Cats!

[Alastair]

I have the scars to prove it!

 

Tack some carpet round a length of 2"x" - they'll be able to get a grip on that - then poke it in the water next to the cat. Bet they scramble onto it, and then you can lift them out.

[Pat]

Tack some carpet round a length of 2"x" - they'll be able to get a grip on that - then poke it in the water next to the cat. Bet they scramble onto it, and then you can lift them out.

 

Well maybe I was wrong. I thought cats didn't like cruising and ran away a lot, like Tom and Sophie's cat or Paul Clevett's cat .But it sounds like plenty of you have cats that have adapted well to living on a boat. Oh well, that's good news for the girl in the boat next to mine, who has just moved her cat on board. Cheers to cats and boats and their owners and Fridays.

[Carrie]

Cheers to cats and boats and their owners and Fridays.

 

I'll drink to that, Pat! Cheers

[wrigglefingers]

Astro and Thea have moved on board with us this week. So far so good, with no more that usual list of disasters .......

 

Astro (being a bit of a space cadet and on first name terms with the local vet and the locum) took a flying hop out of an open hopper window having leapt on the bookcase to get there. Elly simply grabbed his ample rear quarters as he tried to shimmy through the gap. It would have been his first dunking. Still we compensated for that this morning when, on filling the water tank, he managed to dislodge the hosepipe from the filler tube, sprayed the cratch and deck with water and got soaked. He's now sulking in the back cabin. Yesterday, during his customary mad half hour he cannoned into the coal scuttle and had a minor landslip of Taybrite land mainly on his head. He's also fallen in the rubbish bin and the shower; and I suspect he's got too close to the water heater pilot light as a few of his whiskers seem to have melted slightly.

 

Thea has developed a circuit which includes food, going to the litter tray and Elly's bed. She seems resigned to her fate as the world's quietest ship's cat. She has however, learnt to lift the lid of the Portapotti so it's only a matter of time before Astro attempts to drink the contents.

 

I agree with spirit that litter trays are the work of the devil. Astro decided to dig to Australia overnight, scattering litter all over the floor. Which, in an early morning blear, spectacle-less, I trod in with bare feet. Mercifully no unpleasantness as I changed the litter last night, but a few nasty moments. Henceforth the litter tray is banished to the cratch. I'll only survive that once!

 

Regards, Jill

[spirit]

Ah yes, the old "litter tray as building site and play area" scenario! I too have had similar early morning "pleasures".

 

Sounds like your two are going to have a great time on the canal - not so sure about you though!

[alan_fincher]

I've just noted the heated debate earlier about rights and wrongs of cats, or other animals, onboard.

 

I think, as the evidence here supports, it very much depends upon the animal.

 

Some will take it in their stride, for others it may have a sadder outcome, and the only way is to try and break your own animal in slowly, and see how you (and they) fare.

 

If I was living aboard I certainly wouldn't CHOOSE to go and acquire a cat, but it can happen by accident.

 

Back in the 1970s, whilst down in the Harefield area, we came upon a rather pathetic kitten, weighing next to nothing, with one completely gummed up eye, and the other not much better. He was sneezing so violently he more or less recoiled backwards as he did. He was also covered in masses of tar.

 

Local enquiries found no owner, and we had two choices - leave him to his fate, or try and do something for him

 

Cleaned up, and taken to the PDSA, they gave him a 50-50 survival chance, and he then lived aboard for the next few months, until nursed back to health.

 

Completely unphased by the boat or canal, he never went in, nor came close to doing so. He did cause some concern when he went under the floor of the boat, and stayed there for some hours, (serious thoughts of some very destructive carpentry to "rescue" him ). Even more anquish when it decided to head off into the field next door as the combine harvester was at work. But, whilst fiercely independant, he generally came back if we were about to head off somewhere.

 

I'm not sure how many of his 9 lives it had used up before us, or how many more whilst with us, but by the time we found him a home away from the canals, he was the picture of health.

 

Sorry about the quality of the old scanned negative, but here he is on one of his favoutite vantage points. He had acquired the name "Nelson", due in part to only having one working eye for the first few weeks...

 

[Carrie]

aww - what a sweetheart

 

I agree that I wouldn't set out to get a cat now, myself. It's difficult now though as mine are 14 years old. I can't stay put, waiting for them to snuff it, as they may live for years more, but I am aware that it's not going to be easy for them or me. Just one of those responsibility things you have to weigh up and decide. I will just have to be very careful with them and encourage them to stay with me!

 

Cat tray - oh my god! Perhaps I can float it behind on a little raft

[allybsc]

Cat tray - oh my god! Perhaps I can float it behind on a little raft

 

Now, my cats would dive in and swim for it, when they do venture out the first thing they do on return is use the tray!!! you would think that a nice fresh patch of garden would be preferable...but obviously not!

Regards,

Ally p.

[Liam]

Ally,

 

Hopefully your own garden, and not your neighbours

[allybsc]

 

Hopefully your own garden, and not your neighbours

 

Not got many neighbours, live nearly in the middle of nowhere

[tomandsophie]

Our Jasper has gone. He was fine afloat for 6 months and let himself in and out via his catflap. Then one day about 2 months ago now he hopped off never to return. We put up loads of signs along the towpath but still no sign of him. We're very sad.

 

Jasper returns! Three months later, 20 miles away, he's back!!! Crazy story:

After he went missing in February (near Bath) we went straight to the local RSPCA cats and dogs home to report him missing. Gave them full details. They said they would phone us as soon as anybody brought in a black and white cat. Never heard anything. After 2 months gave up hope and moved back to our mooring on the river (near Bristol). A couple of weeks ago a colleague (and good friend) of my wife was talking to her about the cat she had adopted from the RSPCA. A little description, Sophie turns pale, it's Jasper! Unbelievable. Stupid bl**dy RSPCA staff had found him, not called us, re-housed him, and it's only by an incredible coincidence that we happened to know the people who received him. It could have been anybody. If the RSPCA idiots had done their job properly we could have had him back 2 and a half months ago when they found him. Instead, he spent some miserable time in a pound, we were very sad, and then our friends who finally got a lovely cat had to give him back!

So he's now happily reinstated on our boat and purring happily

No thanks to the RSPCA cats and dogs home

[Chris Lingwood]

Good lord that was lucky!!! What are the chances of that happening. If thats the way they operate no wonder they have lots of cats with no homes. You would think it would be in their interests to try and get cats back to their original homes to save themselves time.....although [cynical]they don't get a donation if they do that[/cynical]

[Pat]

Jasper returns! Three months later, 20 miles away, he's back!!! Crazy story:

After he went missing in February (near Bath) we went straight to the local RSPCA cats and dogs home to report him missing. Gave them full details. They said they would phone us as soon as anybody brought in a black and white cat. Never heard anything. After 2 months gave up hope and moved back to our mooring on the river (near Bristol). A couple of weeks ago a colleague (and good friend) of my wife was talking to her about the cat she had adopted from the RSPCA. A little description, Sophie turns pale, it's Jasper! Unbelievable. Stupid bl**dy RSPCA staff had found him, not called us, re-housed him, and it's only by an incredible coincidence that we happened to know the people who received him. It could have been anybody. If the RSPCA idiots had done their job properly we could have had him back 2 and a half months ago when they found him. Instead, he spent some miserable time in a pound, we were very sad, and then our friends who finally got a lovely cat had to give him back!

So he's now happily reinstated on our boat and purring happily

No thanks to the RSPCA cats and dogs home

 

What an incredible story! That really is a strange coincidence. I also had a rubbish experience with the RSPCA the other day.(not as bad as yours, obviously) I fished a drowning moor hen chick out of the canal. It must have fallen out of its nest. It was very young and was obviously going to die. I called the RSPCA to see if I could at least try and feed the little bugger, but they insisted that they would come and get it. I pointed out that all I really wanted was a bit of advice, and that it was hardly worth them coming to get it. They said they'd be there within 2 hours. 4 hours later I called again, and they assured me they were on their way. I ended up waiting until 1am, and still nothing. They never called me back and never turned up.

[bottle]

Hi Tom and Sophie

 

May i suggest you get him chipped, then your details will go on a database and if the cat wanders again, he will be returned a lot quicker if found.

 

Just a little story that is true, dog sat outside his own front gate, do-gooder passing by thinks dog lost, takes dog to local rescue kennels. Owner realises dog has gone, frantic search all the neighbours involved police informed.

Do-gooder happens to walk pass a couple of days later and by coincidence dog owner is by front gate and asks if they had seen the dog, "Oh yes thought it was lost, I took it to rescue kennels".

Owner phones kennels yes dog stiil there, travels the ten miles to collect dog had to pay £40 to get him back.

Now this was about ten years ago so I would not like to think what the fee would be now.

[DHutch]

Thoughs are three absolutley ubserdly stupid storys. lol!

 

- Go RSPCA!

 

 

 

Daniel

[Pirate]

Gosh all amazeing stories, alas that seems to be Britain today...good at nothing.....I guess thats progress for you

 

Ps I`m very glad you got him back though Tom and Sophie

Edited May 23, 2006 by Pirate

[Bullfrog]

Our tortoise once did a runner having broken out of the garden. A neighbour told us she had found him wandering up the street (pour chercher les femmes) and had taken him to an animal rescue centre (silly cow) - she thought it might have been ours but didn't bother to ask!

 

My wife went to the rescue centre -10 miles away - where she was closely questioned about our ownership of the animal - they are expensive now that imports have been banned and there are apparently many cases of "tortoise-napping"!

 

Before she was allowed to recover the beast she had to produce a description, photographs and then pick him out in a line-up of about 20 other tortoises all milling about in a wire pen. Needless to say a "donation" to the Centre was expected before the guilty escapee was returned home.

 

"Tommy" was not the most popular of pets.

 

Regards

 

David

[Alastair]

We have kittens!

 

It's been a long time, since our cat died, but now we've taken on new crew. Two bouncing kittens. They'll be confined to quarters until they settle in, then to the cockpit. Final plans are to feed them on the pontoon in an old kennel. Then they can be left at the mooring if we are away overnight.

[wrigglefingers]

The guard cats are causing chaos this morning .........

 

We've 'enjoyed' a large number of animals being brought aboard by Astro and Thea, all dead and even half eaten, but this morning they've outdone themselves.

 

We currently have a mouse queaking vigorously in the saloon as Astro goes demented trying to catch it and Thea is under my bed enthusiastically playing with the one-animal activity centre that is a frog (could be a toad I can't get close enough to see). On top of this Elly is roaring round trying to restrain Astro and catch the mouse to take it out.

 

It's pandemonium here - thought Sundays were supposed to be quiet moments of reflection spent listening to the Archers?

 

Jill

 

Back to under the bed now..........

[wrigglefingers]

Okay, calmed Ellen down, caught the frog and set it free with a couple of teeth marks on it's underbelly, stunned but otherwise hopping off; hopefully okay.

 

Sadly, the mouse didn't survive the experience and has joined his comrades in the Great Feline Wars. A telegram will be dispatched. Astro is now in total disgrace and is contemplating life in the cratch with his litter tray and food as Elly has banished him from the boat.

 

Jill

[nichimyo]

... (could be a toad I can't get close enough to see). ...

 

I don't know if all toads do it but when my cat caught a toad it made her froth very spectacularly at the mouth. She left them alone after that! (tho somehow she knew the difference between toads and frogs)

[Alec Gatherer]

I don't know if all toads do it but when my cat caught a toad it made her froth very spectacularly at the mouth. She left them alone after that! (tho somehow she knew the difference between toads and frogs)

Interesting. I think my wife has been eating toads.

[wrigglefingers]

Interesting. I think my wife has been eating toads.

 

Alec, are you sure you're feeding her regularly?

[DHutch]

While we where painting a Braunston a live aboard moored next to us for about 2/3 days, with his cat and dog.

- Great guy, talked a lot while he was there, very intersting bloke.

 

He had a upside down milkcrate on a lenght of washing line hung over the side of the boat.

- When i asked what it was for he said it was "for the cat".

- Appently thomas (the cat) has fell in about 3/4 times, and after the first time he came up with the crate idea.

- The crate just floats about an an inch of the waterline, and if/when he falls in, thomas can climber onto the crate, which as also suported by the washing line, and meow untill he is rescued!

 

Very crude/cheap this to do, and apprently has accutally worked 2/3 times. So I thoughed id pass on the infomation!!

 

 

Daniel

[wrigglefingers]

While we where painting a Braunston a live aboard moored next to us for about 2/3 days, with his cat and dog.

- Great guy, talked a lot while he was there, very intersting bloke.

 

He had a upside down milkcrate on a lenght of washing line hung over the side of the boat.

- When i asked what it was for he said it was "for the cat".

- Appently thomas (the cat) has fell in about 3/4 times, and after the first time he came up with the crate idea.

- The crate just floats about an an inch of the waterline, and if/when he falls in, thomas can climber onto the crate, which as also suported by the washing line, and meow untill he is rescued!

 

Very crude/cheap this to do, and apprently has accutally worked 2/3 times. So I thoughed id pass on the infomation!!

Daniel

 

Daniel,

 

Good idea, but Astro, now a two dips a week cat, has learnt to climb the rope fenders, metal stanchions and, last time I saw watched him in the water, the blacking on my next door neighbour's boat (v expensive, Gary Gorton shell, full professional paintjob last year; please don't tell him). I think I have the only recorded watercat ever ........ Maybe he'll be less keen when it's cooler?

 

The milk crate is a brilliant idea but we're not supposed to store anything on the roof in the marina except poles and plank. Besides which Astro preferred method of exit is to fling himself out of the hatch or window!

 

I'm waiting for him to try this when we're on the move. I've prepared a scrap fender on a rope for him as it's only a matter of time........ We've already discovered he doesn't like walking the plank and would rather swim to the boat when we're out. I think our cat needs !