# Can you teach a cat to swim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942 "2022-08-01T21:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/1 "2022-08-01T21:24:27Z")
This is in case a cat falls into a pool. If it is possible to teach cats, how is it best taught? Just throw the cat into the pool and rescue it if it goes under? 😸 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/2 "2022-08-01T21:27:30Z")
I’m certain there are better ways to teach (especially as the cat may well hate you for the experience.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/3 "2022-08-01T21:28:07Z")
In return, the cat will teach you how to bleed. That’s an absolutely cruel way to treat a cat (or any animal). ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/4 "2022-08-01T21:29:38Z")
Supposedly, cats can swim instinctively, there’s no need to teach them. But if you’re concerned about your cat falling into your pool, you need to ensure there’s a ramp or something else the cat can climb on to get out of the pool if/when that happens. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/5 "2022-08-01T21:51:23Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > But if you’re concerned about your cat falling into your pool, you need to ensure there’s a ramp or something else the cat can climb on to get out of the pool if/when that happens. This is incredibly important because if you reach down and pull the cat out of the water yourself… > [@running\_coach](#): > > In return, the cat will teach you how to bleed. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/6 "2022-08-01T23:17:08Z")
Cats are natural swimmers, it’s just that most of them hate getting wet. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/7 "2022-08-01T23:23:30Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Cats are natural swimmers, it’s just that most of them hate getting wet . This one certainly did. (Hurricane Harvey, 2017). [![](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a0/0e/4f/a00e4f24b56092bf0277f31d8908dcec.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a0/0e/4f/a00e4f24b56092bf0277f31d8908dcec.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/8 "2022-08-01T23:28:59Z")
You just need a bigger cat [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pG3ASkbKOpA/maxresdefault.jpg "Tiger swimming lessons a roaring success!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG3ASkbKOpA) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/9 "2022-08-01T23:55:23Z")
Cats are fine swimmers–as shown, tigers and jaguars swim for fun and any cat will swim if it needs to. They just don’t like being wet and having to groom themselves dry. Heck, I have an 18 lb tomcat who loves getting a bath–he doesn’t groom himself worth a damn so he goes to the groomer who bathes him and gives him a super cute lion cut couple times a year. He digs his groomer and she barely needs to use a muzzle on him, only for brushing him out if he has mats and he’s not crazy about having his claws clipped or the anal glands being expressed. He does love the bath though, apparently the issue is that most people who bathe a cat use water that’s too cool, they like a warm bath. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/10 "2022-08-02T00:13:18Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > tigers and jaguars swim for fun And when they’re hungry: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DBNYwxDZ_pA/maxresdefault.jpg "Jaguar Attacks Crocodile Cousin (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO) | National Geographic") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBNYwxDZ_pA&t=83) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/11 "2022-08-02T00:19:10Z")
This commentary is brilliant. Love da cat😾 ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/12 "2022-08-02T00:28:48Z")
I gave my cat a bath once. I used warm water, but he still hated it. I still remember his baritone moans of despair; I never heard those particular sounds from him before or since. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/13 "2022-08-02T00:31:42Z")
I’m the first to admit The Captain is a weirdo–he also really likes car rides, never complains and really likes it when I leave the windows down for him. ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/14 "2022-08-02T00:53:51Z")
I’ve had cats since 1983. I would never force (i.e., throw) a cat into water. But on the few occasions that they found themselves in deep they instantly knew how to swim to a shoreline or shore-like object. As has been said upthread, always have an easy way for a cat to climb out. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/15 "2022-08-02T03:39:01Z")
Years ago I accidentally startled a cat sleeping next to a pool. The cat jumped up and took off - right into the middle of the pool. I swear the cat popped up and ran across the surface of the water to get out of the pool, in reality he just swam really fast and disappeared for the rest of the day. Doubtless plotting my destruction. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/16 "2022-08-02T09:55:26Z")
Bobcats are another of the cat family that don’t seem to mind swimming. There’s lots of video of this online. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/17 "2022-08-02T11:04:20Z")
The [Turkish Van](https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/the-turkish-van-a-cat-that-likes-to-swim.html) is a domestic cat breed that allegedly likes to swim. There are plenty of videos in the usual sites, and they look gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/18 "2022-08-02T11:54:21Z")
Pretty much all mammals can swim, some just like it more than others. Chucking your pet cat into a pool will only teach it to distrust you. All except one of the dogs I have owned have loved water. The one who didn’t, who didn’t even like stepping in puddles, I picked him up (all 45kg of him) and jumped off a pier into the river with him. He swam back to shore fine but was pissed with me for a week. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/19 "2022-08-02T12:06:19Z")
I’ve heard big cats will slowly enter the water while holding a stick in their mouths. Fleas and such will migrate upwards to stay out of the water. The cat submerges himself until the stick is all that’s left, and the fleas go there. Then the cat lets the stick go. Don’t know if it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942/20 "2022-08-03T14:06:03Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Cats are natural swimmers, it’s just that most of them hate getting wet. My cat fell into the goldfish pond. She swam eight feet so quickly that she was barely wet when she got out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-teach-a-cat-to-swim/968942.md?page=2)