When do you know with cats?

[bcboomer]

"Miss Kitty" is a rescue cat who spent her first year hiding in closets. 3 years later we moved onto the boat. She has adapted completely but gets seasick in rough seas. She hates the motor but is happy sailing and tolerates motoring if it is calm.
She seldom leaves the boat except for a brief visit to any new boat berthed nearby. We have an LED collar for night time just in case she gets more adventurous.
As she ages she wanders less and spends more time training us to scratch her back, freshen her water, top up her food dish, fetch a toy etc.
We've switched to corn litter after some of the clay litter migrated into the bilge and find it less messy.
We've always been dog people but a cat is a lot easier on board and very entertaining.

[Amapola]

We've always had our cats on board. After being off for a while, they got their sea legs after a few days. Over the last 20+ years, we've had 5 different cats. They've all adapted and made the boat home. We never allow them on deck with out human supervision, a harness, and a tether. They need to feel secure.

[capnorv]

We lived aboard for five years with two cats. They were great companions and very little bother. Our second year we were out for 87 days, and about 1/2 way through George seemed to get depressed. I got the idea to take him out for a row while at anchor, he loved it! From then on, I would do that every few days and he was a much happier cat. Gracie, on the other hand, got motion sickness all her fourteen years and had to be centered on the boat whenever underway. Our current cat, another George, owns the boat and especially loves riding in the dink, which rides on stern davits. We use wheat based bio degradable litter and cast it overboard. His litterbox is in the head above where the holding tank used to reside, since we switched to a composter. We also have our whole deck netted which used to add to our childrens security, and still is good for our cat and sometimes, stuff on deck.

[Cynara]

I was told if a cat will lay on it's back in your arms without struggling they will be good on boats.

[NedX]

Originally Posted by Amapola

We've always had our cats on board. After being off for a while, they got their sea legs after a few days. Over the last 20+ years, we've had 5 different cats. They've all adapted and made the boat home. We never allow them on deck with out human supervision, a harness, and a tether. They need to feel secure.

I wonder if kittens that grow up together on a boat adapt to boat life better because they have feline (as well as human) company.

[Merriweather]

A friend of mine just moved aboard with an 8 year old cat who has never been sailing! I bet cats are like people in that some get seasick and dislike the motion and it doesn't bother other people.
She did teach her cat how to use the house toilet though!