Costs of Cats on Boats?

[TheCruisinKitty]

Any other costs of cats on boats that I've missed? Here are all the ones I can think of...

Regular living costs:
food, water, kitty litter and tray, vet fees

Safety equipment:
harness, boat hook, long handled scoop net, rope ladder, netting for life lines, pet first aid kit

Travel costs:
customs/import permit/vaccination fees for country entry requirements


Is there anything else I should budget for?

[M.Howard]

Only thing I could think of is if your cat ever gets off the boat. Reason being sopt sometimes goes visiting some of the other boaters in the area, there hasnt been any damage done yet but sometimes he will be let in to other boats to share supper and such. Theres always the what if scenario if kitty wanders about.

[Matt sachs]

On the plus side, you have a companion that lets you love on her, dosen't talk back, is always glad to see you and dosen't eat much.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by TheCruisinKitty

Any other costs of cats on boats that I've missed? Here are all the ones I can think of...

Regular living costs:
food, water, kitty litter and tray, vet fees

Safety equipment:
harness, boat hook, long handled scoop net, rope ladder, netting for life lines, pet first aid kit

Travel costs:
customs/import permit/vaccination fees for country entry requirements


Is there anything else I should budget for?

Don't count on netting to keep a cat in. It would work for most dogs, but for cats it's just something else to climb on.

I had removable mesh put around the the cockpit. It attaches to the Bimini with zippers and to the boat with snaps. It was expensive, but it keeps my cats from getting lost on shore. I also have a snap-on net cover for the companionway and they stay below while the boat is under motion.

They love it and I love it.

I know someone who rescued her 12 week old kitten simply by putting a swim noodle over the side. The cat immediately recognized it as something she climb and just climbed back up into the boat.

[sailorchic34]

maybe a scratching post somewhere, rather then the salon covers . oh and a cat toy or two....

[SVMorningStar]

Ditto the occasional kitty toy. If my daughter's cat doesn't have something to eat and something to play with, she amuses herself by playing "stomp and purr" on our faces around 2am or so.

[zeehag]

my kat stays on leash when in a marina never leaves boat. at anchor he is free. is HIS boat.
my cat costs are merely those which any cat would rack up in a house. we travel and he NEVER leaves boat. he has been on board for over 5 years now. he is just over 5 year old. this is his home
monthly food, 2 small cans daily
litter
pan,' scoop
comb
harness--figure-8 style--need to be custom made now, as no longer sold in petco or petsmart or anywhere i have found in 3 years. .
leashx2(extensionj)
food dish x2, waterdish
dry and wet food.
lawn grass.
in usa--over 200 dollars per month.
cruising== supplement foods with fish--around 100 dollars per month
air conditioner.....140 dollars (fuzzbutt was boiling in 110 degree temps)
advantage(135 pesos) x3
vet in san diego--850 dollars.
vet in mazatlan----less than 200 pesos at 13 pesos per dollar.

toys....hanging toys, mousie, pink rat, mor hanging toys and birdee toys with bells

catnip!!!

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by TheCruisinKitty

Regular living costs:
food, water, kitty litter and tray, vet fees

Safety equipment:
harness, boat hook, long handled scoop net, rope ladder, netting for life lines, pet first aid kit

Travel costs:
customs/import permit/vaccination fees for country entry requirements

Pretty thoughtful list. You might add claw clippers. They're small & cheap. Clipping Arthur's claws didn't seem to bother him, & saved us a scratching post. If your boat is not in the US, you'll have to pay to ship your cat to & from your boat. If you leave your boat, you may hire a cat-sitter.

A vet came out to visit Arthur in French Poly ($20?) but otherwise there was essentially NO official interest through the Caribbean & most of the S Pacific. Aus & NZ are, of course, huge exceptions here.

We found we did not need most of your safety gear, as we're on a cat with sugar scoops. We tossed Arthur in once to see if he could climb back on himself. Took him half a second - & then he raced to our daughters bunk to dry off! Many monos just leave a bit of thick rope (usually found on a beach) hanging over the back as a "rope ladder".

Our "kitty litter" was often beach sand, & we were trying to wean him off that with some grass-like indoor/outdoor carpeting that we could just dunk in the ocean. Arthur did like a covered litter-box.

Hopefully you've tried your cat out on the ocean. Arthur was 6 when we moved on board in 2001. He loved being around us, but hated sailing - probably too old to get used to the motion. Aus was going to be so hard on him that we shipped him home from Fiji. He also wasn't interested in anything that didn't say CAT FOOD prominently on the bag - a first for my (many) cats.

[zeehag]

i found when i clipped bubbas claws, he couldnot climb the cat ladder. i will no longer clip his claws--havent for 5 yrs. they are not a problem. he knows where to scratch and he is good about using the places i made for him.

[onestepcsy37]

we've cruised for months with two cats. just kitty litter, litter pan, dry and canned food, water dish. they're both 'indoor' cats and won't even go topside; just hang out in the salon all day long, looking out the portholes. even the few times we stayed at a marina we had no problem with them trying to leave the boat. too scared, i suppose.

if you're going to the bahamas, you'll need an import permit. there's info at -

Bahamas Ports of Entry - Bahamas Vacation Travel Guide by Bahamas-Travel.info

after going through the whole procedure including a health certificate we found that the officials could care less about you're bringing a pet in to the country.

[bobofthenorth]

Couple of costs you missed:
- extra bait for when they steal your herring and anchovies
- carpet shampoo for when they overindulge on prawn heads and puke on the shower rug