Cats aren’t very fond of baths because they find the experience stressful. They aren’t the most tolerant of new experiences or changes, so the feeling of being drenched may be foreign to them.
Thus, a cat that’s been regularly exposed to water or baths will be more accepting of it than a cat that’s not. This is why it’s advised to start bathing your cat when they’re kittens so they’ll be more used to it.