Animals, Plants & Seasons 2-minute video · ages 4-8 · free coloring page
Why do cats hate water?
Splash! Bath time? Zoom, the cat jumps away! Why do cats hate water?
2 min
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Free coloring page
The scene from the video as a coloring page, plus the three-sentence answer, the experiment, and a QR code back to this page. One sheet, US Letter, black and white.
The answer in three parts
Why?
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Wet fur soaks up water, like a sponge.
A cat's fur is soft and fluffy, and it keeps the cat warm. But when it gets wet, it soaks up water.
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Wet fur is heavy.
It sticks to the body, and makes it harder to run and jump. A cat likes to be quick and light on its feet!
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Wet fur is cold, for a long time.
Wet fur dries very, very slowly. And while it dries, the water takes heat away from the body. So a wet cat feels cold, for a long time.
For grown-ups: Please do not put a cat in water, or splash it, for fun. If a cat gets really dirty, a grown-up can clean it gently, or ask a vet for help.
A tiny experiment
Try it!
Wet fur, dry fur
You need: two cotton balls and a bowl of water
- Dip one cotton ball in water.
- Hold one in each hand. Which one is heavier?
- Which one stays wet for a long time?
What happened? That is how wet fur feels to a cat!
Did you know?
Pet cats come from wild cats that lived in dry, hot places, with very little water. They hardly ever needed to swim, so most cats never learned to like it.
Some cats even love to swim! Tigers splash in rivers to cool off on hot days. And a few pet cats, like the Turkish Van, enjoy a little paddle too.
Your guide in this video
I'm Midnight, a little black cat. How do I stay clean? I lick myself!
Midnight has green eyes and a white chest patch, and hosts all of our pet questions. Midnight keeps clean by licking, with a rough tongue like a little comb.
Keep asking
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