Cats meow

[Wyn2joy]

After following blogs, reading Canal Boat and Waterways magazine and checking out this forum I have come to the conclusion that dogs aboard are fairly common. What about cats? Do you let them out? Will they come back? Does one have to worry about them being eaten by owls? (We have to worry about owls and coyotes here.) I don't think the U.K. has any really large four legged carnivores in the woods that fancy cats though does it? If one does let them out while moored up what about rows with dogs along the tow path? I cannot imagine a home without a cat, but I still cannot quite figure out continuous cruising with cats aboard unless one kept them inside all the time which is hard to do.

[Scooby]

After following blogs, reading Canal Boat and Waterways magazine and checking out this forum I have come to the conclusion that dogs aboard are fairly common. What about cats? Do you let them out? Will they come back? Does one have to worry about them being eaten by owls? (We have to worry about owls and coyotes here.) I don't think the U.K. has any really large four legged carnivores in the woods that fancy cats though does it? If one does let them out while moored up what about rows with dogs along the tow path? I cannot imagine a home without a cat, but I still cannot quite figure out continuous cruising with cats aboard unless one kept them inside all the time which is hard to do.

 

Our cat is 12 and been aboard our cc for about 3 months, we dont let it out cos we did once and it was scared to death, and now we have a 11 week old puppy and its not too keen on him either, he is slowing learning the new noises and he will be fine. soon puts the dog in its place..

[bottle]

It has been discussed before (have a search) but in the mean time.

 

Lots of boats have cats.

 

Edit: here is one thread, link

Edited February 10, 2010 by bottle

[Wyn2joy]

It has been discussed before (have a search) but in the mean time.

 

Lots of boats have cats.

 

Edit: here is one thread, link

 

Thanks for the link to the older posts. Still finding my way 'round the forum. I feel totally reassured now.

Wyn

[wrigglefingers]

Cats are enormously adaptable and live on boats very happily. If we were only out for the day, I used to leave Astro and Thea on the bank at our home mooring; but if we were gone any longer, they would come with us. Thea was very wary about the engine noise and would settle down somewhere small and cosy (generally the linen cupboard) whereas Astro was far more bold and would do the full cruising cat on the roof pose for the day. They used to go out in the evening and return at cat o'clock in the night, although it was not unknown for Astro to take his time and get back when he pleased. You will end up cruising to the cats' timetable; although a cat flap that you can change to one direction only is a good idea.

 

Living with Thea now in the house I can honestly say that she had a far better time on the boat with most of Wiltshire to roam rather than the more restricted space we have here, tiny house and walled garden. You will need to watch boat cats near roads as their traffic awareness skills are not so well honed as house cats. As for predators, they learn to cope; Astro killed rats getting on for the same size as himself, achieved a one-all draw with the local mink and enjoyed regular spitting matches with the marina fox. Thea goes for camouflage, on the whole, and would equal Usain Bolt (was there ever a finer surname for a sprinter?) in the 20m getting-back-to-safety-on-the-boat dash.

 

If your cats are hunters then you will need to develop a fairly callous approach to small mammal burial rites. Astro would line up his parcels on the floor (or bed, his choice) with the tails all pointing the same way and I would bend down to pick them up by their tails and drop them out of the window into the cut. Thea's efforts, although far less gruesome, were considerably more trouble if Astro didn't intervene. She would bring back live 'friends', interfere with any attempt to catch them and then lose interest completely leaving the rodent to run round the boat and disappear. I was surprised one evening when silently spinning, to have a shrew calmly regarding me from the top of the bag of fleece I was spinning. As I made a grab for it, I knocked the bag over and three other assorted mammals ran out. As Astro was half-dozing by the fire you can guess what happened next.

 

Good luck with the cats and your cruising plans,

 

Jill

[Tim Doran]

I have a cat but I move every two weeks not daily. Jinga has no problems with the change in scenery, however she has to be kept locked inside to stop her jumping ship. She is a great hunter and brings dead things back every night.

 

Cars are the biggest dnager to her becuase she does not see many of them.

 

I hope your cats have as much fun as Jinga

 

Tim

[NB Willawaw]

We have our two cats on board with us.

 

They were introduced to the boat from the beginning.

 

They tend to go out all night in summer and at twilight and dawn in the winter.

 

Main problems are traffic (we never moor near roads when they are on board), falling in (we use an old milk crate as a bathing platform), bringing friends in to play (our queen brought home a dead squirrel much larger than her and various live friends like frogs, mice, a pigeon, etc) and not coming home when we want to pull the pins. We have lost count of the times we have delayed sailing because they are out carousing.

 

The main enemy is man - either locking them in somewhere without noticing or catnappers.

 

Also, we can't bear to put a cat flap in our beloved bulkheads - it means we rarely get a full nights sleep on board.

 

Ah, the joys of cats.

Edited February 10, 2010 by NB Willawaw

[Mac of Cygnet]

I would have a cat but the boat isn't long enough.

[sociable_hermit]

Mike Steven's website used to have lots of brilliant articles about life on board with cats, indeed IIRC his boats were named Felis Cattus I, II (and III?). The website has been moved since he passed away, but sadly none of the cat information seems to have been transferred, which is a shame. The one piece of advice I remember was to establish a routine. For example ring a bell 10 minutes before you feed the cats, and try to feed them at the same time every day. That way they will associate the bell with food and come back when they hear it, if they aren't back already!

 

Rope fenders are also a good idea so the cat can climb back up if it falls in, which will invariably be at 3:30am. Unfortunately there is nothing to prevent them from trampling muddy water over everything afterwards.

 

Foxes and mink will attack cats, but that's about it as far as wildlife is concerned. Traffic is the biggest problem. Some dogs will also have a go.

[Bones]

Alnwicks cat has two humans... so you could see how they get on when they move the boat around....

[bottle]

Ah! yes the infamous GC, a very superior cat and can be seen at his own website.

 

The internet home of 'GC'

Edited February 10, 2010 by bottle

[Bunny]

Our cat Henry was stray when he moved into our house 10 years later he moved with us onto our boat. He loved it, never allowed out at night he settled either in his basket or by the fire, loved cruiseing, jumped off at locks and ducked for bridges, swam in The Thames , The Nene and The K and A none by choice and never learnt to stop maiowing when in the water. Even made friends with a small wild rabbit we had for 2 years {another story} even letting the bunny share his basket during the evening. Henry was with us for 4 years on the boat. He always knew where the best moorings were, loved to sit in front of the automatic doors at B.H.S. in Banbury and watch them. The trees at Westmills by the lock in the middle of Newbury were another favorite. He is gone now but never forgotten. Bunny.

[NB Willawaw]

Lovely story, Bunny.

 

Have you got a photo - sounds like a character.

 

Our cat Henry was stray when he moved into our house 10 years later he moved with us onto our boat. He loved it, never allowed out at night he settled either in his basket or by the fire, loved cruiseing, jumped off at locks and ducked for bridges, swam in The Thames , The Nene and The K and A none by choice and never learnt to stop maiowing when in the water. Even made friends with a small wild rabbit we had for 2 years {another story} even letting the bunny share his basket during the evening. Henry was with us for 4 years on the boat. He always knew where the best moorings were, loved to sit in front of the automatic doors at B.H.S. in Banbury and watch them. The trees at Westmills by the lock in the middle of Newbury were another favorite. He is gone now but never forgotten. Bunny.

[Guest wanted]

We trained Sindbad with a bell, every time he is fed we rang the bell and now he comes trotting back whenever he hears it, We have a bib landing net on the roof and hang old plastic bread crates around the boat (scramble net!)

 

Good Luck

[Wyn2joy]

Cats are enormously adaptable and live on boats very happily. If we were only out for the day, I used to leave Astro and Thea on the bank at our home mooring; but if we were gone any longer, they would come with us. Thea was very wary about the engine noise and would settle down somewhere small and cosy (generally the linen cupboard) whereas Astro was far more bold and would do the full cruising cat on the roof pose for the day. They used to go out in the evening and return at cat o'clock in the night, although it was not unknown for Astro to take his time and get back when he pleased. You will end up cruising to the cats' timetable; although a cat flap that you can change to one direction only is a good idea.

 

Living with Thea now in the house I can honestly say that she had a far better time on the boat with most of Wiltshire to roam rather than the more restricted space we have here, tiny house and walled garden. You will need to watch boat cats near roads as their traffic awareness skills are not so well honed as house cats. As for predators, they learn to cope; Astro killed rats getting on for the same size as himself, achieved a one-all draw with the local mink and enjoyed regular spitting matches with the marina fox. Thea goes for camouflage, on the whole, and would equal Usain Bolt (was there ever a finer surname for a sprinter?) in the 20m getting-back-to-safety-on-the-boat dash.

 

If your cats are hunters then you will need to develop a fairly callous approach to small mammal burial rites. Astro would line up his parcels on the floor (or bed, his choice) with the tails all pointing the same way and I would bend down to pick them up by their tails and drop them out of the window into the cut. Thea's efforts, although far less gruesome, were considerably more trouble if Astro didn't intervene. She would bring back live 'friends', interfere with any attempt to catch them and then lose interest completely leaving the rodent to run round the boat and disappear. I was surprised one evening when silently spinning, to have a shrew calmly regarding me from the top of the bag of fleece I was spinning. As I made a grab for it, I knocked the bag over and three other assorted mammals ran out. As Astro was half-dozing by the fire you can guess what happened next.

 

Good luck with the cats and your cruising plans,

 

Jill

 

Yes my cat is a hunter. She hunts rabbits--(sorry Bunny! We've been overrun with rabbits and they are eating every living twig and leaf.) caught thirteen of them last August. Mice on the other paw, are living versions of the wind up toy--to be brought inside and worried until Sianna tires of them and I pick them up and put them out. She saved my daughter's life four years ago when I was at work and the furnace shorted out in our mobile home. Sianna hooked her paws under the bedroom door and rattled it until my 22 year old daughter woke up and called the fire station. Nothing had caught fire yet, but things were smoking. My daughter could sleep through Armageddon, so Sianna must have been rattling the door furiously. She's an amazingly intelligent fur person.

 

Thanks everyone, for sharing some great ideas for cat safety, comfort, and wonderful adventures. I would love to see "the full cruising cat on the roof pose." It sounds like a feline yoga position. Love the ideas of using a bell to call them, putting the boat's name on their collar tag, and hanging a milk carton over the side for a boatside climbing plateau. Still thinking about the one way cat flap. Now if I could just train Sianna to wipe her paws before coming in--ah life would be grand. But then that is why cats have staff instead of owners isn't it?

 

(edited for spelling error)

Edited February 12, 2010 by Wyn2joy

[Wyn2joy]

Ah! yes the infamous GC, a very superior cat and can be seen at his own website.

 

The internet home of 'GC'

 

 

Oooh! Thanks for the link. GC is a grand looker. Very regal. I used to have two ginger tabbys as a child, named Marmalade and Graham crackers.

Wyn

Edited February 12, 2010 by Wyn2joy

[Bunny]

Yes my cat is a hunter. She hunts rabbits--(sorry Bunny! We've been overrun with rabbits and they are eating every living twig and leaf.) caught thirteen of them last August. Mice on the other paw, are living versions of the wind up toy--to be brought inside and worried until Sianna tires of them and I pick them up and put them out. She saved my daughter's life four years ago when I was at work and the furnace shorted out in our mobile home. Sianna hooked her paws under the bedroom door and rattled it until my 22 year old daughter woke up and called the fire station. Nothing had caught fire yet, but things were smoking. My daughter could sleep through Armageddon, so Sianna must have been rattling the door furiously. She's an amazingly intelligent fur person.

 

Thanks everyone, for sharing some great ideas for cat safety, comfort, and wonderful adventures. I would love to see "the full cruising cat on the roof pose." It sounds like a feline yoga position. Love the ideas of using a bell to call them, putting the boat's name on their collar tag, and hanging a milk carton over the side for a boatside climbing plateau. Still thinking about the one way cat flap. Now if I could just train Sianna to wipe her paws before coming in--ah life would be grand. But then that is why cats have staff instead of owners isn't it?

 

(edited for spelling error)

 

 

 

Our present rabbit is a big boy, weighs in at 9lbs and still growing even we don't argue with him when he wants to get on the bed, just grateful that he is house trained. Bunny

[GeoffS]

I took my cat on a 2 week trip in the summer for the first time ever. She is about 14 and doesnt go a long way at home. I was worried. But a routine started which I found quite amazing. When I moored up she would get off and walk both ways away from the boat along the towpath, far further than she ever goes at home. The she would go into the bushes/hedgerow/field and disappear. To begin with that was panic. Id be up and down calling but every time she would appear back at the boat without me being able to see where she'd come from. Once back that was it she just stayed close by. It worked a treat after the initial panic!

[Smelly]

Having cats aboard is usually ace but when you're running low on coal, needing to get into town and one of them legs it it can become a tad irksome...

[Leonie]

My little Lola (currently sporting a bucket style collar to stop her chewing her stitches open again) was born on a CC boat and now lives on one. She's 10 months old this weekend and I let her out wherever we moor up. I tend to try and avoid very built up areas or moorings alongside roadways now for her. Cats adapt excellently to CCing as they bond to the boat and have eyes, ears a nose and a brain to help find their way back to them. They don't tend to roam too far in the first couple of days as they slowly suss the new area out.

 

Having stopped for a lunch break once and found myself waiting two hours for her to come down from a tree, I'd advise you keep an eye on your cat if you want to scoot off in a hurry.

 

I don't let her roam about about when I'm not home and don't leave her out overnight.

[Wyn2joy]

Our present rabbit is a big boy, weighs in at 9lbs and still growing even we don't argue with him when he wants to get on the bed, just grateful that he is house trained. Bunny

 

I have a cousin who had a house trained bunny. They had a large hedged yard, and he taught the bunny to back up to the door and thump on it with his feet when it wanted outside or to come back in. Amazing. Nine pounds! What kind of bunny is this?

Wyn

[Big John]

What no-one seems to mention is what they do when they go on holiday. When we had a cat on land, the neighbours would pop in to feed our cat. When you're cc-ing it doesn't seem it would be so easy.

Do cat-parents use boarding kennels or what?

[Smelly]

What no-one seems to mention is what they do when they go on holiday. When we had a cat on land, the neighbours would pop in to feed our cat. When you're cc-ing it doesn't seem it would be so easy.

Do cat-parents use boarding kennels or what?

 

Cat parents are often, ahem, "asleep" under their favourite tree in the back garden.

 

Now cat owners usually take 'em with. Surely ccing is one big holiday after all!

[wrigglefingers]

Cat parents are often, ahem, "asleep" under their favourite tree in the back garden.

 

Now cat owners usually take 'em with. Surely ccing is one big holiday after all!

 

 

If I'm away from the boat for any longer than overnight, Thea goes to the slammer*. No messing. For 10 quid it's worth the peace of mind.

 

* I am indebted to Dr Watson for adding this term to our family vocabulary. It describes perfectly how Thea feels on crunching up the drive to the cattery.

[Black Ibis]

We are not ccers, but if we are away for more than a day, we have some cat-loving friends who are a 10 minute walk away from our mooring who enjoy looking after her at their house. otherwise, neighbours can pop in.