My two kitty-kids, Sofie and Sam, love to watch when I take a bath. They're curious about the bubbles, the water moving around in the tub, the smell, I figure. Each bats at the water, testing its depth—and I've always wondered whether they wanted to jump in with me.
Animal behaviorist Arden Moore wants to dispel the rumor that cats dislike the water. Her childhood pet Corky, a Siamese, apparently loved to fish by taking a swim in the lake by her house, snagging bluegills who came too close to shore.
My girl-cat Sofie is known for playing in her water bowl. I've always thought she was washing her paws after visiting the litter box. It's a little tedious for me, as I have to clean up the water all over the floor, but for it seems a necessity for Sofie.
Ms. Moore mentions that cats use their paws to check for danger in their environment. She also says that cats' eyesight is relatively weak when looking at close objects, so they rely more on their sense of touch and smell when checking them out.
Who knew?
In any case, I want to make sure my kitties drink enough water, so I'm considering a water dispenser-type water bowl for them … if they can stop playing in it and getting it all over the place, too.
As for the kitty swimming pool, well, perhaps I'll wait until summer for that one.
Janet Muniz
