Zeddie Goes Swimming

[Trish Allearz]

That's what I figured too Trish, and she swam right to the edge

Yeah, getting them over the initial shock and letting them know there is a ledge/steps seems to be a good process if the unimaginable happened. I know one of my dumb dogs went out onto the pool cover and scared the crap out of me as a puppy (hahaha- dumb as in, not a Savannah- hahahaha). I managed to get her, but man, it was a scare!

 

[Patti]

Smart kitty! Just make sure she knows how to swim to the pool stairs so that she'll be able to get herself out of the pool if she ever finds herself in it without any help...

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Definitely knowing where the pool stairs are seems a good thing if has access to the pool unattended...

 

[Sue]

Tink does not need the pool stairs, when we put her in, she immediately swam to a side wall and pulled herself out. She would not go near the edge for a long time. We do catch her sitting on the top ladder step when the water level is low. My husband says she now lays at the edge and he plays with her paws when he is in the pool. She also drops her red mouse into the pool and takes it out with her claws until she drowns it and it sinks to the bottom until we pull it out. She then tries to drown it again. Sue

 

[John Popp]

Just a note that cats don't really learn to swim but stay calm enough that they walk in the water as they would on land which propels them. If they panic and try to run in the water it pushes to much of their mass out of the water and subsequent strides lets their heads go under. That's obviously bad mojo and teaching them to swim is really just an exercise of keeping them calm and assured while they are in the water.

Chongo definitely likes the water and has become a supreme crayfish hunter when we go to the park. He doesn't crunch them, but gets them onto land to play with. Last thing we need is a cat that develops a taste for shellfish.

 

[Kristin]

Thanks for the tips! Zeddie is never outside unattended, but the worst can definitely happen if someone left the screen door shut and Tiger let her out. She swam right to the edge and got herself out...she knows the water is there so I also think she will be more cautious when around the pool if she doesn't want to get wet. I have also had dogs fall in...now that is scary! One was a chocolate lab that I was dogsitting and he just walked right off the edge into the water and sank to the bottom. It took him a few seconds to realize what was going on and swim back to the top....didn't exactly have SV intelligence lol

 

[Mrs.CC]

These are the first hot hot days we've had this summer in Ontario...35 C since Saturday I think....we've gotten lots of cold/rainy days as well. I love the summer and heat...but not the humidity

I agree! We had 16 days of rain, and now it has been 4 days of unbearable humidity with temps in the 90's. It's supposed to cool down to the 80's within a few days....can't wait!