Can cats actually swim?

Special swimming pool for 'Van Cats' in Turkey
Special swimming pool for 'Van Cats' in Turkey | Anadolu/GettyImages

If you are a cat owner, then you might be curious about some of your furry friend's behavior. This is especially true if you notice your cat hanging out in the bathroom sink or even chilling in the bathtub, but you always thought that cats hated being in water. So we wanted to know more about cats and water and in particular, we were curious about whether or not cats can swim.

It turns out that cats are not as opposed to being in the water as we may have thought. In fact, there are some cats that like to be in the water and they like to swim. And according to a blog post on Scrumbles, it seems that cats are actually pretty decent swimmers.

Not only can cats swim, but they have a natural instinct that makes them good in the water. Felines are not born with a natural aversion to water nor do they hate it, but it is not something that they choose to enjoy. However, if a cat is raised by the water, they might choose to be more aquatic in nature.

Are cats natural swimmers?

While there are some cats that will hate water and try to avoid it at all costs, there are others that enjoy a good swim. In the blog post, they shared some interesting information on some cats that don't hate water. "It's important to note here that whilst the majority of household cats do avoid water, there are a fair few breeds or individual kitties that are known to enjoy a swim. Breeds that enjoy swimming include the likes of Maine Coons, Turkish Angor, Turkish Vans and Bengals. So if you’re looking for a furry Phelps, you know where to look."

Honestly, if you are looking for a cat that likes the water as much as you do, then it might be beneficial to choose a specific breed of cat for your lifestyle. Cats are going to do what they want and that includes choosing to spend time in the water if they want to. In general, it is just nice to know that if a cat were to fall into a pool, for example, they could swim their way out of it.