Soggy moggy enjoys swimming pool

16 March 2010

A cat in Australia is defying its species' famous dread of water by taking regular dips in a swimming pool.

Prinny the Persian cat regularly joins canine chum Bandit the blue heeler at the Doggy Paddle Swim Centre in Rosebud, Melbourne.

The paddling pooch has regular swimming sessions in order to help treat a bad back.

Prinny, however, has no such ailment and apparently takes to the water simply for the fun of it.

Doggy Paddle owner Jacque Olsen comments: "I've never seen a cat swim before.

"Bandit came here with a bad back and his owner said the cat swims with him at home, so Prinny hopped in the pool with him next time he came."

Jacque originally set up her unique swim centre, which boasts a 8m x 2m lap pool, for her Staffy cross ridgeback Ubud, whose back legs became paralysed after he suffered an embolism.

"After six months of swimming Ubud was walking again," she said.

Today, the Doggy Paddle swim centre has 150 dogs on its books - and one cat.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Soggy_moggy_enjoys_swimming_pool