We all have been on the receiving end of an angry cat that just had a bath.
Water can transform the most innocent cat into a dangerous little lion.
The idea of bringing your cat into any body of water
may seem like a bad idea. After all cats hate water right?
It may come as a shock, but cats can be taught to appreciate water.
Many of you guys have asked how my cats were so calm in my bathing video.
Well my cats definitely did not like water at first,
but I was able to help them overcome their fear. If your cat’s only exposure to water was being
trapped in a downpour or forced into a bath, it’s not surprising that they’re not fond of it.
Today I will share with you how to get your cat used to water in 4 steps.
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Number one. Observational Learning.
Observational learning describes the process of learning by watching others.
When we were children we learned by studying our parents.
Examples include learning how to walk and chew our food.
Just like humans, cats also learn from their parents.
The mom teaches the kittens how to use the litter box as well as how to communicate
and socialize with other cats.
You are the mom or dad to your cat
You have to show your cat that water is harmless
So I started letting my cats watch me shower everyday.
At first my cats would be afraid of the sound of water and would not even enter the bathroom.
Eventually they started to get closer and had front row seats of me showering.
They observed that water did not harm their parent, so water must not be that bad.
By the second week my cats started getting curious
and would explore the bathtub after I was done showering.
Next is to let your cats touch water
As you slowly ease your cat into appreciating water,
allowing the cat to touch and experience water in a safe way is key.
Cats don’t like surprises and definitely do not like being forced.
Every cat learns at its own pace and you want your cat to associate
positive experiences with water.
Running water from a sink can be very attractive to cats.
They may try to drink out of the stream or bat around with their paw!
Getting their paws wet will get them used to feeling wet.
We will gradually desensitize your cat to water.
Once your cat is comfortable with the sink, it is time to move on to the next step.
Number Three is to let your cat play with a toy fish in a Fish Bowl.
The goal here is to safely introduce your cat to a body of water.
Cats are attracted to things that move and a small, toy fish
darting here and there is just too tempting for some cats.
Cats are natural hunters and it’s their instinct to hunt for prey in order to survive.
And whilst domesticated cats know that their next meal will be served up in the same place,
at the same time, the primal urge for tracking their next meal still needs to be satisfied.
This is now play time for the cat rather than survival needs!
Although most cats are not a fan of water,
this is unlikely to deter them in their mission to catch their sparkly prey.
Throughout each training we have been helping our cats associate positive feelings towards water
and that water is not dangerous. We have also been letting our cats learn at their own pace.
To be honest I did not expect my cats to take the training so well. Arya usually is
not a big fan of water, but seems to be completely different when she is trying to catch a fish.
Step 4 is to introduce your cat to the BathTub As we continue to build our cat’s confidence
with water, we present our Cat with their next challenge.
A bathtub filled with water. We start with a small amount of
water and then we will continue to raise the water level when our cats feel they are ready.
I have also added a platform for the cats in case they need a place away from the water.
And yes that is my sous vide cooker...the things that I will do for my cats.
You can entice your cats to interact with water by placing floating treats in the bathtub.
Your cats may be more willing to go into the water if there is a reward.
All of this time you have been building trust with your cat. Your kitty needs to trust you,
and trust that you have things under control or they will freak out.
I am always in the bathtub to show that if they ever need help I am there.
It is important to not rush your cat. Patience is key.
Once your cat is comfortable with shallow water, it is now time to increase the water level.
Arya you can do it!
Now it is time to raise the water level to the Cat’s body.
You can throw in some toy fish to keep them
engaged with the water.
I believe the success of having your cat not be afraid of water is patience,
trust, and letting your cat learn at its own pace without being forced.
You want to continue to have your cat associate positive feelings with water.
You want them to remember how much fun it was to play in water and not a fearful memory.
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If you want to learn how to bathe your cat I will put the link in the description below.