Cat Who Loves Swimming As Much As a Dog Has People in Awe

I hear some cats like water. Mine is not one of them. In fact, when we take baths, she never fails to nose her way into the bathroom, stand on the lid of the toilet and wail at us. What in the world are we doing in there? Getting wet? On purpose? It’s obviously deeply traumatizing for her, but what are you going to do? Her method of bathing is highly insufficient for human children.

So seeing this cat, who clearly feels the opposite way about water compared to my kitty, is all the more fascinating. Where my cat abhors the water, this one can’t get enough of it.

Meet Azia, a blue-and-white (or gray-and-white, depending on the terminology you favor) bicolor cat with harlequin marking who absolutely loves to swim. Her person gives her every opportunity to take to the sea, and in this video, you can see her on her longest swim to date. Here she is, swimming steadily to shorn some shallow shoreline waters, with people close enough o snatch her up, should anything go wrong.

Related: Cat Who Loves to Swim Shuts Down Stereotypes About Kitties Hating Water

“Aww, she’s a little otter,” says one person in comments.

“I showed this to my cat and he got mad at me,” says another. (Girl, same.)

The process of getting Azia to this point was clearly an effort on both human and feline parts, and it’s great to see them enjoying the great outdoors together.

Do Cats Swim?

Azia might seem like she’s an unusual specimen of the feline world, but far more cats like to swim than you might think. In Oregon, the “jetty cat” colonies are a regular concern for wildlife ecologists, and the cat breed known as the Turkish Van likes to swim so much they are even called “the swimming cat.” Sphynx cats and other hairless breeds must be acclimated to water from a young age, because their genetic mutations require regular bathing to keep their hairless skin in good condition. Additionally, the popular Maine Coon breed is known for getting into swimming, and some of them have even learned water sports like paddle boarding.

How To Teach Your Cat To Swim

Disclaimer: just because you want to teach your cat to swim does not mean they will be a good candidate for the wide world of water. Just as with Sphynx kitties, the best way to get your cat used to bathing or swimming is at a young age, in safe, shallow tubs where they can feel safe and secure.

Once your cat is sued to water, you can allow them to explore swimming, perhaps in a shallow tub, creek, or baby pool. Because of a cat’s natural instinct to lick their fur, make sure the water you are letting them swim in is clean, and if it is salt water, try to rinse them off so that they don’t ingest too much salt. Patience, and tons of love and treats are the best way to teach a cat to do anything, swimming included.

And hey, I’ll never say never about my extremely water phobic kitty. When I first got her, she didn’t even like to be held, and now she plops down on my daughter’s lap every single day after schools without fail.

Who says you can’t teach a cat new tricks?

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