Three fine goals from Gerard Deulofeu, Jose Holebas and Domingos Quinas saw Watford cruise into a comfortable lead, with their opponents proving no match for the Hornets for much of the game.
But with 10 minutes remaining at Vicarage Road, Junior Hoilett pulled back a seeming consolation goal before Bobby Reid added a second to give Cardiff a sniff of an unlikely point.
Neil Warnock’s side would have been dead and buried early on were it not for the acrobatics of goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who produced a string of stunning saves either side of half-time to keep Cardiff in the game.
But, in what was the first top-flight meeting between these two sides, Watford held on to get back to winning ways.
In a moment of magic, Deulofeu had opened the scoring in the first half, jinking his way past two defenders before neatly placing the ball past Etheridge.
After the break, Holebas doubled the Hornets’ lead with a stunning curling effort before Domingos Quina made it three with his first Premier League goal.
It looked to have been enough to seal all three points at a canter yet Cardiff’s comeback came out of the blue following a performance that lacked any real energy from the Bluebirds.
First Hoilett curled the ball past Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster before Reid capitalised on a scramble in the box to poke home.
Watford had lost their two previous home games before the visit of Cardiff but their performance was far superior to that of a side who, prior to kick-off, had picked up just nine points from their past 12 games.
Deulofeu was at the heart of much of their play and his goal – described by Garth Crooks on Final Score as ‘Diego Maradona-esque’ – was richly deserved as Cardiff struggled to contain their opponents.
Roberto Pereyra – Watford’s top scorer this season with five goals – was not without his chances either and went close not long after Deulofeu’s opener, a poor final touch letting him down.
Watford went into half-time having enjoyed 75% of the first-half possession and, with moves straight off the training ground, added two more goals after the break, the second from Holebas the pick of the bunch.
But they quickly became complacent after Quinas’ third and Cardiff made them pay for the change in pace with two quickfire goals.
Watford could have had a fourth in added time but for another late save by Etheridge.