First night on our first boat

[oarfish]

And the idiot cat jumps off the bow and straight through the ice. He managed to swim the 57 feet to the back of the boat pretty rapidly to get pulled out. In fact it almost looked like he was levitating.

 

While he is acquiring a basic understanding of practical physics and chemistry we figured it would be a good idea to buy some sort of kitteh restraint device. Also thinking of changing our side fenders to rope ones that are closer to the water. How does everyone else cope during the ..learning phase?

Edited February 4, 2012 by oarfish

[GSer]

An anglers landing net with a good strong pole proved invaluable when rescuing my old cat, she never learnt!

 

I spotted Valhalla on the thames a year or two back, i liked it, very 'stealth'

 

Good luck

 

Paul

[Grace and Favour]

Our puss, Grace, has had three 'swims' in 6 months.

 

Whilst she has managed to find the rear button fender every time - it is most fortunate that she's only fallen in whilst we've been moored.

 

We have now acquired a landing net, and are looking for a rope 'scramble' net that we can either deploy - or hang from the side

 

 

A word of warning!

 

A 3kilo cat can hold 4 litres of water in her fur. When they gain a footing on the boat - try and persuade her not to make a beeline for the comfort of your bed before you've had a chance to dry her first.

[oarfish]

Our puss, Grace, has had three 'swims' in 6 months.

 

Whilst she has managed to find the rear button fender every time - it is most fortunate

that she's only fallen in whilst we've been moored.

 

We have now acquired a landing net, and are looking for a rope 'scramble' net that we can either deploy - or hang from the side

 

Nets sound like a good solution, our boat has pretty high gunnels not sure he could make the button fender.

 

A word of warning!

 

A 3kilo cat can hold 4 litres of water in her fur. When they gain a footing on the boat - try and persuade her not to make a beeline for the comfort of your bed before you've had a chance to dry her first.

 

Thankfully, he cowered under the dinette in shame rather than making a beeline for the bedding.

 

I spotted Valhalla on the thames a year or two back, i liked it, very 'stealth'

 

'Stealth' in a people staring at it kind of way. I fell in love as soon as I went on board, guess I must have attention seeking instincts

Edited February 4, 2012 by oarfish

[Barry]

I've heard of people hanging something like a milk crate upside down so the bottom is just above the water's surface. Gives the cat something to scramble onto - especially if you are not there.

 

B and Q do those folding storage baskets for not a lot of money - should do the job and store nicely when you are travelling

[NB Willawaw]

This comes up with great regularity.

 

We use the plastic milk crate idea but don't tend to take the cats boating with us so much these days.

[Ally]

wow, you've chosen quite a night for your first!! Hope you have a cozy stove in!!!

[Guest wanted]

Sinbad, seen below enjoying the confort of the stove on full blast has fallen in more times than I remember, he is pretty keen swimmer now but I have hung some bread crates around the pontoons that act a a ladder. We have just moved onto our new boat and as so far he has worked out how to get off, we plan on having a cat flap put in a window each side at some point for when we are out and about. I have also seen people hang hessian bags down the front and back. good luck