Cats are known for hating water and will do everything in their power to avoid getting wet, but one owner somehow managed to train her cat to enjoy a soothing shower.
One cat owner, who is known on TikTok as @bedazzledblunt, started to bring her black cat into the shower when he was a kitten because she heard steam could help with a cat’s respiratory infection.
The most common respiratory infections for cats are the feline herpesvirus and the feline calicivirus. Symptoms might include a sneezing or coughing cat, discharge from the nose or eyes, sniffling, a fever, a hoarse meow, or ulcers in the mouth, according to PetMD. And yes, steam can help. It loosens up their congestion, making the cat a little more comfortable.
Now, as far as this black cat goes, Shiloh still can’t get enough of the shower even after getting over his respiratory infection. He will scream and beg for his owner to let him into the shower—and yes, she complies.
It’s “hard to ignore,” she told Newsweek. “He uses all his lung capacity to make sure I heard.”
The December 2 TikTok video brought in over 3.5 million views and nearly 700,000 likes. As much as cats like to put on an act that they don’t want to be by their owner’s side 24/7, TikTok users beg to differ.
“My cat screams at me to let her in and will sit on my lap when I’m on the toilet,” wrote one viewer.
Another TikTok user said: “Mine needs to be in the room so she can yell at me about the dangers of standing in water.”
Why Do Cats Hate Water?
Shiloh is one of the rare cats who don’t mind getting wet, but a majority of felines want nothing to do with water.
Researchers and cat experts previously told Newsweek a few reasons why cats do not enjoy water. For starters, cats historically lived in desert environments, which means they were not exposed to water as much. That trait has then been passed down to domestic cats.
A cat’s average temperature is 98.1 to 102.1 degrees Fahrenheit, much higher than a human’s. Because of this, cats want to stay warm, and a wet fur coat absorbing water can make them cold.
They also don’t love water because it can lessen their senses. Cats use their noses to understand their environment and getting their noses wet can remove their personal scent.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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This story was originally published December 24, 2023, 7:00 AM.
source: star-telegram
