system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: why do domestic cats generally hate water?
gpt
Think about when you drop something and that cat goes bananas and zips out of the room in a  split second.   Think about when you make a loud noise and cat bolts.  Cats rely on their ability to get themselves out of a situation at the first sign of danger.  Even the way they sit and sleep allows them to use their legs like cannons from a laying position,  and get off the ground and running full speed instantly.   Without this ability,  cats feel very insecure and vulnerable and may bite or scratch.   The same thing  can happen in small enclosed areas without stuff to jump on, or if they are weighed down by something.  

When cats are in the water,  all this goes out the window.   The water sticks to every strand of fur due to surface tension and weighs a ton.   They aren't able to push themselves off the ground and use their rocket legs.  They suck at swimming due to their lean legs,  and the water alone can increase their weight considerably,  making it difficult to jump high,  run fast.