Cats On A Boat

[alex folen]

Ok, this is really important and I’m serious. I have plans on doing some sailing in the near future, or this year come warmer weather. My concern is my cat. He is about 10 years old now and goes flying with me with no problem. I have brought him flying since he was a kitten, new born. I want to introduce him to sailing. I do not want to SCUBA with him, just sail for several weeks at a time. The terd box is well planned out, mounted on the transom platform. How can I do this successfully without upsetting him? He is fearless on the powerboat but have yet to do extended travels with him. If need be I’d transport him back to home base whatever means. I do know when my cat’s girlfriend (wife) has kittens I was thinking about them being born on the boat, and at least several weeks prior delivery. The little kittens may be more accustomed to the boat prior delivery. Also, they would spend their youth on the boat hopefully adapting to the sailboat better for any future adventures. And yes, I have all the safety gear for them. My cat wears a flotation device sold for small dogs, and it works! He is a little bigger then the average cat @ 18 #'s. Any thoughts? BTW, my cat “Bitten” is smarter than any doggie I have known.

[alex folen]

ok, take little steps with you cat, Sparks. "There is a big world out there, and to think there is no one else, would suggest alot of empty space." (Contact, the movie) As if no one would respond yet, Ill respond. To me and Heineken, a good night.

[eponodyne]

Does he love you more than his house? Or vice-versa? Be honest, and that will give you your answer.

[alex folen]

yes, via heinekin, he dose....does!

[Meanz Beanz]

Our cat stood on the gunwhale and wailed at the shore... continuously! Failed experiment... just suck it and see I guess!

[Frosty]

Ha ha ha hes joking with you, No one could be that soppy about a bloody cat.

Ive told cat owners here that I will not tolerate cat **** on my boat.

They say "oh no he does his poo somewhere else not here" No ofcourse he doesn **** on his own doorstep he shits on mine. They dont know where he does **** but they know its not near thier boat.

Iresponsable if you ask me.,and I do my damnest to get cat ownwers kicked out.

I hauled one out of the drink one day after falling in in a fight. I picked it out and dropped it on the dock, My payment --cat ****.

Go live on farm.

[Meanz Beanz]

:D I can't recommend it... was only a kid at the time but the trip stuck in my head. A yacht is no place for a cat dats for sure. :p

[masalai]

Nor is land - not enough recipies for fresh road kill - so no incentive - they are ruthless killers and do not belong where they are not native - same as for goats, camels, rabbits, foxes, ring-tail-possums and what ever else you can think of that is not a native in that landmass - including humans....

[Meanz Beanz]

You want to eat pussy? :p

[masalai]

Was not that the topic?

[Meanz Beanz]

Off topic... very off :D

[masalai]

OOPs sorry....

[alex folen]

Obviously Frosty and quite possibly others hate cats. This brings prejudice into the picture and when blinded by such humans cannot make rational comments. I will humbly disregard these comments as any unreasonable attitudes are resistant to rational influence. I have a dream there will be a day when humans and cats can live in harmony, and yes, even on a sailboat. I have a dream.

Bitten

[masalai]

A cat is a top-of-food-chain-predator, and does not need your company, it remains "somewhat compliant" while receiving free feeds.... You become weaker and opportunity will see you as several meals no more.....

I have seen what abandoned cats do in desert waterholes or small islands - eat everything until there is nothing left and the freshest skeleton is the cats and there is no life left.... Much like humanity is doing to this planet now.... Selfish, self-centered and self deluded....

[RHP]

I hate cats.

[alex folen]

No doubt. Thanks for the insight Darwin. I didn’t think of the cat being on an island somewhere trying to survive. There’s got to be another reason 2 billion+ people have pets? Anyway, like I said, the cat is damn smart! Well, actually, he’s not that smart. We were playing chess the other day and you know I beat him 2 out of three. :p

[Frosty]

Alex I think you need a girl friend and some normal human contact.

Dogs have owners ,-cats have servants. Die alone in your house and your cat,- when hungry will eat you, usually the fingers. A dog will lie down and die at your side.

Seen a cat with a mouse? Oh no, not just kill it it has to maul it to death as slow as possible, the mouse frozen with fear. I hate the F $%^nasty things. Name me another animal that plays and mauls another to death simply because of it speed and agility size and weight.

When one affectionately rubs against your leg its not saying hello I love you as some ****** seem to think its merely using your leg to lay scent on,--and flees probably. It does'nt even know its your leg, then when it get a boot up the arse it looks back and thinks where the hell did that come from.

I got one about 12 feet in the air the other day.

A boat here just the other day came in for a few days and a cat pissed on their carpet and seat. They were nice people yet still understandably went berserk. How would you like that Alex --would you pay for that?

You may be able to live in a house stinking of **** and piss but other dont. Oh your house doesnt smell eh,, got used to it now?

We will always have selfish misguided people on the planet that need more than their own space and need the space of others, even expecting others to clean up after them and tollerate their silly shitty animals.

Garden center sell some stuff made by Dupont I forget the name but jees that kills em quick. Does dogs too. Magic sausage we call them, time to fight back and have a **** free boat.

Like i said If I wanted to live in **** ide live on a farm.

[PAR]

Having had both dogs and cats aboard, both trained to do their business over the side (yes, amazingly enough, no litter box), cats are more difficult to get adjusted.

Cats are very territorial beasts. They live in a world of smell and sound with sight as a backup, which is much different then our world that is almost exclusively sight oriented. To them, their whole of life is the "rules of the road" and the sounds/smells they become accustomed to, particularly if verified with visual clues.

The rules of the road are typical of all domestic cats and a very defined set of guide lines which they quite religiously follow. The rules surround behavior, territory, how they must act with other animals, humans and friendly or strange fellow hair ball hackers.

Screw with this set of familiar guide lines and their world is literally turned upside down. This doesn't mean they can't adjust, but it does mean they'd rather not have to and will require time to establish new a domain, plus acquaint themselves with the new sights and smells and most important of all other self lickers.

In short, take short trips with the fuzz bucket. Let it "check out" the boat on their own for an hour of so. Bring along some of your personal belongs, that have strong personal aroma. Socks, shoes, pillows, underwear, etc. and place them in the areas inside the cabin where they would normally be at home.

Some breeds of cat bond strongly with their owners and will not leave your side, while others can be pretty aloof, seemly only tolerating your presence for the easy meal ticket, which beats their 10% kill to chase ratio in real life.

Frosty, only immature domestic cats play with prey. Cats (dogs too) will freeze in maturity if taken from a mother too soon, neutered too early or other wise hasn't established normal adult behavior patterns. In other words, if you neuter a cat that still has kitten tendencies, it will always have these tendencies, never maturing emotionally. The same is true to a lesser extent with dogs. If you take a puppy from it's mother and litter mates, before it learns how to be an adult dog, it will always display puppy behavior, which often includes the inability to distinguish between puppy play and actually hunting for food. Any dog or cat that gets it's parent to teach it hunting skills, will pounce on prey, kill it and usually eat it or bring it to it's human for inspection.

A person can teach this skill to a cat easily. Take a box about 1.5 times the length of the cat in each direction and tape it tightly, except the top. Buy a lab mouse and drop it's fuzzy butt into the box, followed by the cat, where you then close the lid and tape it shut, so that it's dark inside. No self respecting cat can tolerate a little varmint crawling around in that box with them. Usually within a minute, the box suddenly stops hopping around. You can now open the box, typically finding a very proud cat with the mouse in a "death grip" possibly still twitching a little (see, I've done this once or twice and it's pretty cool). Do this a couple of times and you'll not have to worry about mice or other varmints in your house or boat. They quickly learn it's fun to kill stuff and goo seeking new opportunities.

All that know me, are also aware (some painfully so) that I have lots of animals. No my house doesn't stink, as all the animals go outside or I'll burn the hair off their asses. My dogs will eat you if you act aggressively towards me or the other half and the cats will suck on your dead entrails after the dogs have knocked you down. I've been in two law suits over bone heads that didn't mind the sign at the gate, which simple states above the silhouette of a dog, "I can make it to the gate in 3 seconds, can you?" My dogs have taken out buzzards with 6 foot wing spans (that was cool), dozens of snakes, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, birds, and tens of thousands of lizards or other small crawling critters. I don't often see what my cats catch, but they obviously supplement their diets considerably, with occasional offerings of a mole or snake on the front step.

Some people can't understand the relationship others have with animals, but these almost always are those who haven't been around them much or got bitten or other bad experience when young (poor things . . . get over it). Frankly, I don't trust people who don't like animals or would willingly miss treat one. When dating, prospects had to pass the "animal test". Interestingly enough, when I met the "one who must be obeyed" she gave me the animal test at her place first. Apparently I passed.

[Frosty]

No No Im not accepting that. I love animals and spend hours at the local zoos here, I stand and watch elephants till who ever im with are bored to death.

I recued a huge 10foot Python from a poorly made trap in stream and I would regret putting a mouse in a box with a cat--- lab mouse as you call it or not. Trying to lessen its use on the planet to justify your cruelty is not fair.

Zoos or farms is where I see happy animals , but I see almost nightly documentaries on so called animal lovers being arrested for not looking after them --properly.

Strange that you say you would'nt trust a person that would willingly mistreat one but will put a mouse in a box with a cat,----on a number of occasions.

Smacks of Hypocricy

[Frosty]

To the anomimous person that thinks Im an ******* for not wanting cat piss and **** on my boat.

That is not what the points and reputation is for. If you want to get at me then talk and post.

Disagreement is not a reason ,--calling people names however is.

Whoever you are feel proud that you have just joined the ranks of the idiots that do this.

[alex folen]

My gosh PAR, is there anything you don’t know? Anyway, I guess it’s enough about the cats. Some have their blood pressure up, and this is not healthy I would think. Seems as though the cat wins here! Meeeow. :P

...I just can't resist a comment Frost wrote, "Name me another animal that plays and mauls another to death simply because of it speed and agility size and weight."

Yeah, us. Thanks for the insight guys/gals!

[masalai]

Frosty wrote, "Name me another animal that plays and mauls another to death simply because of it speed and agility size and weight." and Alex asked and I agree - - - The human who allocated to Frosty some negative points ANONYMOUSLY - gutless and cowardly behaviour of a subspecies not deserving any respect....

[Frosty]

Cheer mas its Ok im not bothered, just another misguided person that thinks they are special and kind to animals. I too like animals and would never encarcerate them to the confines of a boat with no room for exercise.

Try to think animal,--would you rather play in the jungle or go to sea in that small floating thing?---and they call me an *******.

I too have seen them crying for the shore when leaving. One person I know had to get the cat on board days before they left or it would run like hell.

Many cats left in the marina for that reason by *******s, thanks ,--we have to look after then then do we.

There is actually a cats home had to be started for this reason.

Google langkawi cats home --should get it.

[Guest62110524]

Nor is land - not enough recipies for fresh road kill - so no incentive - they are ruthless killers and do not belong where they are not native - same as for goats, camels, rabbits, foxes, ring-tail-possums and what ever else you can think of that is not a native in that landmass - including humans....

thats not rue at all MASA, I have two here, and they belong the bloody magpies pull their tails, the goannas snap at em and in 7 years one killed a rare rail, I was pretty pissed at that but, cars and dogs do more damage
having said that, I met a guy who had circumnaved on a boat, he asked me ddi I wanna see his cat, i thought oh sure a nice big diesel, he meant his pussy cat, nah I think cats shud be ashore but if they can walk the plank fine, Frosty you are a mean S.OB

[RHP]

Frosty that was a great rant mate, well done.

How did you get the cat 12 foot into the air, did you have to take a run up?

[masalai]

Cats can fly, didn't you know that? (well with a big enough rocket as incentive) :D:D:D:D:D

[Frosty]

Rant?---rant?--i thought I was quite calm. A cat can be dis-lodged from the earths gravitational pull with a size nine boot.

Or better is a bare foot rested under its testicals and a sharp lift of the leg can lift them to 12 feet. Its amazing how they seem to like it and land on thier feet and always come back for another go.

No Im not joking, when one slides past my leg in an open resteraunt I lift the thing out of the door and ille bet you it will slide passed my legs again within 10 minutes.

Nothing much I hate more than a cat leaving its flees on my legs.

[Frosty]

RHP thanks for trying to repair my reputation. I have responded and see that you very nearly have more rep point than posts,--I dont think Ive seen that before.

I think Its fair to say that putting up with my ranting deserves a point or two. Any one else want some im feeling generous today, the rant must have relaxed me.

[KnottyBuoyz]

Shadow is an old hand and adapted well to the boat.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/KnottyBuoyz/Summer%2006/dsc_0033.jpg

Squirt was a different story. This was his first year on the boat and when the opportunity presented itself for him to mutiny, he did. We spent 3-1/2 months trying to get him back, which we eventually did.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/attachments/gallery/1/7/0/4/img_0844.jpg

http://www.cruisersforum.com/attachments/gallery/1/7/0/4/img_0835.jpg

The biggest challenge is managing their litter boxes. Have to try to get them to go over the side like PAR mentioned. Seriously considering toilet training them at home.

Otherwise they're great companions onboard.

[Jimbo1490]

I hate cats.


It's OK; cats hate you too :D

[Fanie]

He he Par...

when I met the "one who must be obeyed" she gave me the animal test at her place first. Apparently I passed.

So you go outside or she'll burn the hair off your asse if I read your post right :D

[alex folen]

Fosty wrote, "Rant?---rant?--i thought I was quite calm."

Dude, the cat won hands down. mate.

He's licking his paws and stretching as if this were his airplane hangar, computer, and servant. :)

[masalai]

Ahhhh wel seems someone knows HIS place (I understand the cat is of the female gender....)

[PAR]

We have a fair piece of heavily wooded land well outside the cities. Someone had to teach the animals how to spell their names properly . . .

[Frosty]

Fosty wrote, "Rant?---rant?--i thought I was quite calm."

Dude, the cat won hands down. mate.

He's licking his paws and stretching as if this were his airplane hangar, computer, and servant. :)

I have read your posts and I can thoroughly understand how you could think of it being that way.