Cats on Board Are Bored and Need Exercise

[Mata'irea]

You could always introduce some prey into their environment. Our cat's most exciting night on board was when we were anchored off of Mustique. The sugar bats swooping into the cockpit had her in full huntress mode. And then there was the roach incident. She abused that thing for hours before it finally died. Flying fish were also a source of endless entertainment.

[Weehappy]

Yes, we do play with our cats, and that seems critical to their well being. They are getting braver about running up and down the deck at night while we are sleeping, which always makes me nervous, but I want to keep letting them do it since they seem to have so much fun. Thanks for all the fun ideas and comments!

[zeehag]

when i first moved my kat on board i kept him harnessed and on tether all the time--especially at night..he did fall 2 times before he was 6 mos old and leash got him back into boat.
a happy cat sleeps 20 or more hours per day. mine plays catch and fetch and hunts when he feels like it or when any burdee makes his momms squawk by landing on her ..lol....yes burdees do that at sea....h will do feline 500 around boat when he needs to do that, and is happily at home on board. when we make passages, he is on tether. bubba is a maine coon mix and smart ..... met his first raccoon --in appalachicola
at water street marina. he also has feather toys to bat and play katch with...and plays inn th e sail covers.....

[DogOnBoat]

Our cat has never been more active. He gallops around the deck, climbs the windshield to sit on top of the radar, and just seems to love boat life. We do grow catnip
Me Voy: dogs and cats

[s/v Jedi]

We have this toy now and all three cats love it :-)

YouTube - FroliCat

ciao!
Nick.

[Capt Phil]

Cruising, our cat found one of his nooks and just stayed there until we dropped the hook. He got heaps of exercise as soon as we anchored or were in the marina racing around the deck. At night he had a disconcerting habit of crouching on the foredeck, head out the hawse pipe and would growl like a dog at passing boats or folks walking down the marina dock.
Flying fish and water fowl would keep him entertainted all night. The only time he ever left the boat was when another cat next door was in heat and he jumped ship only to be grabbed by the back of the neck and thrown in the drink... never left to boat again. To be on the safe side, hang a large diamenter line or piece of carpet over the stern so your cat can climb back aboard if he goes over and you miss the event.
So don't worry... cats entertain them selves and get plenty of exercise... cheers, Capt Phil

[Bill Burgette]

I've found that kats and kids both get bored sometimes. A good way to relieve the boredom is a ride on the tube pulled by a fast dink. Something like this:



Now they don't look bored......do they??

[David M]

I think cats naturally spend more than half their life asleep. I wish I had the time to do that.

I don't know if cats are capable of getting bored like us humans can. I do know cats like our attention periodically but only if it is to their benefit....but not too much attention from the staff. That would be below their dignity.

As you know, dogs have owners and cats have staff.

[jim767]

Buy 5 or 6 white mice at the local pet shop. Turn the mice loose in the boat. Cats should be entertained.

[sarafina]

better turn em loose one at a time or you will have more than 6 in short order!

[hummingway]

My, now deceased, boat cat was a lover not a fighter. I once saw her touch noses with a deer mouse in one of those "OMG I wish I had a camera" moments. I was the darnedest thing I ever saw. At that time she was still young and had family around to do the heavy lifting for her. Which isn't to say she never killed a mouse, I saw her give one to her grandma once, but generally speaking she thought other creatures were interesting and deserving of her affection. Unlike the rest of her family she lived to be 20 so maybe her attitude was a good one.

[pteron]

Simple, connect line to cats' collar, launch cat behind boat, cat gets to swim and you have the chance of catching a shark too!

[SVMorningStar]

Our furball does nothing but sleep all day in one corner or another, but then that's all she does on land too. Once the kids are in their bunks at night, she comes out for fun and games. The deck is hers and I often wake to see her staring down at me from the front hatch. My daughter always lays out toys for her. Her favorite game, however, is to stomp on our faces while climbing in or out of hatches. Kind of like kids playing with a toy's box instead of the toy itself .

[zeehag]

happy cats sleep 20+ hours per day. mine does that AND feline 500 around the deck of this 41 footer-- and is still HEAVY DISPLACEMENT PURRER...LOL--but he is maine coon so is gonna always be huge. is awesome.....