Is it true that cats worry about their owners when they're bathing? We tested their reactions to "pretend drowning."

It’s a well-known fact that cats dislike water because their fur isn’t water-repellent and takes longer to dry than a dog’s, so getting wet can lead to hypothermia, which is life-threatening for them. Since cats feel this way themselves, the theory goes that they believe their owners must feel the same, and they often watch over humans in front of or inside the bathroom while they bathe. We hear and see this a lot, don't we?

If they truly possess such kindness, it's too precious! I wanted to give them more treats! So, with the cooperation of my two beloved cats, I conducted an experiment to see how they would react if I pretended to drown while taking a bath.

My beloved cat, who loves me, showed an unexpected betrayal that left me speechless...

First, the initial challenger was Kotaro (a brown tabby), who is very cautious. Kotaro usually stays in front of the bathroom when I'm bathing, making un-cat-like sounds like "Nyaoh!" or "Nipah!"

And on very rare occasions, he makes up his mind and comes into the bathroom. However, he seems to think, "Water is really scary!", and if even a single drop splashes, he quickly rushes out of the bathroom, shaking his belly.

One day, when he happened to come into the bathroom, I closed half of the bathtub lid in front of Kotaro, submerged myself, and made bubbling sounds, pretending to drown. From an outsider's perspective, it was a foolish sight that would make one wonder, "What is this person doing?", but I was very serious about it.

Kotaro is a cat who adores me. I'm the only one he lets touch his belly. I'm sure Kotaro would call for help or stick his paw into the hot water to save me from drowning.

I was bubbling and eagerly anticipating this, but Kotaro's actions were unexpected. As soon as he realized that the bubbling sound wouldn't stop, perhaps understanding, "This is a critical situation...", he ran out of the open bathroom door and into the living room.

...Huh? Kotaro, are you going to abandon me? ...No, no, that can't be right! We're usually so lovey-dovey! Surely, he'll call our other cat, Leon, to come and rescue me.

Thinking that, I continued to make bubbling sounds and waited, but Kotaro never returned.

...Yes, it's certainly sad, but it can't be helped, as protecting oneself is the most important thing. Kotaro, always prioritize yourself like that... Although I told myself this to calm my feelings, my heart ached a little, so I put a bandage on my chest, even though I wasn't injured, and healed my wound that day.

My cat, who adores my husband, showed me unexpected kindness, and I was deeply moved...

The next day's challenger was Leon, a ginger tabby. Leon usually prefers my husband to me. When my husband comes out of his room and into the living room, Leon immediately goes to his side. During meals, he sits on my husband's floor chair, eagerly awaiting post-meal petting time.

Yet, he's not very affectionate towards me, and when I go near him, he moves to a distant spot as if to say, "I was relaxing alone, you know." The only time he rarely comes close to me is when he wants treats.

Even though I've spent more time with him! I always feel jealous of my husband.

However, recently, for some reason, he seems to have started liking to come into the bathroom with me. When I head to the washroom, he follows me, and as soon as I open the bathroom door, he goes inside and onto the lid covering the bathtub. Until the dreaded shower starts, he relaxes on the bathtub lid while I pet him.

During our usual relaxed time, I hid under the bathtub lid where Leon was sitting and began my experiment. Just like with Kotaro, I made realistic bubbling sounds to fully simulate drowning.

I thought Leon would probably leave the bathroom just like Kotaro. As I was bubbling, something unexpected happened... Leon moved to the edge of the bathtub lid and, being careful not to fall in, started to bring his face closer to the water.

Huh?! Is he worried about me? Or is he just curious about the strange bubbling sound?! His unexpected action instantly threw my mind into confusion. Panicking, I involuntarily poked my head out from under the bathtub lid.

Then, as soon as our eyes met, Leon licked my face. From that lick, I felt a kind of affection, and I cried in the bath.

A woman in her late 30s, stark naked and crying hysterically in front of a cat. From an outsider's perspective, I was definitely an unhinged person, and after my bath, Leon looked at me with a cool gaze.

The "love of cats" remained largely mysterious even after the experiment

This experiment yielded personally fascinating results, with an unexpected cat showing concern, while a usually affectionate one displayed indifference. However, I believe animals can distinguish between real and fake danger, so I'm sure they would react differently if I were genuinely drowning.

Incidentally, my late beloved cat, Gigi, used to exhibit a mysterious behavior: whenever I had an asthma attack, she would run from wherever she was and continuously bite my limbs. This behavior was also observed when I replicated rapid breathing, so I believed it was out of concern. However, when I researched it online, I found an explanation stating, "She's trying to deliver the finishing blow to weakening prey"...

前に一度、過呼吸になった時に気づいたんだけど、早く呼吸をすると、なぜか猫が最後のとどめを刺しに来る。 pic.twitter.com/uTLDUM59cx

— ゆあ ｜ ライター🖊 (@yunc24291) April 22, 2022

Although it made me feel a bit conflicted, I've decided within myself that "that was concern born out of love." Because we were family, not hunter and prey.

Even if we don't understand their true intentions, the charm of cats lies in their ability to show us actions that somehow convey kindness. I want to continue loving them with all my heart, even with their whimsical and self-first tendencies.