The distinctive Siamese cat is one of the oldest domestic cats and is certainly one of the most popular. Their eye-catching pointed coloring is a naturally occurring genetic mutation, and these cats are also known for their rather chatty ways.

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

Veterinarian, MVZ

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

Veterinarian, MVZ

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

But have you ever heard that Siamese cats like water? It’s true for most — but probably not all — Siamese cats. This may seem strange because most cats seem to really dislike getting wet.

Here, we take a closer look at the Siamese cat and what it is about this breed that makes them more interested in water than others.

A Brief History of the Siamese Cat

These gorgeous, intelligent, and loving cats have an air of mystery around their origins. The history of the Siamese starts around the 14th century in Thailand, originally called Siam, which is where they got their name from. It was believed that when a member of the royal family died, their souls would enter a Siamese cat.

In 1878, an American diplomat stationed in Thailand brought the first-ever Siamese into the U.S., which was given as a gift to the wife of President Hayes. She named the cat Siam, and from that point on, the Siamese has been one of the world’s most popular cat breeds.

Why Does the Siamese Cat Like Water?

Most cats seem to dislike getting wet. Water is just something that they need to stay hydrated, and that’s it. When a dog sees water, you will likely end up with a wet (and sometimes muddy) dog. But if a cat gets wet, you’ll likely have a disgruntled cat to deal with. So, why do Siamese cats seem to like it?

Playful Nature

Siamese cats are quite playful, which means they like endlessly exploring everything to find something of interest to play with.

Water rippling in a bowl and catching the light of the sun or dripping from a faucet is something fun to play with, and most Siamese cats can’t resist it. If they are bored, it’s much more likely that that play will turn into mischief. If you own a Siamese cat, you’ve probably had to clean up a watery mess or two.

Curious Nature

Siamese cats are extraordinarily intelligent, and with intelligence comes a natural curiosity. Siamese cats are inquisitive and enjoy investigating anything of interest, including water.

Water is rather mesmerizing. The way that it moves, sparkles, and drips, along with the sounds that it makes, tends to be fascinating, especially to the Siamese cat. Their inquisitiveness can lead to a play session.

Running Water

A cat’s fascination with water can depend on their water preferences. Some cats are happy drinking from a bowl, but others seem to prefer drinking from running water. It’s thought that this is an instinct that comes from living in the wild, where standing water could be stagnant and potentially unsafe to drink.

If your Siamese seems to only want to drink from a running faucet, consider buying a cat water fountain. It has a trickling water feature that should satisfy most cats’ urges to drink from running water.

Do Siamese Cats Like Baths?

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While some Siamese cats might enjoy a bath, don’t count on it! Playing with water is fun, but getting dunked in a pool of water is another story. Some cats might not mind a bath, but others won’t appreciate it.

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Typically, cats don’t need baths because they are skilled at giving themselves a good grooming. There might be certain circumstances where a cat does need a bath. If something toxic ends up on their fur, it needs to be washed off so your cat doesn’t ingest it.

If you introduce a kitten to water gently and consistently, they will likely enjoy paddling around in it. But bathing a cat isn’t usually necessary unless they are genuinely dirty or if you have a hairless or super thickly coated breed.

Go ahead and give your Siamese cat the opportunity to play in water, but don’t try to bathe them, as it could be potentially traumatic.

Allowing Your Siamese to Play With Water

If your Siamese tends to leave puddles around the house, there are a few steps that you can take to protect your home and still allow your Siamese to enjoy water.

Buy a waterproof food mat and place a bowl of water on it. Give your cat a bunch of waterproof toys that can be dropped into the water. Some cats love doing the dropping themselves or enjoy batting the toys around while in the water.

If your Siamese is overenthusiastic with the water play, consider getting a larger play mat or even an inexpensive shower curtain that you can fold up and place underneath the bowl.

You also might want to place a mat under the water fountain, as your Siamese will enjoy making a mess as much as drinking from it. If you don’t have a water fountain, consider leaving one of your taps running slowly from time to time.

Finally, you could leave the door open when you’re taking a bath or shower. Many Siamese cats love to sit on the edge of the tub and smack at the bubbles from the bubble bath or bat at the shower curtain.

Are There Other Cat Breeds That Like Water?

Several cat breeds are known to enjoy water for various reasons. For some, it’s a genetic thing, but for others, it’s having the same intellectual curiosity and playful nature as the Siamese cat.

These cats include:

Manx

Maine Coon

Norwegian Forest Cat

Japanese Bobtail

American Bobtail

Turkish Angora

Turkish Van

Savannah

American Shorthair

Bengal

While these breeds tend to enjoy playing with water more than others, not every cat will enjoy it the same way. Every cat has their own distinctive personality and quirks, including whether they like water.

Manx

Maine Coon

Norwegian Forest Cat

Japanese Bobtail

American Bobtail

Turkish Angora

Turkish Van

Savannah

American Shorthair

Bengal

  • Manx
  • Maine Coon
  • Norwegian Forest Cat
  • Japanese Bobtail
  • American Bobtail
  • Turkish Angora
  • Turkish Van
  • Savannah
  • American Shorthair
  • Bengal

Conclusion

If you own a Siamese, you know that they are smart and curious. It’s one of the main reasons that Siamese cats are so drawn to water. If your cat loves to play with the water in the fountain or water bowl, it’s normal behavior, and they are not the only cat breed that is fascinated by it.

If you take the time to play with your cat, they might be less likely to make a mess in the water bowl.

You can also get waterproof mats (or shower curtains) and allow water play in protected areas. You should hopefully end up with a slightly less soggy home and one happy Siamese cat.

Featured Image Credit: BearFotos, Shutterstock