Unlike most cats, tigers love the water.

Chances are, at some point in your life, you’ve seen what happens when a house cat gets wet. It’s no secret that cats aren’t fond of the water, even though they can swim just fine. 

Tigers love the water mostly because of the climate they live in. The same goes for lions, jaguars, ocelots, and jaguarundi. These animals all live hot climates, and so they enjoy taking dips in cold water.

Snow leopards, lynx, bobcats, and cougars all hate the water because they live in colder climates. They have little interest in getting wet because water damages the ability of a cat’s fur to keep the cat warm, serving only the purpose of making them cold.

House cats generally have the same problem because they often live in temperate settings. Tigers like to submerge themselves in nearby lakes and streams, and sometimes stay in for an hour.

Tigers almost never have their heads under water, because they don’t like getting water in their eyes and nostrils. To avoid this, they typically get in the water backwards and keep their heads above water. Water is actually the primary cooling device tigers use.

(Source)