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Despite the common idea that cats don’t like water, many Bengal cat owners find their cats drawn to playing in water. This wet comfort can come as a surprise to those who weren’t expecting it out of their feline. Since it is more of a common Bengal trait that’s so unordinary for cats to do, let’s take a closer look into it with these topics:
Kittens do grow out of their odd habits as they age, but more often than not, if a Bengal kitten likes water at a young age, that trait will stick around. The Bengal’s interest in water rarely is just a kitten habit, as they grow up, it sticks around.
They rarely grow out of it like some kittens do with their odd traits. A Bengal kitten who enjoys playing in water will probably continue liking water once they’ve reached maturity.
To see an example of a kitten enjoying some time with water, check out the video below.
Having fresh water available for a Bengal is important normally, but it can also keep a water hog from getting into trouble with water from other sources. The Bengal may still find its own sources of water such as the bathroom or kitchen sink, a fountain, the tub, or the shower.
Feline water fountains are especially helpful when living with a Bengal who enjoys playing in water. Not only does it give the cat a source of water, but it also combines somewhere for the Bengal to play in water and a contained source for the cats enjoyment.
Not all Bengals want to get wet or will be happy if they find themselves in a bathtub filled with water, but many will try and succeed in joining their owner in the shower, diving into a water bowl, or checking out their humans’ pool.
Bengal owners with a Bengal who enjoys water quickly stop being surprised by their cat’s fondness for water. Cat Time gives examples of a Bengal’s interest in water as jumping into the tub or shower with or without their human and putting fishy sibling’s lives at risk.
An interest in water, though, doesn’t mean that the Bengal will dive into the deep end of the pool. Sticking their paw in their water bowl, however, and moving it around the surface is far more likely as a demonstration of their interest in water.
This habit is expected to come from the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) in their ancestry. Bengal Cat explains that ALC’s stick their paws into ponds and swish it around in order to clear debris from the surface before drinking.
But remember, just because a Bengal may like water, doesn’t mean that it needs to be bathed frequently. Other websites advise that the Bengal’s coat is cared for best with weekly combings in order to remove the dead hair and skin while distributing skin oils throughout the coat. They rarely need to be bathed, even if they want to.
That doesn’t mean that the tub shouldn’t be filled for some Bengal play. Go ahead and put a few inches of water in the tub when the Bengals have been good and deserve some fun or have too much pent up energy that needs to be released.
It’s also very important to keep an eye out when running a hot bath if a Bengal in the house likes to play in water or in the tub. Making sure that the Bengal cat is safe from getting burned by the hot water will save its owner from a trip to the vet and an upset pet.
Making sure that the toilet seat is down before leaving the bathroom will also save an owner from having a soggy, unhappy kitty who fell in the toilet bowl or from finding the toilet with less water in it, which can be damaging to the toilet if it happens frequently.
A Bengal kitten that shows interest in water will likely keep that habit as they age. Therefore, for most Bengals, if they are going to show an interest in water, they’ll start at a young age. Giving a Bengal kitten possible ways to safely play in water from a young age can also work to assure the interest in water will come up and stay as the kitten grows up.
So, what do you think about Bengal kittens in water? Do you agree with what was said here? Comment below to let us know!
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