Cats’ aversion to water is well known. Sure, they may be fascinated by it but have no interest in getting into it.
Not the Fishing Cat!
Wetlands specialists as they are, these felines are adapted to their watery habitats, and take a much greater interest in water – that’s where over 70% of its favourite food (yep, you guessed it, fish!) comes from (Haque and Vijayan 1993).
More on how Fishing Cats fish coming soon!
Fishing Cats are excellent swimmers, which their water-resistant double-coated fur, long stocky bodies, short ruddy-like tails and webbed feet seem well adapted to- but on closer inspection, the partial membrane between the toes are no more developed than in other wild or domestic cats.
And just like your kitty at home, once wet Fishing Cats don’t like to stay that way- check out this video of the male from 2015 shaking the mangrove mud off his paws.
Fishing Cat in Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia
Camera trap video of a male Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) marking the ground on a small raised “beach” in the mangroves of Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary, Koh Kong, south-west Cambodia. Note that the date should read 2015 not 2014.
More on Fishing Cat Habitat and Ecology here.