Breast Howe, age 11, of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada for his question:

Are any of the cats unafraid of water?

In the cat world, this is a highly sensitive question. Possibly most felines would just as soon have us believe that they are scared of water. However since, as far as we know, all of them can swim, this seems illogical. It is more likely that domestic cats and other large and small wild cats simply detest dunking. Getting wet all over feels uncomfortable and drying off is a big project. Felines are equipped to wash themselves and are very fussy about this personal cleanliness. Taking a bath is unnecessary.

Several wild cats enter the water without hesitation. Tigers and jaguars plunge in fearlessly to chase their prey. The tiger may cross a stream to escape hunters, the jaguar regularly hunts alligators. The fishing cat of Malaya uses a paw to scoop up fish. The lynx may plunge fearlessly into the water. The handsome ocelot seems to enjoy the water. When adopted as a pet, he is likely to take a dip in the family pool. The domestic Abyssinian cat is said to enjoy splashing in puddles. But most house cats detest the stuff, except as drinking water.