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Old 01-01-2012, 09:35   #1
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Unhappy Cruising Without Pets

I'm new to the forum though not to cruising so forgive me if this inquiry seems odd or out of place. I have in the past been "forced" to sail without my wife for the most part because we in a past life acquired three feline companions who we cannot leave completely unattended at home while we go off for six months or more. What have others done to deal with this issue? We've thought of the obvious solutions, none of which seem entirely satisfactory. Our children already have cats of their own and a limited capacity, if any, to house more. "Cat sitters" coming into our home to attend to the needs of the little beasties every few days has proven problematic in the past. Boarding them seems heartless and expensive. Having them put down is out of the question. Having them on board is fraught with difficulties. What have we not thought of?

Thanks for any thoughts.
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Old 01-01-2012, 09:51   #2
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Re: Cruising without pets

Free to good home.
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:08   #3
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Re: Cruising without pets

Fraught with what difficulties? Lots of sailors manage to bring along feline companions very successfully. Perhaps with some advice you can resolve the difficulties and bring along the Admiral and the cats!

What do you see as the challenges?
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:09   #4
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Re: Cruising without pets

if you think you cannot keep your pets with ye then why do you have them. cats do not like being away from their human family. might as well find 'em new families who will be with them instead of leaving all the time.

sorry, but i left my feline to sail carib--he did not like not being without his human. he also let me know his feelings by attacking me when i got back. cats do have feelings. they are very social--you are their family. they dislike abandonment.

btw-- proper cats do quite well on board. they help keep bad things out--rats, cockroaches, other insects, and help find problems. i have had a few different ones over time. ON BOARD. yes they are trainable--easier to train than dogs, smarter also. i have watched my mom train dogs. i train my felines. no problem.
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:18   #5
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I wish ours were as small as cats. Were in a situation similar but with a few differences. We so badly wish to move aboard and sell the house but with 3 large dogs we must wait. We do cruise but only for 2 weeks at a time. The youngest being 11 we don't think it will be too many years before it happens.
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:23   #6
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Re: Cruising without pets

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Originally Posted by zeehag View Post
if you think you cannot keep your pets with ye then why do you have them. cats do not like being away from their human family. might as well find 'em new families who will be with them instead of leaving all the time.

sorry, but i left my feline to sail carib--he did not like not being without his human. he also let me know his feelings by attacking me when i got back. cats do have feelings. they are very social--you are their family. they dislike abandonment.

btw-- proper cats do quite well on board. they help keep bad things out--rats, cockroaches, other insects, and help find problems. i have had a few different ones over time. ON BOARD. yes they are trainable--easier to train than dogs, smarter also. i have watched my mom train dogs. i train my felines. no problem.
zee, it's obvious you are prejudiced and a "cat" person, not a "dog" person. Cats have feelings? pfffffft, only if you are not catering to their every idiosyncrasy

And you are also truly funny and should consider comedy as a source of income. I mean, come on, cats are social? Sure, every time they have the desire to eat, they become your best buddy. Trainable? That's what they let you THINK; really they are training you.

But, I must admit, you make some good points on the rat and other undesirable critter comment.

Now, I think it is time to feed the cat as I think I hear it meowing.
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:25   #7
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pirate Re: Cruising without pets

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Fraught with what difficulties? Lots of sailors manage to bring along feline companions very successfully. Perhaps with some advice you can resolve the difficulties and bring along the Admiral and the cats!

What do you see as the challenges?
Getting to leave them behind...
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:34   #8
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Re: Cruising without pets

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Originally Posted by sarafina View Post
Fraught with what difficulties? Lots of sailors manage to bring along feline companions very successfully. Perhaps with some advice you can resolve the difficulties and bring along the Admiral and the cats!

What do you see as the challenges?
All three are indoor/outdoor cats. They are accustomed to roaming our two-acre acreage at will. All three are neutered males, but they retain some bad habits such as clawing and scenting in inappropriate places, i.e., inside. I don't want the damage to our house and furnishings replicated on the boat. In addition I wonder about simply keeping all three of them on board. The oldest, now 13, is extremely inquisitive and bold.

I've never tried having any of them on board so perhaps my imagination is exaggerating the challenges.
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Old 01-01-2012, 10:58   #9
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Re: Cruising without pets

Replace the word "cats" and "feline companions" with "kids" and "children". What would you do in that case?

You wouldn't be the first person to cruise with multiple animals onboard. Nor the first person in this thread.
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Old 01-01-2012, 11:09   #10
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Re: Cruising without pets

We have two cats when we cruise (a month at a time) on a 33' trimaran.
Eight feet of beam means we're stepping over them a lot, but it's still fun.

We use an old sheetrock mud bucket and lid as a "Kitty Holding Tank" when emptying the litterbox.

Make sure to give them a place to scratch.
They like to reach up to scratch, so I installed a small board wrapped in sisal.
Be sure to show it to them and "sharpen your own claws" on it to give them the message.
We did that and haven't had any damages.
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Old 01-01-2012, 11:18   #11
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Re: Cruising without pets

Sell the cats. Buy a comfortable mono. Put the balance into the bank. Cruise happily ever after.


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Old 01-01-2012, 11:40   #12
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Re: Cruising without pets

stew

at least that was the article I read the other day or so off MSN

Just take the cats with you. What's more important their wants or yours? If they don't like it they are welcome to jump ship.
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Old 02-01-2012, 13:15   #13
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Re: Cruising without pets

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Originally Posted by senormechanico View Post
Make sure to give them a place to scratch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shunpiker View Post
I don't want the damage to our house and furnishings replicated on the boat. In addition I wonder about simply keeping all three of them on board. The oldest, now 13, is extremely inquisitive and bold.

I've never tried having any of them on board so perhaps my imagination is exaggerating the challenges.
The best cat scratch post on board I have seen was cool rope work around the table base, going all the way up. They used a sisal rope, maybe 3/16? Just replaced it every year or so as it got worn.

Start with wide double sided sticky tape on all the places scratching might otherwise occur to help them develop good habits.

I would place squirt bottle strategically everywhere and for the first week or so you would need to be ON IT watching at all times to spray with a swift stream of water to deter marking.

Teaching them to get aboard again when they fall off would be another task. There has been lots of discussion about how to do that.

Maybe try them not all at once to see how it goes? Figure out the litter box and all and see what happens?
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Old 02-01-2012, 13:34   #14
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Re: Cruising without pets

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I would place squirt bottle strategically everywhere and for the first week or so you would need to be ON IT watching at all times to spray with a swift stream of water to deter marking.
My cat could not get away with anything on the boat, since the space is so small that we'd usually catch her scratching the furniture (or whatever) immediately.

Except at night, when she'd eat flying fish and then leave the heads rolling around on the floor. Yuck.
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Old 02-01-2012, 15:02   #15
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Re: Cruising without pets

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Replace the word "cats" and "feline companions" with "kids" and "children". What would you do in that case?
Boarding school....??
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