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22-02-2012, 11:25
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Solomons, MD
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 400
Posts: 244
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Lost My Buddy
My cat Bella was let out accidently while I was asleep. Unfortunately it was not noticed by my girlfriend and I did not notice either until I woke up the next morning. Bella had demonsrated her ability of not quite making the jump from boat to dock or vice versa before. We have frantically looked for her ashore but there is no sign of her since she went missing on valentines day. The water is about 47 degrees around here. I am afraid she has perished from falling in somewhere on the dock.
I feel a lot of guilt of bringing her aboard a boat, a lot of resentment over my irresponsible/careless girlfriend and a lot of grief that only another pet owner who is close to their pet feels.
I am not sure what the future holds on another pet aboard. I am definitely not going to replace Bella but if the day ever comes for another furry companion I am not sure it would be the right thing to do.
Hope is diminishing as there is no sign of her. I am trying to move on.
Sad day here. Hope your critters are well aboard their boats.
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22-02-2012, 11:36
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 382
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Re: Lost my buddy
I'm so sorry to hear this! We too have a kitty (named Bela!) we adore and honestly she is a deterrent to us making the move to live aboard right now... we would feel exactly as you do if anything were to happen to her. Thanks for sharing this & my heartfelt condolences to you if she doesn't return home.
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22-02-2012, 11:39
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Pacific NW, sailing the Columbia River, USA
Boat: Gemini 105MC 34 ft hull#753
Posts: 951
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Re: Lost my buddy
We have settled for a Dirty Polly that a neighbor gave us, he was trained by a dirty talking sailor. No problem with cleaning up after this bird just new batteries when needed. Sad your cat jumped ship must have been trying to catch a bird. I've seen cats adapt if raised aboard.
__________________
Wind in my hair and a nice catamaran
Phil & Elaine
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22-02-2012, 11:40
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#4
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CF Adviser Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Virginia
Boat: Island Packet 380, now sold
Posts: 8,942
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Re: Lost my buddy
Very sorry to hear the sad news, Jacob. We had a cat on board when we were cruising, but thankfully she was too timid to endanger herself. I really feel for you--very sad to lose a pet, especially that way.
__________________
Hud
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22-02-2012, 11:40
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#5
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CF Adviser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wherever our boat is; Playa Zaragoza, Isla Margarita
Boat: 1994 Solaris Sunstream 40
Posts: 2,449
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Re: Lost my buddy
Sorry for your loss Jacob, but please don't be so hard on yourself or your girlfriend. Would you have blamed yourself for being irresponsible if Bella had gotten out of the house and been run over by a car, or attacked and killed by a dog?
Many people cruise with cats and dogs who learn not only to adjust to, but to enjoy the experience. Are their risks associated with it? Sure, but I suspect that Bella was also much happier being kept and brought along by her loving owner, rather than being put up for adoption because of those risks.
Brad
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22-02-2012, 11:44
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#6
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: gettin naughty on the beach in cornwall
Boat: 63 custom alloy sloop,macwester26,prout snowgoose 37 elite catamaran!
Posts: 10,594
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Re: Lost my buddy
sorry to hear of your loss,but in hind sight can only reccomend having a large braided rope hanging permernantly over the side for cats to get back on board.
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22-02-2012, 11:59
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Malvernshire, on the sunny side of the hill.
Boat: 50' steel canal and river cruiser
Posts: 1,905
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Re: Lost my buddy
Poor Bella and poor you. Keep looking, she might be hiding out in shock someplace
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22-02-2012, 12:05
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Canada, North Channel of Lake Huron
Boat: Pilgrim 40
Posts: 234
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Re: Lost my buddy
Jacob: - very sorry to hear your bad news. There aren't many of us out here who don't understand what you must be going through.
However, if I had any spare cash hanging around, I'd be willing to place a bet that Bella is still out there, alive and well! Cats are amazing in the art of survival, and 47º F is really nothing to most mammals. In fact, if you check the fur of a dog or cat that has been swimming for some time, you will usually find that the skin itself never even gets wet, due to the oils in the hair, and the air entrapment.
I have had three cats on board over the years, and every one of them hated boats! One even ferried a litter of kittens ashore (swimming!) rather than stay on board. So Bella may just be in the neighborhood somewhere, and not anxious to come back aboard.
Don't give up! Put out a bowl of catfood on the dock at night and see if she rises to the bait. It is unlikely that she ended up in the water, and even if she did, I never knew a cat that couldn't swim!
I really hope she comes back to you!
__________________
Some days you step in it ............... some days you don't.
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22-02-2012, 12:13
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: STX and Portland, until refit finished
Boat: 1999 Steel (Tom Collin's design)
Posts: 371
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Re: Lost my buddy
I wouldn't want to give you false hope but I would tend to agree with nitpik.
Cats tend to have amazing survival instincts, and are amazingly durable. They are also as stubborn as they can be. It could very well be that it's throwing a temper tantrum, and if you keep food out might return after it gets over it.
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22-02-2012, 12:15
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#10
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Boating writer, book author
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: On the Go
Boat: Various
Posts: 752
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Re: Lost my buddy
I understand. Oh, how it hurts. After we lost Big Red, my husband was so devastated he said he would never have another dog. Fate intervened in an incredible way. I hope your story will have a happy ending too. We once rescued a cat that had been abandoned on Cat Island, Bahamas. It was emaciated and scruffy, soon brought back with plenty of fresh water and TLC. Somewhere someone may be caring for your cat too.
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Janet Groene
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22-02-2012, 12:43
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Istanbul
Posts: 6
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Re: Lost my buddy
Dont be worried. I also have a cat and i know cats can swim well. It doesnt matter the water is cold or not. I am very sure she survives. Cats are determined to get their home no matters where they are. But as your boat is not her home; she is definetely confused to find the way back.
You need to try hard to find her, even if you cannot find; you can be sure she is alive.
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22-02-2012, 12:54
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Gabriola Island & Victoria, British Columbia
Boat: Cooper 416 Honeysuckle
Posts: 6,933
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Re: Lost my buddy
I don't wish to give you false hope but I once had a cat go on walk about for a month. My son was very young then and after about a month we decided to hold a wake to give him closure. She actually walked in the door in the middle of the wake. Darndest thing! I had another go for about two weeks after a move. It was her first time in a city and I was pretty sure she'd got run over but after a couple of weeks she showed up like nothing had happened.
__________________
“We are the universe contemplating itself” - Carl Sagan
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22-02-2012, 13:08
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: maine
Boat: pearson 32
Posts: 23
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Re: Lost my buddy
one of my cats did a walkabout in the dead of winter for about 10 daystemp to -10 ],she came back wild as ever and had to be coaxed back inside with food,she wasent very hungry,she was an astounding hunter
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22-02-2012, 13:15
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#14
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Building a Bateau TW28
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Iroquois, Ontario
Boat: Bateau TW28 Long Cabin
Posts: 3,585
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Re: Lost my buddy
Never give up. We lost our Ginger Moggy in the woods for 4 1/2 months before we caught up to him again.
__________________
Yours Aye! Rick
~^~^~^^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~~^~^~^^~~^~^
"It's not the boat "you built" until you've sworn at it, bled on it, sweated over it, cried beside it and then threatened to haul the POS outside and burn it!"
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22-02-2012, 13:20
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 316
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Re: Lost my buddy
We had a cat go missing for about 8 days once. Turned out she had gone down an open hatch on another boat and could not get back out. By the time someone heard and rescued her, she was very hungry and that boat needed a good cleaning. She's still with us, but much less adventuresome.
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