Can Ragdoll Cats Swim? Expert Insights & Safety Tips

Originally published August 25, 2010

My mom told me the other day that Parker, her new German Shepherd puppy, fell into the lake and their lake home.  I said to her, “Dogs aren’t like the cats – they don’t just know how to swim?”  She said, “Not really – they splash all over with their front paws…if you’re in the water with them, they will figure it out.”  But Parker had fallen off the dock into the water – so it wasn’t a planned swimming event.

After high school, my parents moved into a house that had a pool.  So it was the first time I could see if Rags could swim – and then because of my parents’ lake house, I also exposed Caymus, Murphy, Charlie and Trigg to the pool to make sure they knew how to swim.  The videos of them swimming, posted below – used to get some pretty nasty comments from people assuming I was forcing them to swim for my own entertainment.  But I was doing it because of what happened to Parker last weekend.

My parents no longer have a pool – so no more cat swimming, but it made me think to re-share this post and talk about cats swimming!

When I was in my early 20s, my parents moved into a house and put in a pool.  I had always been curious if Rags could swim like the dogs.  But I never had the opportunity to put him in anything – so I never tried it.  Until! my parents got a pool.

Rags was an awesome sport – he would try anything once – and sometimes twice if I asked him to!

When my mom got Murphy and Caymus – we decided to put them in the pool around 1 year old to see if they could swim too!  Sure enough – they swam – just like Rags!

I knew I would give swimming a try with Charlie and Trigg too.  Charlie already went once, as you might have read  – but August 12, was Trigg’s first swimming experience and he did a wonderful job!  If you follow us on Facebook, then you probably already saw the photos!

Ragdoll Cats Swimming Videos!

Caymus, a 6-year Old Seal Mitted Ragdoll Cat from Bluegrass Rags, Swimming

Trigg, an almost 1-year Old Blue Lynx Mitted Ragdoll Cat from Soulmate Ragdolls, Swimming

Charlie, a 1-year Old Seal Mitted Ragdoll With An Hourglass Blaze From Soulmate Ragdolls, Swimming

Charlie with My Parents German Shepherds

Watch our Ragdoll Cat Swimming Playlist on YouTube

Does your Ragdoll cat swim?