Cat needs a home

[comfortably numb]

We have an 8 year old cat who will not be coming with us when we begin living aboard in April because she wouldn’t be able to adapt to life on the move. So we are looking for a good home for her.

 

This may be a strange place to ask being as you’re all boaters but I’m asking on the off chance that you may know someone who might. We don’t want to take him to a cats home (or similar) and we are even prepared to delay moving aboard our boat until we find someone to have him.

 

We would be prepared to travel a fair distance to take him to somebody provided they live within a 100 mile radius of Birmingham. He is mainly white but has a few patches of tabby cat colouring. I can email photos to anyone who is interested.

 

 

Neil

[lewisericeric]

Aw that's a shame - wish I could help but don't really know anyone that's looking to take on a cat.

 

Are you definately sure she wouldn't be able to adapt? A lot of people live on boats and even CC with cats on board.

Lewis

[romarni123]

We have an 8 year old cat who will not be coming with us when we begin living aboard in April because she wouldn’t be able to adapt to life on the move. So we are looking for a good home for her.

 

This may be a strange place to ask being as you’re all boaters but I’m asking on the off chance that you may know someone who might. We don’t want to take him to a cats home (or similar) and we are even prepared to delay moving aboard our boat until we find someone to have him.

 

We would be prepared to travel a fair distance to take him to somebody provided they live within a 100 mile radius of Birmingham. He is mainly white but has a few patches of tabby cat colouring. I can email photos to anyone who is interested.

 

 

Neil

Can i ask why she wouldnt adapt

[Wanted]

Probably not going to make myself popular here but your cat has a home, it's the one that you chose to provide it with when you got it. There are already too many animals that need a home so please, take the responsibility and teach it to live aboard. A pet is for life right?

 

The cat will be fine.

[mattlad]

We've had cats on board and never had a problem, including one that was taken on board for the first time when he was "getting on a bit"......

 

I'm sure she will adapt if you give her a chance........

[oddmonsty]

Well said Wanted

[Starcoaster]

Fully agree, Wanted. I was resisting posting in this thread, but frankly I feel entitled to as someone who works in veterinary practice and gets to deal with the sharp end of people dumping and shuffling on their pets.

 

My cats are six and seven and moved aboard a year ago and were fine- Had they not been fine, that would have been a deal breaker and the boat would have had to go, not the cats. I got my cats and committed to care for them for the duration of their lives as part of that decision- not for the duration of their lives until they stopped me doing things I wanted to do. Having them has stopped me doing a lot of things, but that was the choice I made when I got them.

 

An eight year old cat is not going to be easy to home, and the Cats Protection League and RSPCA are full and turning pets away.

Animals are not disposable and interchangeable if they don't suit your lifestyle!

Sorry, but no support from me.

[andywatson]

Please give the cat a chance.

 

He might not like the move aboard but it's better than most alternatives and he might just take to it.

Edited January 21, 2013 by andywatson

[romarni123]

Fully agree, Wanted. I was resisting posting in this thread, but frankly I feel entitled to as someone who works in veterinary practice and gets to deal with the sharp end of people dumping and shuffling on their pets.

 

My cats are six and seven and moved aboard a year ago and were fine- Had they not been fine, that would have been a deal breaker and the boat would have had to go, not the cats. I got my cats and committed to care for them for the duration of their lives as part of that decision- not for the duration of their lives until they stopped me doing things I wanted to do. Having them has stopped me doing a lot of things, but that was the choice I made when I got them.

 

An eight year old cat is not going to be easy to home, and the Cats Protection League and RSPCA are full and turning pets away.

Animals are not disposable and interchangeable if they don't suit your lifestyle!

Sorry, but no support from me.

Well said.We have a stray cat living on our well deck that was dumped by a boater.It now has a heatpad 4 meals a day and a lovely house we built for it.

[cazberry]

I thought my cat wouldn't take to the boat, but I couldn't have been more wrong....I've never seen her so 'chilled'...she loves it!

I'm sure you have very good reasons for believing your cat would struggle on a boat, but have you actually tried it?

[steveiom]

we come from the isle-of-man,and we travelled across by boat to liverpool then drove to middlewhich boats,

hired for a week(xmas)4yrs ago,

the point is our 2 cats at the time enjoyed it.

do`nt think they had so much fun,running around the boat..

playing velco-fly,carpeted to the gunnels....

[Tuscan]

Chap in pub this evening had moved out of local marina recently to CC in the area, lost his cat over the New Year, cat found at marina today and reunited with very happy owner.

[PaulJ]

An ex of mine had a cat of about 15 years that was very unhappy having to share the flat with our two dogs-a doberman and lurcher.It spent all the time in the wardrobe so we took it to live with our mate who lived on a boat.We still saw it that way and it lived happily for about another five years. Although the boat never really moved very often, when it did the cat was quite happy to go for the ride and would never wander far from the boat. I think the cat may suprise you.

[wiccan]

We moved on board with a 6 year old cat who had lived until then as a house cat (never going outside). He adapted very well to the change. We kept him in for a few weeks and eventually started to let him out when we moored as long as one of us was with him.

 

He now sits on the stern with me as we go along and sits on the bow when moored. He isnt allowed out by himself nor overnight. He still uses a litter tray.

 

Charlie has made the boat his home and he seems to enjoy the moving around as much as we do (we are full time live-aboard's)

 

Dont under estimate how adaptive and tolerant of change cats can be.

[ChimneyChain]

Probably not going to make myself popular here but your cat has a home, it's the one that you chose to provide it with when you got it. There are already too many animals that need a home so please, take the responsibility and teach it to live aboard. A pet is for life right?

 

The cat will be fine.

 

[/quote)

 

Going to have to agree wholeheartedly with you on this . I've seen to many cats and dogs in rescue centres a cat will make a home where ever you choose to live. Unless there's more to it in which case I apologies.

 

Darren

[Guest]

Dogs have owners....cats have staff...

 

Cats are normally reluctant to sack the staff.

 

[comfortably numb]

Thanks for your replies

 

Firstly, we didn't choose to have a cat initially. He 'adopted' us when 6 years ago someone from a nearby house moved away and left him behind. We were one of several house he called upon.

 

We would love to take him with us, but he is very nervous and feel he woudn't adapt, especially when we'd be cruising. Also, if he did get disorientated and lost, that we feel would be unfair on him.

 

As for the comments implying that we are being unfair/cruel/irresponsible I don't think we are, because if you read my OP I said we wouldn't move onto the boat until we were happy he was re-homed properly. They say you never actually own a cat and because they are such independent creatures I would have no qualms about it if he went to a good home although we'd miss him terribly of course. Cats aren't known to be as reliant on and become as attached to specific people like dogs do and I have no doubt he would adapt and be very happy ever after.

 

It is because we are caring people and very fond of this cat that we are prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure that he doesn't suffer. And, whilst we will do our utmost to find a good home for him, even though you don't know this cat and what he's like, I do take on board your comments about how well cats adapt to life on the cut, and we might well try it but only after this other option has been explored.

 

 

 

Neil

[Wanted]

Thanks for your replies

 

Firstly, we didn't choose to have a cat initially. He 'adopted' us when 6 years ago someone from a nearby house moved away and left him behind. We were one of several house he called upon.

 

We would love to take him with us, but he is very nervous and feel he woudn't adapt, especially when we'd be cruising. Also, if he did get disorientated and lost, that we feel would be unfair on him.

 

As for the comments implying that we are being unfair/cruel/irresponsible I don't think we are, because if you read my OP I said we wouldn't move onto the boat until we were happy he was re-homed properly. They say you never actually own a cat and because they are such independent creatures I would have no qualms about it if he went to a good home although we'd miss him terribly of course. Cats aren't known to be as reliant on and become as attached to specific people like dogs do and I have no doubt he would adapt and be very happy ever after.

 

It is because we are caring people and very fond of this cat that we are prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure that he doesn't suffer. And, whilst we will do our utmost to find a good home for him, even though you don't know this cat and what he's like, I do take on board your comments about how well cats adapt to life on the cut, and we might well try it but only after this other option has been explored.

 

 

 

Neil

 

I certainly don't think that you are being cruel but all of my animals that I have owned have dictated to some degree how I live. I wouldn't move if I had a pet that I couldn't accommodate.

 

Suggestion: From now on, every time you feed tiddles ring a bell. Then when you are out the cat will associate the bell with food and return. It works.

 

If you have to hang about while the cat returns so be it.

[Starcoaster]

Yes, that's my point. Not so much about doing the best you can to accommodate the change, but that you have to arrange your life around the pets you have, and only make changes of choice if it is ok for the pet.

I didn't buy or choose any of my cats- two of them were feral kittens who moved in on their own and the others all ended up with me because of owners who couldn't afford treatment, or dumped them. Sometimes, there is just no one else who can or will take an animal, and someone has to do it. That doesn't negate the responsibility you have to them when you become that person.

 

One of my ex-ferals is very shy and won't go near anyone else, she won't even come up to me outside. But she reliably returns to the boat and views it as her base and her home, loves going out, and is very cuddly when she is inside, as this is her safe place. She is nervy with other people, and I need to be near to a vet because of her health issues- Because of this, I don't take the boat out on long journeys or moor in a lot of the busy, vibrant places I would prefer. But even she gets on fine with the boat and living in different places, although I wouldn't CC, much as I'd like to, because I am not sure if she would take to it. She might, but I have compromised to fit her, which is the right thing to do.

I have wind chimes outside of the boat wherever we are and the cats can orient themselves by the sound- not that I think they would be unable to find it otherwise. I pick my moorings based on what will work for the cats. They have a good life outdoors, many more safe places to be than you would find in most houses. And as I say, if it was a case of cats or boat, it would be the cats. If you give up a pet once to fit your choice of changing lifestyle, please don't get one again. You don't know what you might want to change in another eight years, after all.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Starcoaster

[cloggy]

Our cats moved onto the boat when they where 6,7 & 12 when we moved them onto the boat the older 2 where nervous cats, the oldest cat (Holly)we rescued from a bad situation and she was very nervous. From day one of her being on the boat she loved it and spent a good few years on the cut before she died. The other 2 are still going strong and love it, we have to wait from time to time for them to come back (think they go to cat conferences about every 2 months)but hey ho whats another day or 2.

Cats adapt very quiickly and seem to thrive on having a new garden to play in every day.

The only problem we had recently was returning to a place we moored at a few months ago, one of the cats went out ran about 100 yards up the cut and sat looking at the water, took a while to work out that was the place we moored last time

[wrigglefingers]

Astro and Thea moved onboard with us when they were 8. Both were cats transformed - Astro went from a sleepy, furry bag of bones to the most magnificent hunter - even the local farmer though he was the most efficient rodent killer he'd ever seen. Thea developed from the most timid cat to a confident, funny, bossy little madam. Neither caused me to think that they couldn't manage on a boat; on the contrary, it was the making of them.

 

I'm sure that you have the best interests of your cat at heart, but I'd not hesitate to bring a cat onboard. Yes, there are dangers, but I can promise you that your cat will have a far better life on the cut than in a house. If you're looking forward to a life on the cut why shouldn't your cat? Free to come and go, very little car traffic, insects to chase, dogs to see off, hedge bar open at all hours. Sounds pretty good to me .....

[LoneWolf]

I certainly don't think that you are being cruel but all of my animals that I have owned have dictated to some degree how I live. I wouldn't move if I had a pet that I couldn't accommodate.

 

Suggestion: From now on, every time you feed tiddles ring a bell. Then when you are out the cat will associate the bell with food and return. It works.

 

If you have to hang about while the cat returns so be it.

 

good suggestion.

 

But hang about for how long ...

 

About this time last year I got 2 cats. They seemed to settle into boat life, first in & out of a marina then out moving on the cut. then when i was out for blacking in April one vanished. I took the same mooring i was on before until she came back only going out for short one or two night trips a couple of times. This lasted until May sometime when i decided she'd probably gone to live in a barn (she didnt really like humans & was a good hunter) & i may as well take the mooring for a year so & could come back to the same place in the winter where she could find me if she needed food.

 

She hasn't appeared yet

 

 

Yes, that's my point. Not so much about doing the best you can to accommodate the change, but that you have to arrange your life around the pets you have, and only make changes of choice if it is ok for the pet.

I didn't buy or choose any of my cats- two of them were feral kittens who moved in on their own and the others all ended up with me because of owners who couldn't afford treatment, or dumped them. Sometimes, there is just no one else who can or will take an animal, and someone has to do it. That doesn't negate the responsibility you have to them when you become that person.

 

One of my ex-ferals is very shy and won't go near anyone else, she won't even come up to me outside. But she reliably returns to the boat and views it as her base and her home, loves going out, and is very cuddly when she is inside, as this is her safe place. She is nervy with other people, and I need to be near to a vet because of her health issues- Because of this, I don't take the boat out on long journeys or moor in a lot of the busy, vibrant places I would prefer. But even she gets on fine with the boat and living in different places, although I wouldn't CC, much as I'd like to, because I am not sure if she would take to it. She might, but I have compromised to fit her, which is the right thing to do.

 

I have wind chimes outside of the boat wherever we are and the cats can orient themselves by the sound- not that I think they would be unable to find it otherwise. I pick my moorings based on what will work for the cats. They have a good life outdoors, many more safe places to be than you would find in most houses. And as I say, if it was a case of cats or boat, it would be the cats. If you give up a pet once to fit your choice of changing lifestyle, please don't get one again. You don't know what you might want to change in another eight years, after all.

 

Thats a bit black & white for me Star, I think it does make a difference how you come by pets. the cat seems to have chosen the OP who looked after it. I dont think it places any responsibility on him to have it with him for ever if his circumstances change.

 

I think finding it another good home is fulfilling his responsibilities enough.

 

I agree with adapting ones life to suit your pets but in real life one does have to draw the line somewhere, maybe i should have waited longer for my cat to come back, who knows what the right thing to do is?

[larkshall]

Probably not going to make myself popular here but your cat has a home, it's the one that you chose to provide it with when you got it. There are already too many animals that need a home so please, take the responsibility and teach it to live aboard. A pet is for life right?

 

The cat will be fine.

 

I have 2 cats aboard, and 2 dogs, no problems, and one cat is 12 years old still chases a border collie from one end of boat to the other. I couldn't leave a pet, its wrong have a greenie.

[Barry]

 

<snip>

 

We would love to take him with us, but he is very nervous and feel he woudn't adapt, especially when we'd be cruising. Also, if he did get disorientated and lost, that we feel would be unfair on him.

 

As for the comments implying that we are being unfair/cruel/irresponsible I don't think we are, because if you read my OP I said we wouldn't move onto the boat until we were happy he was re-homed properly. They say you never actually own a cat and because they are such independent creatures I would have no qualms about it if he went to a good home although we'd miss him terribly of course. Cats aren't known to be as reliant on and become as attached to specific people like dogs do and I have no doubt he would adapt and be very happy ever after.

 

<snip>

 

I think what you have said shows you as being fair and very responsible rather than the opposite. But I wonder if your sense of responsibility has taken you into a place where your thinking is based on assumptions leading to anxiety. If your assumptions are inaccurate then so is your anxiety.

 

In your place I think I would give your cat and yourself the the chance to see what the reality is. Maybe if you begin with the feeding bell thing at home and then continue it on the boat you may find that your fears are just that, fears not based on fact, and the boat becomes the making of the cat is it was for Wriggley's two.

 

If, having tried, your cat won't settle on the boat then you have given it a fair go and then you know it needs a new home

Edited January 22, 2013 by Bazza2

[Dave_P]

good suggestion.

 

But hang about for how long ...

 

About this time last year I got 2 cats. They seemed to settle into boat life, first in & out of a marina then out moving on the cut. then when i was out for blacking in April one vanished. I took the same mooring i was on before until she came back only going out for short one or two night trips a couple of times. This lasted until May sometime when i decided she'd probably gone to live in a barn (she didnt really like humans & was a good hunter) & i may as well take the mooring for a year so & could come back to the same place in the winter where she could find me if she needed food.

 

She hasn't appeared yet

 

 

 

 

Thats a bit black & white for me Star, I think it does make a difference how you come by pets. the cat seems to have chosen the OP who looked after it. I dont think it places any responsibility on him to have it with him for ever if his circumstances change.

 

I think finding it another good home is fulfilling his responsibilities enough.

 

I agree with adapting ones life to suit your pets but in real life one does have to draw the line somewhere, maybe i should have waited longer for my cat to come back, who knows what the right thing to do is?

 

The voice of reason! I'm sure the OP knows his cat better than anyone. The cat isn't going to be abandoned, it just needs a new home. If a home isn't found, then the OP will deal with it in the right way, I'm sure. I had a cat before I moved aboard. The cat didn't come. She would have if I'd had no choice but she is an older cat and very nervous of noise, new places, strangers etc. instead she now lives a very happy life in a lovely house with a big garden with a field at the end. And I see her regularly.

 

I know someone who took a cat to live on his boat. The cat kept falling in! it was clearly unhappy and cowered in a corner of the boat everytime it rocked. then it dissapeared. Whether it just walked off or drowned, we don't know. Not all cats will adapt to boat life.