Cats on a Boat

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Never had one on board until this past weekend when a shipyard cat snuck into our lazarette and gave birth to two kittens.

We were thinking of taking one but unfortunately neither survived the week.

So we are wondering from experienced cat owners ...
1..is there any type or breed that you would recommend as to be better suited to boat life for a couple?
2...is Male or Female better company?

We have been offered to take one of these Siamese kittens.
Beautiful cats but not sure from reading, if they would be a good fit?
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I have replied to a number of posts about dogs on board, this is my first about cats. I'm afraid my answer is just the same, it is not the natural environment for cats and to their benefit should be left on shore. I did test this once with my own cat years ago while at the dock...he wasn't comfortable and hid either in his cage or wanted to crawl back into the engine compartment...I stopped him.

I don't see the need for any animal on board other than to fulfill a need of the owner...that's sad. I suppose there are those who are trying to save some dollars by avoiding paying the cat/dog sitter.

With all the duties to perform onboard plus the beautiful natural world around you to enjoy why would you want to add the responsibility of an animal and all its needs for the foreign environment you have put it in. And if it comes to a sinking, do you save the animal and let your crewmember die...I guarantee the animal is not going to help you.

Of all the suggested lists of necessities for voyaging I have seen not one has included a dog or cat and the stores to properly care for it.

America's Cup crews didn't have any animals aboard that I'm aware of and neither did those during the Vendee Globe (which more likely could use one); this brings up an interesting question...would the latter no longer be classified as solo? Of course they're racers and this is more about cruising...I get the difference.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Andy744]

We have a female Bengal. We taught her to use the toilet, now we don’t need a litter box.
Also female cats don’t go around marking their territory.

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by MJH

...it is not the natural environment for cats and to their benefit should be left on shore...

This 'logic' can be applied to all pets, everywhere, and incidentally, to humans on boats as well...

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by Andy744

We have a female Bengal. We taught her to use the toilet, now we don’t need a litter box.
Also female cats don’t go around marking their territory.

I've thought about that but considering how they position themselves, typically all 4 paws together, how do they stay on perch in a heavy seaway?

[Cpt Mark]

I've had multiple cats as a liveaboard in a marina. Not out cruising. We'd go for day sails, overnights etc. The engine always freaked them out so i had to lock them down below until we left the dock. 1 cat would always throw up 3 times. After that she was fine and no matter how bad the seas were would be out at the very end of the 6' pulpit watching the world. That cat, like all of mine, were given to me and she had been intended to be a housecat living in coyote country. She had no claws on any paws and did great. Cats adapt and figure things out. She figured out how to climb back onto the dock after falling in and if the dock was to high she found the foam below and went up there and waited for me to find her. I really want a cat but am going cruising and not sure about all the crazy restrictions and additional expense.

[Kd9truck]

Out on cats and dogs on boats...unless your cats cook clean and feed themselves and are capable of a watch or two.
Love animals doing animal things, sailing is not one of them... as far as I know

[JPA Cate]

If you are caring and gentle with it, most any feline will do. They provide companionship, they do show they like you, but in different ways than dogs. Given the fates that await unwanted kittens, I think the advice to have the pet(s) neutered is good. Cats, ime, do enjoy your presence, and will like being by you, or on your lap, but they do not fawn on you.

Had a woman friend with a part Siamese. The cat was small for the breed, and rode on "mama's" shoulder a lot, just seemed to like it. Did you know that Siamese were developed as a breed for castle guards? They not only warn of invaders, but will jump down on the middle of the invader's back, and bite and scratch-- or so my mother told me. Definitely a special breed.

But any old garden variety cat has countless thousands of years of genes relative to getting along with humans, keeping barns and houses vermin-free.

We adopted a stray cat, once. She was a mighty huntress, and had lots of character....and her job cut out for her when we got an Alaskan Malemute puppy. He was cutie pie that I could hold in one hand, the day he arrived, but it was not many days before he outweighed her. She didn't think much of the bumbling puppy, and figured out how to bring him into line. By the ends of their lives, however, they would curl up together in front of the fireplace on cool winter nights.

However, all this said, Jim and I have chosen to not have pets on our boats, mostly due to not wanting to put ourselves in the position of not going back in a gale to try and rescue one and have to live with that.

Ann

[dkroar]

One of our most popular blog posts about our mate Gus. https://svdenalirosenc43.blogspot.co...-life.html?m=1

[Midnight Son]

A bit of forewarning. Dogs have owners, cats have servants.
Nuff said. Best wishes all.

[sailingabe41ds]

Get a fish. They are easier to maintain and if you get tired of him you can always throw him overboard.

Abe

[sailingabe41ds]

Originally Posted by dkroar

One of our most popular blog posts about our mate Gus. https://svdenalirosenc43.blogspot.co...-life.html?m=1

How apropros to have a cat onboard a Nauticat. Then you have a quote about curiosity which reminds of me of "curiosity killed the cat...but satisfaction brought him back"

Abe

[wesevans]

Three suggestions have the cat spade. second swim test the cat third have a thick rope or a towel over the side of the boat so the cat has a means of getting on deck if she falls over board. One more if possible train cat to toilet.
years ago we had a Siamese he was a good sailor and he could swim which saved him.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "We taught her to use the toilet, now we don’t need a litter box."

Tried it, but Cat had difficulty with the manual pump Jabsco :-)

TrentePieds

[djelle]

We adopted a kitten and trained him to use the head. No cat box. No litter. If he could only learn to flush!

[zeehag]

i have had cats on board for 14.5 yrs...see bubba daboatkat--he founded gatos del mar, where kristi blacks bengal talks to friends.. so much info and so m any members now.. is a good resource for gatos at sea.. yes even in phillipines.
rabies shots and titre and de parasiting(fleas and worms) are the necessary things for entering other places, and strict places are generally uk owned and operated.
cat not leave boat--not much issue..if cat runs around on land there can be issues depending on what nation is the controller of the area.
your kitty is so gorgeous.. do get her spayed, so no YOWLiNG caterwalling and wandering..danged things are total ho's. until fixed.. then they are lovers and companions.
i have 2 boy cats who donot get along so well..hahaha but they both love me and guard me and make sure i am safe. amazing critters..
so much disinformation on catties... is why bubba founded facebooks grope gatos del mar..kristi's cat is a member and the linky is with that kitty pic.
as for what kinda cat is best on boat-- bubba is a maine coon mix and chico da vato is a crosseyed mexican multigene heavy on siamese. he looks black but is sable with lynx points and mackerel stripes with an undercoat of smoke colored fluff.. his tail is almost as floofy as bubbas.....yes fur in boat, vacuum cleaner mandatory! chico sheds much more than does bubba. gdm has members who are bengal, siamese, ragdoll, maine coons, moggies, i think only breed we donot have in membership is toyger. they all are rockstars.
your lil girl is gorgeous. harness and tether for safety at sea. works great. put the affixment point of harness under cat.. allows more shoulder freedom and lifting ability without choking kitty and kitty can mind its own lead. bubba saved self many times in san diego when he was a youngster due to the placement of tether under belly . he could grab tether with teeth and haul self up and into boat with teeth and claws..goood kitty. i DUNKED chico --he is afraid of the dock so i am fortunate mine are home bodies.
swim testing is optional as cat WILL panic when fallen into water...bubba spent some dark hours of night clutching anchor chain and bridle of snubber when a night heron he hunted flung him into barra de navidad lagoon. he was so hypothermic on retrieval that i though the was dead.. was a hard day until i felt him softly purrr in the towel in which i dragged his saturated self into dinghy. i held him for hours in that dink in that towel. he loves our dinghy. he wont go for rides in it, but he loves it as it saved his life. always board and disembark in same place so cat knows where to come fo r rescue. that is where dink was... when bubba heard my bad word he swam towards dinghy. goood kitty. he was sooo cold i had to grab him and drag him out of water.. water was 85f. cat is 101-102f.
cats make great hot water bottles hahaha their temp is perfect for therapeutic warmth.
as for appropriateness of cats on boats--for over 200 years cats have worked on boats being vermin control crew... wood ships under sail had cat crew for rats and roach control.. most valued crew was kat.https://explorethearchive.com/curiou...y-of-ship-cats
https://www.navalhistory.org/2018/04...e-sea-services