Sailing with cats

[Atiyeh12]

Hello y'all. We have 3 cats and currently are aboard a 35' alberg. We are planning on a 5 year sail to see the world so to speak. Our oldest cat has a sensitive stomach and can't have grains of any sort. Right now they eat a food I can get really at a store here in sc. When we leave however it willnt be so easy. Any suggestions on how to get more cat food when we make ports? Is it easy to order and have things shipped to other countries?

[Cheechako]

Have they been sailing yet? My good old cat lived aboard fine, but as soon as the engine started he got sick... and didnt seem to get over it. We left him with Mom while we cruised. He was very mellow about alot of things but sailing didnt work. Can you make your own food? Trying to import that is going to be a PITA. How are they with fresh fish?

[Atiyeh12]

The oldest two have been on small day sails and they love it. The baby hasn't been out yet but that cats stomach is made of steel I swear.... He will eat everything. I will look into making food. I tried once they didn't eat it. I am more then willing to try again.

[belizesailor]

Shipping bulky/heavy stuff, like a big bag of cat food, is costly and often unreliable. Vaccum bag what you can and figure out how to make some they like using chicken or fish ... which you can get locally.

Miss my sailing cat, Matt, he was pretty salty.

[ssanzone]

a haiku:


ponder the question of cats
a boat cat wont eat
but serves as great fishing bait

[JPA Cate]

Be advised: cats are unwelcome in Hawaii, NZ, and Australia. They may be imported, following a 6 month quarantine period.

Ann

[SVNeko]

Our 18 yr old cat loves the boat but poops and pukes whenever we get underway, no matter how calm. He will spend his retirement years at grandma's house. 12 year old dog is a trooper. Learned to pee/poop on the mat at her old age and hunkers down in her bed when we get underway. She'll stay with us, and we'll deal with the hassle of having a pet onboard. I suggest you give them a good seatrial/liveaboard trial before making any final decisions. This includes getting them used to food you can get/make anywhere.

[Cap Erict3]

12 yr old female cat raised free to come and go in the mountains. Has been a boat cat 6 months.


She does fine sailing unless the weather is rough. She is ok on deck with the engine running but hates the noise and fumes below.

On our last trip she didn't come back from the night prowl. My lady stayed an extra day and Halloween came looking for the boat at dawn. Lucky for them. Missed a rough trip across the GOM.

Leaving her affected her wandering nature. Her night prowls are minutes and yards rather that the hours and miles of old.

While she used to catch and eat a lot of her food she is not interested in fresh fish. As yet.

[Intervale 11]

This is how our cats enjoy cruising, sleeping in the pilot berth. No room for the captain to nap!

[zeehag]

avoid places that quarantine and make sure you have a cet certificate for the cats soyou dont havve to lose them to any quarantine returning...
bubba has sailed with me for 4 yrs--one yr on other peoples boat and these 3 on ours. he never gets seasick. he hunts and takes care of incoming unknowns--lets me know where the approach is from when folks arrive close by--he is a good cat. he stays on leash when in rough stuff and when in marinas..we usually stay anchored in winter and he likes that--he can hunt birdees...

[Captain Bill]

Our cat was 6 when we started and now almost 8. She adapted pretty well to short trips and is now doing pretty well on multiday crossings. If it's rough she just goes to a spot in the corner of the aft cabin and goes to sleep. After about 12 hours she comes out and shares her thoughts. Have you ever heard a cat curse? In any case now when we start the engines she hits the food bowl, the litter box and heads for the back corner of the aft cabin. If it's not rough she'll come out after a few hours. Engine noise really bothered her at first but she got used to it. Now when she hears the anchor going down she comes out on deck to supervise. She has developed a taste for fresh fish. We clean the blood line out of tuna we catch and she absolutely loves that.

[Intervale 11]

Just as a clarification, Australia does not have a 6 month quarantine, only 30 days. You just have to have their blood drawn for testing for rabies 6 months in advance. I just moved hear and went though the whole process. However if you are cruising and they do not get off the boat, especially if you are only anchoring, I believe you are OK. But check before you come. Australia is very bureaucratic and picky about bringing in animals.
Good luck

[NornaBiron]

Quarantine for Autralia and New Zealand can be started in Fiji.

[zeehag]

until my cat is dead i will not travel anywhere he will be stripped from my boat. he neither leaves boat nor causes trouble by intermingling with their population.
i can guarantee he doesnt leave my boat--he wears a harness and leash and only stays onboard. isnt safe any other way.
so far, i have had no problem with this.

[NornaBiron]

We have two cats, Puss and Fluff. If we tie up alongside then they both go ashore. If we're 'Med moored', stern to the quay, we try to stay far enough off so that they won't go off. Puss likes to wander up to 100m away but Fluff won't go out of sight of us as she scared herself by jumping on the wrong boat and then getting lost a couple of years ago! We are almost always at anchor though, so going ashore isn't really an option for them and they're happy on the boat.

As soon as the engine starts they both lie on the bed. If it gets a bit rough Fluff will find a safe, fairly stable spot and sleep, Puss comes up to the cockpit and snuggles onto the lap of whoever is on the helm. Occassionally they'll go for a walk around the deck when we're underway but as soon as they hear a bit of canvas flap they're straight back down below!