Domestic cats and tigers both belong to the cat family, but domestic cats are very afraid of water, while tigers enjoy soaking in water and swimming; tigers can even swim several kilometers.
Tigers are a rare species with six subspecies: Amur/Siberian, Bengal, Indochinese, South China, Sumatran, and Malay. In the wild, these subspecies are scattered across the Eastern Hemisphere of the Earth, primarily concentrated in the tropical rainforest regions of Southeast Asia—an area characterized by high average temperatures. In Southern India, for instance, summer temperatures often reach 37.7 degrees Celsius.
Tiger soaking in water. (Photo: Fine Art America)
Faced with such a hot and humid climate, tigers love to swim to cool down. Tigers typically hunt at night (when the weather is cooler), while during the day, they prefer to immerse themselves in water.
Besides the weather conditions in their habitats, another reason tigers enjoy being in water is that they are the largest species in the cat family, which gives them a large surface area exposed to the air, causing them to heat up quickly. Their thick fur also contributes to their rapid overheating. In contrast, domestic cats, being indoor animals, tend to avoid getting wet to prevent feeling cold.
When swimming, tigers usually keep their entire body (except for their heads) submerged in water. Generally, tigers dislike having water splash into their eyes, so they prefer to keep the water level up to their necks.
With their strong bodies and wide, webbed feet, tigers are excellent swimmers. Studies have shown that some individual tigers can swim distances of up to several dozen kilometers.
Tigers swim not only to cool off but also to travel by water and gain an advantage while hunting. They also use the strategy of driving prey into the water to control them.
However, tigers are not the only large cats that swim. Other large cats in hot regions, such as leopards and lions, also frequently relax in water and showcase their swimming skills when necessary. African lions in the Okavango Delta of Botswana will swim to dry land when the water rises in their habitat.
