Cat Over Board (as in felines)

[QueenElvis]

I'm thinking of taking my cat on board and would love to hear your experiences. Do cats fall over board? This is my biggest fear......

I'm interested in other comments, too, so bring em on.

Thanks

[Coreyboy18]

Nope, no cat has ever fallen over board...cats are actually invincible to falling over.
Have a piece of carpet you can hang over the side that way if they do go over, they can get back on. Many people have posted about their cats, you may want to do a search.

[kwaltersmi]

If I recall correctly, Robin Graham (Dove) lost at least one cat overboard during his circumnavigation. Two or three others were lost to various other incidents.

[sailingdog]

Yes, cats can fall overboard. A piece of heavy rope or carpet hanging over the side will allow a cat to climb back aboard while at anchor, on a mooring or in a slip, provided the cat has not been declawed.

[Boasun]

Cats are part of the vermin control program you have for your boat... Thus necessary to be on board. Yes they need those claws to catch the vermin.

[nolatom]

I recall that some superstitious (meaning most) sailors, would refuse to sail on a ship that didn't have at least one cat.

So you're in good company. Claws are good.

[WouldaShoulda]

This has been making me laugh all day...

[St Anna]

Gooday fellas,
Our cat (Minke)spent the first 4 years of life, never stepping off the boat except a trip to the vet. Even in a marina, she never hopped off.

She would walk on the pushpit rail, whilst sailing, climb the main sheet while it hung over the side of the boat. She almost became breakfast to a pair of nearby sea eagles, but we never lost her (yet). Best company on a boat. Great weather forecaster/ anchor drag announcer, chart, carpet, cushion and owners hand shredder. Fastidiously clean. In rough weather we would harness her with a short tether so she couldnt fall over.

Her first boyfriend (scrappy) wandered in marinas but never fell over. No.2 boyfriend fell off twice at anchor and scrambled back up a 20mm line they kept for this reason. A german cat (meouwed with gutteral accent, like its owners!)apparently used to fish from the duckboard and came into the cabin wet twice. He must have been a fast swimmer.

In response to Woulda shoulda - I think Cats honestly think they are Pirates and we are their crew.

[sailingdog]

My boat has three cats on it... one right next to the name of the boat on each ama and one on the transom.

[MMR]

Originally Posted by WouldaShoulda

This has been making me laugh all day...