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Cats on narrowboats


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AND very bad form for you to make such a pathetic schoolboy insult! If you haven't picked up the vibe from the majority of postings in this thread YOU ARE NOT WELCOME on our canals with your barbaric attitude. I think your provocative statements are probably because you are a wind-up merchant ... either way, do us all a favour and stay "down under". I've got plenty of Aussie friends who are cat (and dog) lovers and they are welcome ... you are not!

No I'mNot rising to the pathetic bait.Yes I'll confirm I did attend a school when younger.I am welcome on the canals of Britain[if that's what you mean by your's]By the way if you keep putting your finger on the shift key the letters,that is the symbols on the black things come out as big ones]Intelligent people who care about wild life would know what I am talking about and lots on this forum do understand my point of view even if they do not agree.I also now know and realise that different people in different parts of the world have values that differ from mine regarding their native animals, and all fellow Australians that live in my part of the world[rural Australia]Cats and Dogs are great pets and freinds and should be treated as such.I've never said I didn't like dogs and cats though I do.I also love our native wildlife and I do my bit with hunting and conservation to preserve it.Can't be stuffed going on about this,find it boring as well as not so funny any more.Might be in Yorkshire in a couple of weeks so if you want to buy me a beer feel welcome.

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No I'mNot rising to the pathetic bait.Yes I'll confirm I did attend a school when younger.I am welcome on the canals of Britain[if that's what you mean by your's]By the way if you keep putting your finger on the shift key the letters,that is the symbols on the black things come out as big ones]Intelligent people who care about wild life would know what I am talking about and lots on this forum do understand my point of view even if they do not agree.I also now know and realise that different people in different parts of the world have values that differ from mine regarding their native animals, and all fellow Australians that live in my part of the world[rural Australia]Cats and Dogs are great pets and freinds and should be treated as such.I've never said I didn't like dogs and cats though I do.I also love our native wildlife and I do my bit with hunting and conservation to preserve it.Can't be stuffed going on about this,find it boring as well as not so funny any more.Might be in Yorkshire in a couple of weeks so if you want to buy me a beer feel welcome.

Not doing yourself any favours mate- I grew up in NZ, where there were NO indigenous mammals so when they were introduced, they caused havoc - there are some who would like the cat population in NZ to be decimated - in the UK, there are natural predators as cats are indigenous to the UK and therefore not as much of a threat.

We have two cats we rescued and are taking them onboard with our two Labradors - they were found locked in a cupboard and have never known how to hunt - i am sure they will settle down as they will be with their "big bros"

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Not doing yourself any favours mate- I grew up in NZ, where there were NO indigenous mammals so when they were introduced, they caused havoc - there are some who would like the cat population in NZ to be decimated - in the UK, there are natural predators as cats are indigenous to the UK and therefore not as much of a threat.

We have two cats we rescued and are taking them onboard with our two Labradors - they were found locked in a cupboard and have never known how to hunt - i am sure they will settle down as they will be with their "big bros"

Quite right Star. What Ron seems incapable of understanding is that the UK ecosystem is entirely different to the Australian ecosystem. In the UK we've (unfortunately) wiped out most of our top predators which means that cats killing birds and rodents is largely redressing that balance. Yes, there is an argument that cats are responsible for the drop in numbers of certain bird species, however, it is likely that's more due to loss of habitat and unsympathetic farming practises. And as has been previously pointed out on this thread, humans are the greatest threat to native wildlife so unless you're prepared to commit suicide in the name of protecting nature, you shouldn't be making threats about harming peoples' pets.

 

On a personal point, my cat has now been with me on the boat for a while now and she's loving it. She's actually got a whole new lease of life at the age of 12, going out more, more confident and loving having new places to go exploring. She hasn't fallen in yet but I'm sure that will happen if she get too cocky, scampering up and down the gunwales!!

 

p.s. she hasn't brought me back one single 'present'.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I keep reading posts about people with cats on their boats and homes in the uk and no one seems to consider the damage to what's left of your native animals.It seems o.k to let your cats out to do their own thing i.e. kill every small creature they can before returning back to their bed for the day.Most places here, it's mandatory in a lot of cities if you own a cat to keep it confined to an enclosed run on your property.Letting them out to "Hunt" is surely irresponsible and if you are allowed to bump them off if not on their owners property that's what I will be doing whilst on your canals.Look after your wildlife and look after your pets in that order.

Cant believe I just read that. What a load of shite hahahaha

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On a personal point, my cat has now been with me on the boat for a while now and she's loving it. She's actually got a whole new lease of life at the age of 12, going out more, more confident and loving having new places to go exploring. She hasn't fallen in yet but I'm sure that will happen if she get too cocky, scampering up and down the gunwales!!

 

p.s. she hasn't brought me back one single 'present'.

 

 

That reassures me - ours are 13 and OH quite worried with how they'll cope! I keep saying they'll be fine

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  • 8 years later...
On 08/07/2012 at 15:27, DeanS said:

We moved on board a year and a bit ago. Our cat grew up on land, so boating was a new thing. They adapt very quickly. When cruising , the engine tells them...."it's not time to go outside" and ours settles down for a sleep. When the engine is off...it'll want out. When CC-ing, we put him on a rewindable leash, and attached it to a tree of something, and he was happy. In a marina, he and us, have learned that you cant keep him locked in the boat, and if you let him out, he'll come home...at a time of HIS suiting, not yours. He meeows outside the hatch door at about 2am, we feed him, and then he curls up at our feet, and sleeps a full 18hrs till he wants out the following night. :) If we were cruising, we'd keep him on the leash again. We lost him once...he escaped while we were filling diesel. We had to ride back 20mins on our bikes to look for him, and apparently he had been jumping on everyones boats looking for us....so they do know what a boat is, and where their dish is filled. He popped out the fence, and hasn't gotten lost again since. At the moment he's passed out on the middle bed.:)


We are looking to move onto our first narrowboat this year and we have had two indoor cats for the last 3 years, they have an outside cattery which they absolutely love however we know they are desperate to go out and roam, so we are very excited about this new adventure for them. However, there is that slight doubt and worry in the back of my mind that they’re going to get lost and not return back to their new boat home - this comment has put me at ease and I’m really hoping our two fur babies take to it as well as yours has. Any tips or tricks would be most welcome! Thank you😊

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41 minutes ago, saeb said:


We are looking to move onto our first narrowboat this year and we have had two indoor cats for the last 3 years, they have an outside cattery which they absolutely love however we know they are desperate to go out and roam, so we are very excited about this new adventure for them. However, there is that slight doubt and worry in the back of my mind that they’re going to get lost and not return back to their new boat home - this comment has put me at ease and I’m really hoping our two fur babies take to it as well as yours has. Any tips or tricks would be most welcome! Thank you😊

They have endemic homing skills, but will back track to where you have boat moored. 

Mine has fallen in several times, probably running up offside gunnels then turning round. He got a fright last time and has been safe since. 

I introduced him slowly to cc, now he can be let out almost anywhere, obviously not too near a road, and generally he will have a pee on grass close to boat. But he is very adaptable, so I can moor up in towns as well. 

He was a rescue cat, very aware of traffic etc, loves it in winter when he gets long glossy dark coat, sleeps all day on my white duvet, pops out for a few hours as appropriate (cat flap), summer he is out a lot more, very active, very few kills, I usually rescue mice by throwing a towel on top. There once was a baby rabbit, very difficult to get through cat flap, very scary for me, I expect it survived. 

Cats have a special legal status in UK, countries with endemic rabies have different laws.

Mine is just not an indoor cat, he loves boating. 

I used the Feliway for a few days, and was careful when I let him out at first when towpath was on different sides. He once jumped on a departing boat when I had shifted to the other side, my fault, fortunately he was spotted! 

There is a litter tray, he uses it more in winter, I feed Royal Canin Digestive kibble (buy 10kg online) which results in better poops, ie no odour. Not sure they will share a tray, but will adapt to very small cat litter houses

Edited by LadyG
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We had cats (One at a time!) Loved them to bits, One of them bought back a kestrel (long dead!), a seagull (long dead) a moorhen, (very much alive) plus sundry headless rabbits, small furry things but thankfully, no small birdlife. We cruised many miles and they are not as good as dogs on a boat (I think) but apart from fishing them out of the cut from time to time and having to stay in Leamington until one re appeared  they were all good companions and had good long lives. (dogs are better though!)

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Id say there is a good chance engine noise would scare a cat not used to it,and it would take off for its old home.......Put the cat in a walkies harness with a lead,or youll likely never see it again.....also be handy for the first time it jumps in the water .

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51 minutes ago, john.k said:

Id say there is a good chance engine noise would scare a cat not used to it,and it would take off for its old home.......Put the cat in a walkies harness with a lead,or youll likely never see it again.....also be handy for the first time it jumps in the water .

When I got my cat SSPCA told me to allow three weeks to rehabilitate, and not to re home within 30 miles. He was in a very bad way, and lived in my flat, somewhere, for three weeks, eventually he escaped, 36 hours later he returned, and now, after five years he will snuggle up on the duvet, and even purr, he's an absolute dude.

I think he'd had a very hard life, ended up in cat prison, and thought he was on Death Row.

No one would take him because he was so depressed.

I'm very glad he's not a killer cat, but hunting is instinctive, that's cats. 

Cat harness was disposed of in about fifteen seconds squirming. 

I gave up on safety collars early on when I had two outdoor cats who climbed trees, and spent most of their lives outdoors in the woods. 

They used my house like a hotel! 🏡 

 

Arthur adapted to the boat fairly easily, the harness did not work and he was distressed being kept inside after a day, though he was frightened first 18 hours. The Feliway helped. 

The thing that puzzled him most was the moon shining on the water, he thought the water might be dry land, but he could see his reflection. 

Engine does not bother him. 

He used to love running up and down gunnels, both sides, and on roof when I am asleep, much more active in summer. 

Plenty of cats will move about with their owners, on holiday, on salty water boats or canal boats, they have a very simple brain, you just have to adapt your behaviour accordingly 🐈

 

Edited by LadyG
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On 08/01/2022 at 09:22, LadyG said:

They have endemic homing skills, but will back track to where you have boat moored. 

Mine has fallen in several times, probably running up offside gunnels then turning round. He got a fright last time and has been safe since. 

I introduced him slowly to cc, now he can be let out almost anywhere, obviously not too near a road, and generally he will have a pee on grass close to boat. But he is very adaptable, so I can moor up in towns as well. 

He was a rescue cat, very aware of traffic etc, loves it in winter when he gets long glossy dark coat, sleeps all day on my white duvet, pops out for a few hours as appropriate (cat flap), summer he is out a lot more, very active, very few kills, I usually rescue mice by throwing a towel on top. There once was a baby rabbit, very difficult to get through cat flap, very scary for me, I expect it survived. 

Cats have a special legal status in UK, countries with endemic rabies have different laws.

Mine is just not an indoor cat, he loves boating. 

I used the Feliway for a few days, and was careful when I let him out at first when towpath was on different sides. He once jumped on a departing boat when I had shifted to the other side, my fault, fortunately he was spotted! 

There is a litter tray, he uses it more in winter, I feed Royal Canin Digestive kibble (buy 10kg online) which results in better poops, ie no odour. Not sure they will share a tray, but will adapt to very small cat litter houses

Thank you for the advice. Our two cats are indoor cats and have been since we had them there outdoor life and living on a boat are going to be completely new to them both in all aspects. We are looking to be moored for the first year of being on the boat anyway as we will be working on it due to it being a project. There is lots for us to think about and adapt too, both us humans and the cats lol 

Edited by saeb
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Some people are fortunate to have found a cat that owns a boat and allows a human to live on their boat. I don't agree with keeping cats locked up indoors or caged.

Our neighbours cat has visited us since he was a kitten. I am sure he thinks our garden belongs to him.

I agree cats can live to 20 or so.

 

Cats are more independent than dogs. I would trust  cat to return home more than a dog although there are no doubt exceptions. 

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1 hour ago, MartynG said:

Some people are fortunate to have found a cat that owns a boat and allows a human to live on their boat. I don't agree with keeping cats locked up indoors or caged.

Our neighbours cat has visited us since he was a kitten. I am sure he thinks our garden belongs to him.

I agree cats can live to 20 or so.

 

Cats are more independent than dogs. I would trust  cat to return home more than a dog although there are no doubt exceptions. 

Our cats aren’t usual moggys, they are pedigree British short haired and therefore this breed are usually kept indoors. They have an outdoor cattery which they have access to whenever they like, day and night, straight from the house to outside. It’s 10x10ft. Plus we live on a very busy main road which is another factor as to why they are indoor cats.

 

I’m really hoping they take to their new boat life, outdoors🙂

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One bit of advice ,get a landing net with a longish handle and keep it topside and handy......My boat cats were a little different,as there was no way Id go in after them.....the boat was moored in the same area where Jeremy Wade caught a groper the size of a cow ...He was fishing for the ever present harbour sharks...

Edited by john.k
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  • 3 months later...

I've had a boat cat, but sadly had to have him put down, now trying to look for another needy animal. 

Rspca don't talk to adopters, and send you a pdf, not sure what I am expected to do with that, it's not an interactive form

I found a special cat on their website. 

Do they allow anyone to adopt. Never mind boaters? 

 

On 09/01/2022 at 13:41, MartynG said:

Some people are fortunate to have found a cat that owns a boat and allows a human to live on their boat. I don't agree with keeping cats locked up indoors or caged.

Our neighbours cat has visited us since he was a kitten. I am sure he thinks our garden belongs to him.

I agree cats can live to 20 or so.

 

Cats are more independent than dogs. I would trust  cat to return home more than a dog although there are no doubt exceptions. 

Cats know their home by scent, but they need to be kept indoors for a few weeks to make sure they are secure. 

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I found it quite easy to have a cat .

Had three, all  of them started as occasional visitors and became more frequent, finally moving in! 

Not all at the same time, but three different characters.

One was very aloof, hated being petted and only aknowledged my presence when he wanted feeding.

Another was exactly the opposite, jumped on my knee at every opportunity loved being petted and kept me awake at night with purring akin to roadworks. 

The other stayed with me for about three years and gradually stayed away for longer and longer, eventually disappearing completely.

Some time later I saw her sitting inside on a neighbour's windowsill, cool as you like.

I think perhaps the grub was better there than at my place.

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If a cat as a kitten has not had human petting and played with or been ill treated up to about, I think 9 weeks old, after that time it will be set for life in it;s ways and not like any petting, but will almost certainly still be very loyal to you. Cats are very clever, they have the biggest brain for their body weight than any other animals except Dolphins and primates..

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54 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Thousands of years ago, cats were revered as god's by the ancient Egyptians, and they have not forgotten.

 

I often remind my cat that the cats the ancient Egyptians revered were sleek, graceful creatures that deserved being looked up to.

 

Sharing some genes with them doesn't mean that she will get the same treatment, especially when licking her bum at me from next to a half eaten mouse.

 

 

  • Haha 1
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