Cats on Board

[remetau]

We have had a cat on board for over 6 years now. Cats have been documented being on boats since sailing started.

Our cat has been known to get sea sick. We used to give him 1/4 Dramamine, but that usually just made him foam more and he still got sick. When we went to the Bahamas, our vet recommended Bach's Rescue Me (stress reliever). It is all natural and they even make a human form. This helped tremendously. He no longer gets sick and appears happier at sea. Definitely recommend it if your pet gets stressed out or sea sick.

[Siamese]

That stress reliever sounds like a good tip. Our vet had suggested Benedril, so we tried it. The liquid had no sooner touched our cat's tongue, when it seemed like her head exploded. Benedril and puke everywhere.

[DorothyRose]

Hello... I'm surprised more people haven't trained their kitty(s) to go on the head?? Ours do here at home even!! I hope when we go aboard in the next year they will be just fine. There are several kinds of toilet training products out there, ours was Litter Kwitter. But I'm sure if you google for toilet train cat you'll find a product that works...no litter is a godsend! We have two cats..and you have to see the hair rather than smell to know they live here Do warn people however that they use the head too!! Post a sign !!! LOL

[DavidB.UK]

just though that I would post a picture for my fellow feline fans (fans of felines that is)

[zeehag]

i am bubba daboatkat. i stole momms's puter to say hats dont look so fun on us- we look skeereded with em ...but that cat looks a lot like me--mebbe with a lil less furrz.....i dont get seasick.
i love my boat and guard it with my life.
so far i havent even died once ... yet...sailing is fun, but skeereddedy...that big white wing looks like it is from a huge burdee gonna eat me, so i hides from it. and the noisey monster in the bilges is not my friend--is skeerededy..
..i dont like being hit by sea coming over the stern either--wasnt fun. i hide from that, too. otherwise, is all a good time--i am with my momms and i will go anywhere she wants me to go and i will smile and be happy because she is there ...
momms has me wear a harness--is a figure 8, and a leash so i dont fall into the skeerededy seas.....

[DavidB.UK]

lol, awww thank you Bubba.

That really made me laugh, I am planning to buy my first liveaboard later this year, just the cat and I for now.

I just home that she will be happy!
And she tol me to tell you Bubba, that you cannot have her monkey!


Here she is inspecting my boat plans, I think she is trying to decide which cabin she wants!

[zeehag]

bubba sed to say he has nip--dont need no monkey--has momms also...LOL

cute monkey and lovely cat..

[DavidB.UK]

Originally Posted by zeehag

bubba sed to say he has nip--dont need no monkey--has momms also...LOL

cute monkey and lovely cat..

Hi Zeehag, nice to know I'm not the only loony in the community!

[Capt Len]

I've fastened a strip of old carpet to the slip down into the water for the kittens self rescue. I also have an escape carpet over the side at anchor and on the stern of the skiff. I'm sure they work because of the big wet on the cushion

[zeehag]

my cat overboard ladder is a braided bridle i used to use on my ericson for mooring ---n i braided all three lengths into a loop on one side of boat--have another of only 2 lines for other--bubba stays on leash and does well that way, as he has been using leash and figure 8 harness all his 6 yrs of life on board. he started at 5 weeks.
our only problem has been other gatos --semi ferals--who attack him onhis own boat--he got bit and had a nasty lump--cat bites are bad for felines as well as for humans--very nasty....be safe. bubba is fine, now, but it was a tough 2 weeks after the attack.