Hearts Melt as Cat Who Hates Water Is 'Lured' by Waves

The heartwarming moment a cat who usually avoids the water headed toward the ocean has melted hearts online.

In a TikTok video shared by Evy (@balanceforpaws), black cat Salem was walking along the beach on a harness when he made an uncharacteristic move—he walked towards the water's edge.

"We've been training since he was 8 weeks old," Evy, a dog trainer who runs Balance For Paws, told Newsweek.

She explained that Salem's sudden move toward the water was a definite shock, though: "He hates getting wet or having a bath. Normally, he wouldn't get within 5 meters of the waves or water, and this is the first time he actually did."

With 4.7 million views, people were delighted by the cat's sudden bravery and the beautiful setting of a beach in The Netherlands. In the video, Salem, known for his aversion to water, inched closer to the ocean's edge, almost walking in.

The stereotype that cats hate water is a common one and something that is thought to date back to their evolution. Domestic cats evolved from felines that lived in desert conditions and were rarely exposed to large bodies of water.

Cats are also very meticulous groomers, and getting their coats wet makes it harder for them to maintain their routine. A loss of control and a sense of vulnerability are also always concerns for cats.

Of course, not all cats have an aversion to water. Like 10-year-old Willem, whose new owner, Dominique, now helps with his morning routine of having a shower.

Viewers on TikTok were delighted by the video of Salem at the beach.

Jasmin wrote: "Oh to be a cat at the beach."

User @anxiousangelina said: "This healed something for me as it did for him, idk what that is."

Alisha wrote: "That water called to him. The way it rolled in so gently and moved. Crazy."

Many were delighted by the calming nature of the video and pointed out that it made a nice change compared to chaotic and negative online content.

"This was extremely calming to watch and really cute," @Luvfor.dre. commented.

Explaining her reasoning for sharing the now-viral video, Evy said: "I want to inspire people to train their cats and take them on walks. Besides that, it was just a really cute video."

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