cats aboard

[Mike E-W]

we are moving onto our boat later this year aim to cruse all year we have two kittens do they take to boat life easily

[rusty69]

Yes. Our two have been aboard since kittens. After they learn gunwhale walking , and a few swims they soon learn.

In the early days we used to let them out at locks whilst travelling,but soon learned this was a bad idea for obvious reasons.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Once they associate the boat with being "home", then most cats take boating and the fact that the outside changes in their stride. They do fall in, but they swim well,despite absolutely hating it. The big problem is being able to get out before they run out of energy. Bits of carpet, or rope side fenders help. All cats are different. Treat it like a house move and keep them inside for a few days before letting them explore outside. If they will take a collar/harness and lead then this can help. I have a fishermans landing net on the roof, which is very good for getting cats and small dogs out of the drink.

All cats are different. If yours are prone to wandering, then you might be stuck in one place till they come back. Training to come back when called for meals can belp. Lots of cats (and dogs) where I moor. Safer than being around roads, despite the risk from the water. One was lost a few years ago. Went out at night without the owner realising, fell in and couldn't get out in time. Very sad.

Jen

[Jen-in-Wellies]

The late Mike Stevens had some very good advice that I read when first planning on taking a cat on board a decade ago. He died suddenly in 2008 and the web site has succumbed to bit rot, but the internet archive has copieshttps://web.archive.org/web/20080802102835/http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk:80/aboutme/cats/faq.htm

Jen

[billS]

I have had 3 generations of land based cats which I have taken on boats at weekends and on holidays with no real problems. On the first trip, don't let them out for a few days until they are accustomed to the boat.

In all cases they roam when we stop for the night. They have all also tried to roam any time that you stop, so the advice to keep them confined when stopping at locks etc is good.

We have only once had a problem when our current cat disappeared and did not come back for a few hours. We went looking for him and found him hiding in the hedge about quarter a mile away, near where we had moored the previous evening. We think he had wandered into an area where he had been the previous evening and become confused and lost. Since there we take care to moor either very close or more than half a mile away on consecutive nights.

[Stilllearning]

1 hour ago, billS said:

I have had 3 generations of land based cats which I have taken on boats at weekends and on holidays with no real problems. On the first trip, don't let them out for a few days until they are accustomed to the boat.

In all cases they roam when we stop for the night. They have all also tried to roam any time that you stop, so the advice to keep them confined when stopping at locks etc is good.

We have only once had a problem when our current cat disappeared and did not come back for a few hours. We went looking for him and found him hiding in the hedge about quarter a mile away, near where we had moored the previous evening. We think he had wandered into an area where he had been the previous evening and become confused and lost. Since there we take care to moor either very close or more than half a mile away on consecutive nights.

Friends a few years ago had a similar problem. They moored up for the evening, let the cat off the boat, then decided they wanted to be about fifty metres further along the cut for some reason. The cat came back to their original mooring and sat staring at the empty space until picked up and put back on the boat  

[Lady M]

When boating with a cat, we always try to moor away from bridges and junctions.  If you have a cratch cover, it can be a good idea to close the offside when the boat is tied up to encourage the cat to leave the boat on the towpath side.  We always shut ours in when doing locks.  It does seem that many cats walk away from the boat in a straight line then turn and retrace their steps.  We, too, had a cat that was very confused when we pulled the boat along to a slightly different mooring while she was exploring up the bank of a Shroppie cutting.  The longer you stop in one place, the bigger the cat's territory is likely to become.  To avoid having to wait for the cat to return when you wish to go cruising, just don't let it out in the morning.  Adult cats generally prefer to go out when it is dark returning for a snack and sleep some time during the night.

[Jim Batty]

I'm sure kittens will get used to your boat easily and quickly. Our cat, Hobbes, who is now 19, came on board when he was about 10 and has fitted right in. Its sort of become his boat. He never got the hang of walking the gunwales, but could usually leap onto the cabin roof from the edge of the bow deck. Except once when he misfired and found he couldn't quite get a grip on the steel hand rail ... and fell into the Thames on red boards. Although he doesn't exactly like swimming, he loves being bundled into a towel and dried off afterwards.

In our early days we tied up about 8-feet out beside some scattered reed beds (with a plank for access at the bow). We watched as Hobbes sat in the side hatch checking out the scene, then leaped straight into the floating lily pads and growth, thinking it was the ground. He was completely shocked and surprised, but swam towards the shore. He was happy again after the towel treatment!

He now curls up in his bed (on our bed) the minute the engine fires up and sleeps until we get to where we're going. 

Other cat boaters we've met set up a Pavlovian response in their kitties by ringing a bell just before being fed. When they're heading off in the morning and their cats are in the hedgerows, one ring of the bell usually brings them bounding.

Have a great time cruising.

[Allthatjaz]

We have a dog and we are going to get a cat as soon as our boats finished. Its not like you are on the ocean. Our ex cat who is sadly no more, had a passport and came sailing with us. We introduced her to sailing as a kitten and our dogs as a puppies and I think that makes a difference.

The problem we had was, our cat often wandered onto other boats if they were sitting in sunnier spots and would fall asleep. That's okay providing the boat doesn't move off with your cat on board. We had a friend who's cat went missing. About a week later they got a call to say their cat was presently sailing round the Bay of Biscay but not to worry, it was in good hands and would be safely returned in a few weeks. 

I think the fishing net idea is a good one. 

[bizzard]

If they're 10 weeks old or under there shouldn't be a problem. Apparently after 10 weeks they become set in their ways for life, with little change.