Cruising Cat

[behappy]

Going on first long cruise...Have a cat I love....Called "Puddin"....

Puddin is very easy-going and mild-tempered. But I have several concerns...

#1...How do they travel on a boat?
#2...What if(WHEN)he falls overboard
#3...Is there a"cat safety-harness?
Would appreciate any input, and/or experiences you care to share.

Puddin''s owner, Adonis

[heidis]

Hi Adonis,

I can honestly say that I have never cruised with cats, but there is an article in herSailNet under the topic Captain Mom that is all about cruising with cats. The authors who wrote the article have at least one cat who lives on their boat. Check it out, I think it will be most helpful.

Regards,
Heidi

[svsheela]

Behappy, Even though i don''t have a cat some of my sailor friends do. Some have swim platforms, but most hang a strip of carpet hanging over the side so the cat can climb up. With my dog when we''re cruising she''s always in her harness with a line tied to a cleat. I also have a large net (pole net). Hope this helps. Sheela

[hamiam]

Cats, like dogs and humans, have the ability to get seasick. That being said, animals seem to get over their seasickness more quickly than their owners. In this regard, you may want to gradually get her used to the boat over a series of outings. Although they are not fond of the water, most cats can swim. A piece of carpet or a line of some sort will provide them a way to exit the water in case of an accidental dunk. As for the safety harness, yes, they do exist. They are much like chest harnesses for dogs. That being said, I would recommend getting her a cat pfd. A pfd will give you more time to get her out of the water and often have a loop on the back which you can use a pool to fish her out of the drink.

[gnorbury]

We have two cats who are destined to become press-ganged full time crew members later in the year. At the moment we are taking them on weekend trips to build their confidence.

After just two days we see significant improvement and adjustment to strange noises such as the engine and people on deck, but I can tell it will take time before they feel fully comfortable with the concept.

Frankly, if we were just continuing with our weekend sailing there''s no way I''d take them along. However, they''ve been part of the family for 4 years so not taking them with us for our planned 1yr trip is not an option.

Graham