The short answer is yes, cats can certainly swim just like most other animals on Earth. It’s adaptive for them to be able to survive in water.
Cats don’t tend to enjoy being wet, cold, or in the water. This isn’t because they dislike the taste of saltwater or even the feeling of the water against their fur.
It is probably not a learned behavior, but entirely instinctual, and it is a behavior that has remained consistent throughout history.
This theory suggests that domestic cats developed a fear of water due to an unfortunate incident during their upbringing.
Another theory recommends that domestic cats become scared of water due to interacting with contaminated fluids.
A third theory proposes that domestic cats became afraid of water due to experiences involving painful events.
As mentioned above, there is no solid evidence that shows that wild cats enjoy swimming. In fact, some scientists believe that wild cats actually dislike water.