Everyone knows that cats are afraid of water, but not everyone understands why. In fact, this is a misconception.
Cats are fine with water and are not averse to swimming themselves, but the reaction that owners see when a screaming cat is being bathed is not a fear of drowning.
Experts have explained why cats react this way to water.
Cats are free creatures and do not like when something is imposed on them. If they do not want to bathe, but they are forced to, then the reaction is natural. In addition, only people like the smell of shampoo.
Pets are afraid of hypothermia and overheating. The reason is that the cat's fur and the air layer in it are an important link in the animal's body's thermoregulation. When the fur gets wet, the cat can freeze, and very quickly, or overheat under the scorching sun.
Wet fur has a more pronounced smell, and given the hunting instincts, this makes the cat more vulnerable to the enemy.
Bacteria can settle on wet fur along with dust. They can subsequently penetrate the body.
The animal's fur is covered with a special substance that protects it from fragility and adds shine. Water washes away this composition and does not benefit the fur.