Moving Aboard with My Cat

[KateJoy]

l'm a little worried about her falling overboard. l have heard of hanging a towel over the side, lm on a mooring, mid channel, so l would like to be carful. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

[zeehag]

my kat was on a tether for his first years of life on board--he fell twice but got back in via claws and the leash--he did a paw over paw maneuver --lol and got self back on boat----i have a braided mooring line--an old one--for his ladder--when he first came to me he was 5 weeks old--i placed his paw in the water and he didnt much like it and he watches as stuff sinks into the unknown--mine is maine coon mix---and he thinks his harness is part of him...is a good idea to do the harness and leash thing --watch how cat gets along and make sure cat knows the boat is his;/hers--we are on a mooring also--i use the tether when we go to dock situations as i donot want the kat to leave and get lost--he wouldnt know how to find way back--kats are badly attention deficited..LOL....
i use a figure 8 harness with the loop for the leash under the chest not on his back--kats hate things on their backs--will lie down for that--critters inflatables is a good style vest for kats--has a headrest under chin--is only one that does--cats swim well but get tired and rest head into water-is how they donot survive a fall into the wet---the critters inflatables , as far as i know, are only found on line---might consider makin gsure is inflated only by mouth instead of canister as the canister will freek him/her out-----sounds like a big kat hissing at him--isnt a good thing....gooodluck--i think you and kat will enjoy the water nicely---oh yes--give swimming lessons so kat knows where the ladder is......i am making a second one for the other side of the boat for my kat----they work well for people if they fall in also--if secured well....and they dont look too badly--the carpet tends to get ugly and the mesh stuff gets destroyed with claws ripping into it......
bubba daboatkat is not 4 yrs old--he was 5 weeks when i got him and moved him aboard my waterworld.....he likes it......

btw--i am in sin diego--if you wish to call and discuss on fone , pm me --is all goood.....have had cats on board since 1990 when i first moved into waterworld......

[KateJoy]

Thank you so much, it was really nice to hear of someone who has gone through the adjustment with their cat. l bottle feed mine, she is 9 months old and likes water pretty well. although l dont think she would like going overboard. l have a harness that we use for walks, it will work just fine for the boat.

[zeehag]

she is young--she will adjust just fine----sounds like you are already half ready--does leash well is a good thing....helps keeps boundaries on kitty. bubba would protect his territory ..birds are not welcome on board--if seagulls rest on the bow pulpit, he sneaks up and bats them on the rear.is fun to watch....

[troymclure]

I have two cats living aboard with me. They have probably adjusted better then i have. I only let them outside when i'm on the hook and they enjoy sitting in the enclosed cockpit area. At night they come inside as I'm also worried about them falling overboard.


I've got a piece of carpet hanging off the back of the boat but havne't taught them too swim yet.

Still even though all cats are different. The ships cat is a maritime staple and my two are certainly enjoying the life so yours will probably be fine. Just don't forget that cats don't like too be moved so if she is a bit nonplussed for a few weeks don't stress too much.

ps:- My cats also use the head/toilet instead of kitty litter. Took about 9 months too train them to do so but it's well worth it as no more kitty litter etc etc. Think it would go quicker with just one cat (ie just a few months).

[roverhi]

Do hang something over the side for the cat to get on board. Let the cat go for a couple of swims to train it to find and use it. Our first kitten disappeared while we were ashore one day. We didn't have anything over the side so it had no way to get back on board.

Our second cat, that we got as a fully grown but young animal, adapted well to living on the boat. A couple swimming lessons were all it took to get him used to getting back on the boat. The cat went to SoPac with us but developed chronic bladder problems after about a year and we had to put him down. Didn't realize we'd been getting flying fish on board almost every night on passages till the cat was gone. Didn't know you could train a cat to use the head so had litter box. It was no big deal. Took a couple bags of Kittly Litter with us and used sand after that was gone. The litter box wasn't a big deal to take care of.

[Kashmir cat]

We lived aboard for several years with a cat and never had a problem. I guess we were just lucky. Now days we have dogs (our old sailing kitty passed away) and we worry about one of them falling over board and not knowing they did so. That is why we bought a "Pool Safety Turtle" system.
Originally designed for toddlers to wear on their wrist around pools and other bodies of water, this system sounds a LOUD alarm if the sensor is immersed in water. The system is composed of a base unit and one or more small transmitters (turtles) that can easily fit on a pet's collar (see their website). They are pretty inexpensive if bought used on Ebay because people buy them and never use them or only use them for a season or two.
All four of our whippets wear them when we are sailing.

[KateJoy]

lt has been 5 days and Midge (my cat) has to my surprise loved the boat from day one. She is very vocal when she is happy, and has not shut up. She races around and comes back to me to tell me all about it. She is purring and has claimed the quarter berth as her own. She hasn't really noticed the motion, and is curious about everything. Thanks for the tips, its nice to hear your stories.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by KateJoy

Thanks for the tips, its nice to hear your stories.

When we first moved aboard, neighbors told us that it was important to hang carpet samples from the dock to the water, and then train the cat to use them. So, I installed four carpet strips around the dock and then dropped the cat into the drink next to one of the strips. That cat didn't bother with the strips, but instead bounced right off the water and back up onto the dock. Gave me one of those looks that asked, "What was that about?"

Trust me: you don't have to teach your cat to swim. If you drop your cat into the water at the same moment you jump in, I guarantee it will beat you back onto the dock.

We won't allow our cat on deck when we're going to weather, but he's welcome to inspect the sail trim if we're running downwind and the seas are calm.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Bash

then dropped the cat into the drink...

You cruel heartless man!!!!!

I hope that cat gave you the complete brush off! At least till dinner time.


Nicolle says she hopes the cat clawed you to death.

[zeehag]

lol
cat needs to know where the ladder is--i only put one paw of my bubba into the drink when we moved onboard --he knows the stuff under the boat actually moves--and stuff disapppears under it..lol....he is good with it to the point he doesnt like the dink...bu the knows the dink is a good thing...lol.....

kats are excellent swimmers......impresses me every time i see one swim----they get tired and lay their heads down in the water--is how they die in waters----so the critters inflatables or some other kind of vest that doesnt stifle the kat and weigh kat down is best--needs a chin support.....the regular doggie vests dont do for kitties.....

[KateJoy]

l like the idea of dipping a paw in. Midge would never forgive me for throwing her in, she holds grudges.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by KateJoy

l like the idea of dipping a paw in. Midge would never forgive me for throwing her in, she holds grudges.

they alll do--some just like their revenge better than others.....

i always make sure kat knows i am safe place.....so if he is skeereded he can come to momms and have comfort.....

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by troymclure

I

ps:- My cats also use the head/toilet instead of kitty litter. Took about 9 months too train them to do so but it's well worth it as no more kitty litter etc etc. Think it would go quicker with just one cat (ie just a few months).

How on earth did you do that?

[zeehag]

i had a kat that would pee in the toilet but i havent been able to train my kats to use people toilet....dang-----or to hock their furballs overboard either ..lol....but i am sure it has been done.......