Do Maine Coon cats like water? It’s been rumored that Maine Coon cats like water so I’ve performed some Maine Coon water tests. How true can this be? I mean, by nature cats don’t usually like the water, right? There are always those weirdo cats that seem to like it. Some will even go swimming!
For the sake of validating this argument, I’ve decided to put a few of my Maine Coons to the test and see if they really DO like water!
Cat # 1 – Finlay
Let’s start with Finlay. He’s my oldest Maine Coon cat. There’s something unique about Finlay. He has a sensitive tummy. You see, if he eats anything out of the ordinary [like DELI ROAST BEEF], he gets diarrhea. Nothing makes me fall to my knees and want to cry more than a kitty with diarrhea.
I made the mistake of giving him a new human treat once, and he got the Hershey squirts. It’s gross, I know. But these are the facts. I thought if I locked him in the bathroom eventually he would lick himself clean. That’s what most cats do, right? Well, not him! He just sat on the toilet seat waiting for the poop to dry. He even took a nap!
Time to test the waters!
I started by filling up the kitchen sink with warm soapy water hoping that he’d be accepting of this since there was no running water. As soon as I tried to lower him into the sink, he turned into the devil. His eyes became as big as saucers and his claws came out. As he was vigorously struggling to get out of there [and I was trying to calm him] he stuck his claws in my chest.
I shouted to my husband to come to help me! I was currently wrangling a 20-pound Maine Coon cat. He ran to the rescue and got Finlay off of me, uncurling his claws from my chest.
This didn’t help the fact that he still had massive amounts of poopy in his britches. Dan [my hub] came up with a great solution! We filled the bathtub up with warm sudsy water and put Finlay in the bathtub with the glass doors shut. Man, was he mad! However, from him jumping up and down frantically trying to escape, he successfully agitated all of the stinky poop from his backside.
When Dan felt like he was all clean, he opened the shower doors and we all ran. And for this reason, I am VERY careful about what Finlay gets for treats. NO MORE DELI ROAST BEEF.
CONCLUSION: FINLAY DOES NOT LIKE WATER
Cat #2 – Omega
Next up is Omega. He’s my white Maine Coon. He is very calm and relaxed. Not much bothers Meggers, and he gets along extremely well with any cat that crosses his path. At a whopping 30 pounds at 3 years old, he is my gentle giant. The abominable snowman, if you will.
Omega has been to the cat shows more than once as a Neuter (Premiere class). This means that he has seen some pretty detailed grooming days. Lucky for me, he was easy to bathe and groom. I was even able to get in the bathtub with him and be his rubber ducky.
Bathtime was a success. What about the running water test?
Conclusion: Omega likes water!
Cat # 3 Headhunter
Headhunter is the Former Sire in the Sassy Koonz Cattery. He has done a fairly decent job keeping himself clean and groomed. Around the age of 12 months, he started to develop a stud tail. This is a condition that intact males get that causes the base of their tails to get greasy.
Recently, I put our good friend Headhunter to the water test. I filled the bathtub up with warm water and some fresh-smelling kitty shampoo. After putting him in the tub, I realized that he was very tolerant of the water and the experience so yes, I got in the tub with him. It’s just easier to wash and rinse the cat when I’m in there with him. I wanted to wash him a couple of times to make sure I got his tail nice and clean.
He did great in the bathtub! He even sat for a blow-dry and brushed after the bath.
Conclusion: Headhunter the Maine Coon likes water!
Do Maine Coon Cats Really Like Water?
I can’t answer for every Maine Coon cat out there and yes yes to this question. Finlay is a prime example of a Maine Coon that absolutely does not like water! Based on my water test, more Maine Coons like (or will tolerate) water more than the normal cat. I’m sure there are some Maine Coon cats that will jump into a pool or a bathtub and take a swim. I haven’t encountered that personally but this video from one of my favorite Maine Coon Photographers ever demonstrates how his cats enjoy playing in the water.
In conclusion, I think that if started early in the bath, your Maine Coon Kitten can learn to enjoy the water. If it’s something that becomes routine then they will certainly get used to it, and not be bothered by it. Similar to that of riding in the car or being brushed. So if going swimming in the lake with your Coonie is on your bucket list, get them started early by giving them a bath while they’re young. Offer them treats and playtime while in the water to make its positive and rewarding experience!
FUN FACT: Maine Coon cats have a waterproof coat! Read about this cool feature and More Interesting Facts about Maine Coons.
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