Cat aboard?

[Sealife]

Our boat cat has his own page on our blog, 8000 miles and counting. The biggest issue we have had is finding good veterinarian care outside of the US. Most of the places we have been, the locals don't keep "house cats", so local care is non existent. If not traveling outside US, shouldn't be a problem. He has been in the water 5 times, we leave a towel tied to swim platform he can climb up.

[Ski in NC]

Originally Posted by sunchaser

We have a friend who was attacked by their onboard cat a few weeks ago. Had to go to ER for treatment. Her arm is a mess. Cat bites and deep scratches can be troublesome.

What in the world brought that on? Must be more to the story.

[sunchaser]

Originally Posted by Ski in NC

What in the world brought that on? Must be more to the story.

The Cat was on her lap with a sliding screen door nearby closing on its tail. As noted by others, Tweetie Bird can crap on your shoulder. Saw a GB the other day with three big dogs onboard. A hair salon floor could not match it. Boating and animals sure do provide interesting observations and stories.

[C lectric]

Lots of cats travel.

Our last cat, gone now, was 8 yrs old when she was introduced to RV and Boat travel. She had been a house cat previously. She was with us for another 10 yrs of travel. Took a while but she adapted and quite well.

We had a carry pen which we had to stuff her into and would leave her in when actually travelling. After a while she would go in on her own, no more stuffing, and use it as her safe place, looking out. She figured out when we were preparing to move so we often did not have to corral her. There was a good blanket in the case for her so it was padded. But while travelling we locked her in as she tended to panic when she was out of it while travelling. In the pen she was fine, just bored sometimes.

Once anchored she would walk around the boat deck or while docked she and I would go for short dock walks in the evening. I kept close as the eagles would have liked her.

Just introduce your cat while docked and not moving. Put the cat into the carry case BEFORE starting the engine as the noise may well scare it , not to recover. Once the cat has gotten used to the case and engine starts and some travel it should be fine.

Use a leash although for ours was no good as she could twist out of it in seconds regardless of the leash and harness type.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Ski in NC

What in the world brought that on? Must be more to the story.

Wifey B: Most of the time it's when something suddenly startles the cat. Now, had a friend once who had a cat that would periodically attack her, only her as the cat was closest to her and loved her. It was diagnosed as displaced aggression and it traced back to the cat's childhood and being held while a kid shot it with a BB gun. The kid barely missed the cat's head, hitting it's foot. The cat was taken for counseling and given a low dosage of Prozac.

A lot of cats require tranquilizers to travel by car or plane.

I think with any pet you simply have to figure out if anything you're doing is in their best interests.

[Seevee]

Originally Posted by BandB

Wifey B: ........

A lot of cats require tranquilizers to travel by car or plane.

.........

Wow, ain't that right, and one of the reasons I prefer to NOT have any animals on board any form of transportation. As much as we think we know our pet, they can be unpredictable at the wrong time.

[ancora]

Our cat Spanky, is a Persian/Ragdoll mix who loves the boat. A real "sea-cat" who handles all kinds of seas with aplomb, while ridin' up on the fly-bridge.

[TowLou]

Such great stories. One afternoon during the week I have to atleast try and take him on Bassey.

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Cats make great shipmates. I am told to get the cat on board when they are young for training.

[Mermaid]

When I bought my Hatteras, I had an elderly blind cat. He did just fine and never went outside. He lived to be 21 years old, his last 9 years being on a boat. When I realized I could not live without a cat after he passed, I foster failed on the one I have now. He did just fine, too. And last week, a friend of my shot and killed himself, so I have a pocket panther (black cat) now, and he's doing just fine, too. Cats adapt well. My favorite cats are the ones nobody wants - the old, the blind, the 3-legged, the FIV+, etc. - the ones that have no other chance. I keep mine indoors, strictly, with the exception that they can go on the aft deck with one of us is out there.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Mermaid

When I bought my Hatteras, I had an elderly blind cat. He did just fine and never went outside. He lived to be 21 years old, his last 9 years being on a boat. When I realized I could not live without a cat after he passed, I foster failed on the one I have now. He did just fine, too. And last week, a friend of my shot and killed himself, so I have a pocket panther (black cat) now, and he's doing just fine, too. Cats adapt well. My favorite cats are the ones nobody wants - the old, the blind, the 3-legged, the FIV+, etc. - the ones that have no other chance. I keep mine indoors, strictly, with the exception that they can go on the aft deck with one of us is out there.

Wifey B: You certainly get my admiration for what you do.

[HopCar]

Mermaid, you're a good person. Never heard the term "foster failed". Does that mean you intended to foster the cat until a forever home became available but you decided to keep the critter?

[glennjenn]

Our twelve year old "Max" has adapted very well to living aboard. He still gets to sleep in the sun, eat whenever he wants, partake in as many tummy tickles as he can handle and freely wanders around the deck when feeling adventurous. I'd say that he is closer with us and more comfortable in himself than ever before.
There's something about salt air that most all pets (and their human mates)seem to love and it leaves them calmer and more chilled.

[MiltonP]

We had two cats go in the water last weekend in our marina. The first was only three years old and happily walked its section of dock daily. She must have gone in when nobody was around and did not survive. She was declawed.

The second was surprised while sleeping on my friends flybridge, after tormenting his indoor boat cat, a few boats from his home boat. She sprang up and over the rail into the water with what was described as great 'hang time.' She climbed up a pole onto the dock and went home soaked and embarrassed. Her owner was not aware of her escapade the next day but did mention both their cats have their front claws.

Some cats can still climb without them but better to give them a chance if out loose.

[Sealife]

The towel trick we use works because Howard has all of his claws.

[HopCar]

Milton brings up a good point. I wouldn't bring a de-clawed cat near the water.
I once found a cat clinging to a seawall with her back legs in the water. She was only able to hang on because she had claws. Her belly was cut by oysters and the tide was rising.

Another important thing is to have a chip implanted and keep the contact information up to date. The seawall cat, now named Esther, had a chip but the contact info wasn't current and we could not contact her family.

Why Esther? After Esther Williams of course. She now lives with my friends Darrell and Cindy and their other cat, Rat Kitty.

[Simi 60]

You'd have to be some sort of sad sick bastard to de-claw a cat.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

You'd have to be some sort of sad sick bastard to de-claw a cat.

I used to think that too and I've never de-clawed one of my cats. It causes the cat some pain for a few days and if they get outside it reduces their ability to get away from danger.

On the other hand some people will not own a cat with claws and I figure losing their first toe joint is better than being killed in a shelter.

I figure if they will give the cat a good home, and never let it out of the house, I'll forgive them for the de-clawing.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by HopCar

On the other hand some people will not own a cat with claws and I figure losing their first toe joint is better than being killed in a shelter.

.

I can not agree with you there as you can use that sort of justification to justify anything.

How about it's better to pull a dogs teeth out than put down a savage dog.?
Or its better to traffic/enslave children than have them dying from starvation.?

The sort of people that would think its OK to mutilate animals for their own enjoyment shouldn't have them.

We cut the tips off our cats nails when they get to sharp.
Its not hard.

[HopCar]

Simi your examples are pretty extreme. Since we are going to extremes, would you rather have your finger tips cut off surgically or be killed? If you opt for the surgery, you'll never be hungry and you'll be loved and pampered for the rest of your life.

What gets me upset is cat breeders. There is no shortage of cats. They manage to breed fine without our help. Cats that are bred for particular traits tend to have physical problems. If you want a cat, get it from the shelter.

I appreciate your passion. Anybody who cares for cats that much is a good person in my book.