Doing the work to buy our first boat.

My wife and I are preparing to buy our first boat, and we expect to live aboard. We plan to retire in 5 or 6 years, and thought we'd learn how to live on a boat in preparation for retiring on one. If you have dog or cat advice, we'll appreciate it. I'll also be looking for information on maintenance, checklists, navigation, and a bunch of stuff I haven't thought of yet.

Welcome.


My only dog and cat advice is to get rid of them before moving aboard. I really like dogs and cats. However, not on a boat.

Cats are either a big issue or no issue. If it is an indoor only cat then the only issue is between you and the litter box. If it’s an outdoor cat watch out. Out door cats are known for climbing on other boats and doing damage to canvas and upholstery by clawing and by marking. You could end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit because of an out door cat.

If it's an indoor cat you can even jettison the litter box, if you train it at home first. Yes! The skills are transferable!
https://www.amazon.com/How-Toilet-Train-Your-Cat/dp/0761189521/ref=sr_1_2?crid=26VZK8HYY2778&dchild=1&keywords=how+to+toilet+train+your+cat&qid=1594200157&sprefix=how+to+toilet+train+%2Caps%2C240&sr=8-2
It helps if you have at least 2 bathrooms in your home for training...and realistically, plan on 30-60 days for the project. It's optimal if you are able to start with a very young cat, but older (i.e. 6yrs, for example) can be successfully trained as well (may take longer).


One possible drawback of this solution is that it's just like having another person on board when it comes to "fill rate" of holding tanks.