Hi Everyone!

My question is: Does anyone own Bengal cats that are siblings, where one of them doesn't mind getting bathed but the other one doesn't like it? Getting bathed by a human, that is (in a sink, bathtub, or shower, and getting all wet). If you do, I'd love to talk to you more, so please contact me! (Tom Cooke, cooketho@stanford.edu)

I'm a population genetics student and I'm interested in cat behavior. I'm curious about Bengal cats because, from what I've gathered, on average they like water more than other breeds of cat. But, I'm especially interested because I've also heard that they don't ALL like water, which suggests that if there is indeed a genetic component to the trait, then it is variable within the breed, which means there is a possibility of finding the underlying genes by sequencing samples of DNA and doing genetic mapping. The environment can, of course, effect behavior too, but there are relatively simple methods of estimating how much is due to genetics.

My first challenge is to simply define what it means to be water-loving. There is pawing in the water bowl or tub (which many non-Bengal cats also enjoy, in my personal experience). Then there is getting the body and face wet, for example by having a bath (which some Bengals seem to like, whereas the few non-Bengals I've known simply hate it). Thus the pawing and the getting wet might actually be independent traits. There are of course more traits, such as swimming, playing, urinating, defecating in water etc.

I'm not asking here about playing in water bowls or things like that because quite a few non-Bengals seem to enjoy that, and I'm not asking specifically about swimming. But if in addition to the bathing preference you also know whether your cat will go into water and swim on its own without being put in, I would also be very interested.

Thanks!!
Tom

I set up a short survey about water-related behaviors in cats. Even if your cat is not a Bengal, or if you don't own any of its siblings, feel free to participate.
Here is the link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/catwaterbehaviors

Thanks!

Raiden loves fishing around in his water bowl. He wasn't crazy about our walk in the rain yesterday. He prefers the shower without the water running and the floor wet.