Excuse me please if I've posted this in the wrong place, but I'm new here.
I've had a cat for 16 years, and was wondering why it was that Cats do not like contact with water?
Does it affect their skin?

Welcome to the site. We do have a forum for cats and it is found here. The moderator of this forum might move your message to that forum in a few days.

To answer your question, not all cats hate water. True, a lot of domestic house cats don't like being forced into water but wild cats, especially those who live in warm climates, often cool off in water. Those that live in colder climates don't like water and it is speculated that water prevents the fur from insulating the cats making it harder for them to maintain a warm body heat.

Domestic house cat vary in their tolerance for water based on how they have become accustomed to water. They don't like having water forced on them in an agressive manner but many will enjoy playing in water on their own terms. My cats love to flick water from a dripping faucet or step into a running shower. But were I to grab one and try to bathe it, I'd end up covered in scratches.

Here is an interesting tidbit of information, cats are natural swimmers! And some Asian cats can actually fish.

I think that cats just don’t like being forced to do anything, whether that is taking a bath or getting a pill or going in the car... Anything that makes them appear undignified or subservient to the dreaded humans is seen as a bad thing.
My big cat never came near water if she could help it, but my baby cat would actually get in the shower with me and stand at the far end up the tub grinning and blinking up into the mist. She was also a big fan of playing in her water bowl -though that may have been more to aggravate me than out of a desire to be in the water...

My cats, past and present, have enjoyed keeping me company when I bathe... they'll prowl the rim of the tub, bat at the surface of the water and sometimes lay their heads against me... we've had a few "cat overboard" moments, but the boys always seem more disgusted than frantic.