by searching—keywords: cat blog. You’ll find blogs featuring every aspect of cats you can imagine and then some. There’s one that provides a constant stream of cat videos. Grumpy Cat is featured in at least one blog. Then there are cat behavior blogs, cat clothing and products blogs, blogs exploring medical issues involving cats and so, so, so much more. There’s even a dating site for cat lovers, if you can imagine.
They say the sweet little pussy cat evolved from the big cats. And sometimes it’s sure easy to believe. You can see likenesses in temperament, the way they move, their innate habits, and their personalities. You might think of your kitty as docile and sweet, but have you ever watched her tear a moth of other flying critter apart limb by limb? A cat in hunting mode is ever so reminiscent of a lion or tiger. But as a household cat has a ferocious side, a big cat certainly has a gentle side—when raising cubs, interacting with favorite members of their pride, or just being at one with himself when there is no pending danger and he thinks no one is watching.
As you know, I take a lot of pictures of cats—mine, the neighbors’, friends’, families’…I enjoy photographing them while they’re playing, while they’re sleeping—it doesn’t matter. Today, I want to share some of my photographs, but first, a brag. My grand-cat, Rookie took a selfie the other day. Did a pretty good job, don’t you think so? It appears to me that he was aiming for his good side.
