CATS on board

[SURV69]

It seems no one has posted about cats on board.

Considering there's no catwalk(?), or an area for sailors or pets to walk along the boat along the cabin, is it realistic to have pets(esp cats), on board for full-week sailings?

I'm planning on doing a lot more sailing, but want to bring my cat along.

If need be, a slightly larger boat is an option, but the 25 footer, to me is the most bag for the money all ways around.

SO . . . pets(cats), on board? ANY thoughts?

[baldbaby2000]

We take our cat sailing quite a bit. I think it's better to start them out as kittens. We're on our 2nd sailing cat now. Cat's being three dimensional entities do well in a rolly-polly environment. If it's rough out we put her below and she finds a comfortable spot. I do worry a little at the slip when she's roaming around. I've heard of people hanging a piece of carpet over so they can climb back on if they fall off.

We've taken our dogs too but they don't like it when the sails are up and the boat heels. Plus they need to be dropped off on shore occasionally. The cat's litter box just sits in the head.

Sagwa in her lifejacket

Daniel

[pokerrick1]

That's a cute PFD - - - complete with handle. Cats seem to do better than dogs in the boats around me. Some have installed that netting from the safety line down (for dogs not cats).

I hesitate to take my Springer Spaniel sailing (even though he LOVES the water), because it is so hard for me to get him up and down the companionway in and out of the cabin (weighs about 65 lbs).

Rick

[Night Sailor]

some cats like to travel, some don't. Outof the last six cats we've had, two liked travelingin the car or RV or boat (even an open 14' sloop). I think likely if the cats adapts to car travel, they can and will adapt to boat travel. As trailer salors we have an advantage in that while the boat is on the trailer on land they cats can get familiar with it inside and outside, thereby becoming more comfortable with it's access and escape possibilities.

Our current cat loves to travel in any conveyance, including our Mac and when it's parked in teh driveway sleeps on it at night, or demands to come inside if I"m there with him. Once inside on or off the water they will find a place they like best and usually stay there when it's rough or noisy outside.

We have a large fish landing net for which I made an extension on the handle for ease of use and storing, that we use to retrieve hats or other gear blown overboard, and if ever needed could be used to retrieve the ship's cat. Fortunately, the need has never arisen. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find an appropriate sized flotation device for his 10lb weight.

Caution: take them onboard from a dock or landing in a cage or with covered eyes. I have scars on my forehead to say kitty might you think you are dropping her in the water if you just try to hand her to another person on the boat from a dock......

[Graham Carr]

Although I do not sail with a cat, I do sail with my Miniature Schnauzer on long trips and I would think a dog would be a little more difficult because I have to take him ashore so he can relive himself, while a cat can use the litter box. Although my wife had a Basset hound years ago that was trained to use the box! I think a cat would be a great companion. In fact last night I was reading one of my older issues of “Small Craft Advisor” #42 Nov/Dec 2006. The article was actually about sailing in close quarters, but the author John Simpson talks about his cat Skunky. John’s sailboat is 22’ long and Skunky accompanied him while cruising in the Caribbean. When he would pull into port, Skunky would jump on to the dock and proceeded to mark his new found territory. At Anchorages, Skunky had learnt to swim ashore at dusk to explore his new land. At sunrise he would, swim back to his floating home. John kept an old towel hanging over the side as a scrambling net so Skunky could climb aboard.

Graham

PS: John has sailed his engineless 22 footer, three times singlehanded across the Atlantic.

[Russ]

We used to sail with our cat all the time. He hated the daytime and probably the motion. He'd crawl up into some cubby hole and sleep. Then at night, he came alive. He loved it, as seen below, he would jump up on the boom and walk it patrolling for who knows what. It freaked us out because we always pictured him falling off and overboard. While at anchor, he would stay up all night watching out intensely at the water. One night some ducks swam up to us and I was terrified that he'd be stupid and jump into the water after them. He didn't fortunately, but he sure seemed like he wanted those ducks.

Others have dropped netting into the water to allow them re-access if they go over the side. Probably a good idea to show this to the cat so they know how to get back on board if necessary.

This was an amazing cat because he was toilet trained. We left the door to the head open and he would climb up on the throne and do his business. No need for a litter box.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

When he would pull into port, Skunky would jump on to the dock and proceeded to mark his new found territory. At Anchorages, Skunky had learnt to swim ashore at dusk to explore his new land. At sunrise he would, swim back to his floating home. John kept an old towel hanging over the side as a scrambling net so Skunky could climb aboard.

Graham

PS: John has sailed his engineless 22 footer, three times singlehanded across the Atlantic.

An amazing & interesting cat story.
I notice live aboard folks in my Marina that have cats have no problems. The cats prowl at night, and enjoy laying top side on anyone's boat doing what cats do best: "snoozing and laying around"
Cats in my Marina love boats and boat folks.
Give a cat a food-treat, and you have an immediate friend

[Scott]

Cats and water, Whats wrong with this picture??

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Wow Russ, I hope that cat wasn't making holes in your mainsail jumping onto the boom like that

Most of my cats would never get near a boat, except for one .. who loves to jump into the boat, car, or anything else he can get into. I'm kind of surprised he hasn't jumped into a moving van heading out of state yet..

[Russ]

Wow Russ, I hope that cat wasn't making holes in your mainsail jumping onto the boom like that

Most of my cats would never get near a boat, except for one .. who loves to jump into the boat, car, or anything else he can get into. I'm kind of surprised he hasn't jumped into a moving van heading out of state yet..

Well, it was a thick sail cover (Hunter 34) and the cat had his nails clipped (he was good that way).

What freaked us out was the though that he'd jump after a duck or something. Never did, but he stayed up all night staring at the water.

Best thing was a toilet trained cat. We probably had the only cat feces in the holding tank on the bay. Great cat. He's gone, but was fantastic.

Cats can do water well if trained.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Yea, I'll bet you could win ten grand in one of those video contests if you had some footage of a cat taking a dump in a toilet...

[Russ]

Yea, I'll bet you could win ten grand in one of those video contests if you had some footage of a cat taking a dump in a toilet...

We have footage of him sitting on the seat doing it. Not that unusual. Search youtube and you can find the same. We got the potty training seat from the pet store. If you have the patience, it's worth doing.

What amazed us was his ability to adapt to the small seat on the boat. For a couple of days he held out, then one day we saw his present in there.