Sailing with the cat on the boat has major advantages and some disadvantages. Always check the entry restrictions of each new port.
The profession of cats on ships is as old as sailing itself. Cats on ships not only act as companions, but also help protect the crew and cargo from any harmful pests, with a long history. Our cat Leeloo moved on board when he was 8 years old and sailed with us for 10 years. At first, we were worried about how a cat would handle long-distance passages and what would happen when dealing with foreign officials, but it turned out that cruising with Leeloo was easier than expected. Although she spent the first few days under the deck, Lilu's curiosity eventually pushed her into the cockpit, and from there it was (mostly) smooth sailing. We were asked many questions about keeping cats on the boat. Every cat is different; every crew member has a different view of cruising life. No one answer is for everyone, but here are some guidelines that will work for us.
When we first searched for "sailing with cats" on Google, we got millions of clicks about catamarans. The actual handling of the cat's information on the boat provides some strange strategies: throwing the cat into the sea; taking a cat swimming lesson with a life jacket. In addition to inducing trauma, throwing cats into the sea may also cause pets to swallow seawater, and since older cats are prone to kidney problems, this is generally a bad idea. Cats know how to swim instinctively and do not need a vest lesson, but we recommend hanging a thick rope in the water so that the cat can climb back to the boat in an emergency. We added a net around the lifeline because Pitufa's aluminum deck can't provide enough grip for Leeloo's velvet claws. We bought seat belts with belts before we set off, but Lilu always stayed under the deck in bad weather. In her 10-year cruise, she never fell into the water. At first we tried to take her ashore, but it turned out that the short trip was too stressful for her. She jumped into the boat and complained loudly until we brought her back to the boat. We met an adventurous ship cat who likes to ride a small boat and walk on the beach, so bring seat belts and leashes just in case. Before passing overnight, we always pack a tote bag with essentials and store a large drying bag next to it. If the worst nightmare of the cruiser came true to us, we would put the cat in a dry bag.
Making the boat cat friendly does not require much effort or investment. Adding some simple things can help them settle down. We installed a cat flap on the washboard of the bay mode so that when we lock the boat and go ashore, the cat can still climb up and out of the stuffy cabin. Cats like to curl up in a comfortable hiding place (especially in aisles). We put a few cardboard boxes on the boat, the size just fits the Maohai berth. We added a small garden under the spray hood. If there are any hairballs in the stomach, the grass will give our cat something. We put two dedicated scrapers on the deck and added a yoga mat at the bottom of the stairs to achieve a softer landing.
Veterinary clinics are easy to find in Europe, the Caribbean, and South and Central America. In the South Pacific, the situation has become more difficult. Fiji, Tahiti and social organizations have veterinary clinics, and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands has a small veterinary center composed of volunteers. Tonga does not. The plan not only packs medicines for human crews, but also packs some essential medicines (antibiotics, painkillers) for feline crews. Always consult a trained veterinarian for diagnosis and ask professionals if they can use more easily available human medicines on pets. Some low-dose human medicines are effective and safe for pets. But please be aware that some drugs are harmful or even fatal to cats.
Some cats can easily find their sea legs. Unfortunately, our ship is seasick. At first, she vomited for a while-she knew the sound of the anchor winch meant we were going to sea, which was enough to send her to her carton, where she would wait for seasickness with big round eyes. We found that Stugeron (or Cinnarizine, a human seasickness medicine) is effective for cats. We stocked up Stugeron's liquid form and gave her two drops before each pass, and another drop under eight hours of harsh conditions if needed. From then on she was fine.
Although we can also see canned food in the most remote small markets, our delicate kittens only eat high-quality brands, so we have to stock up in cities where there are pet shops. Fortunately, she likes fish, and every time she catches a fish, she loudly asks to eat the first bite of sashimi. We fixed her trash can to a non-slip mat under the deck. We stock up on lightweight silicone bedding as much as possible, use coarse sand when we can enter the beach without bugs, and change the box every three days.
We implanted microchips in our cats and vaccinated all necessary vaccines. We found that most countries only check for rabies, and we always have her titer certificate, which shows her rabies test. We declared her at all ports of entry throughout the Caribbean, Central America, Galapagos, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga, and there has never been any problem. Friends who sailed westward in the Pacific Ocean reported similar experiences in small island nations. Officials usually check our paperwork and point out that animals must stay on board. Some Pacific destinations are more difficult than others: Fiji requires a security deposit; New Zealand requires some extensive preparation and paperwork; Australia has long quarantine requirements for pets, and the standard quarantine period for most cats is 10 days, and according to health The problem may stay longer. This is still a taboo for us. Regulations are changing quickly-be sure to check before you travel to avoid unpleasant surprises.
The cats on the ship may bring some trouble to the cruising life-we have to skip some destinations. We can never leave the ship for a long inland trip, or leave the ship to go home to visit family, because we don't want to use the long-distance flight to put pressure on Leeloo or leave her behind. It is too complicated for us to deal with cat sitters, but we know that other cruisers have neighbors looking after their pets while they are away. For us, the positive aspects always outweigh the disadvantages: a cute cat on a boat adds love and joy to all daily life. There is a Scandinavian proverb: "A house without cats is not a home", and we think the same is true for boats. Of course, the floating life poses some dangers to the little tigers, but with the combination of caution and trust, they can remain safe on board.
Leeloo died in March 2021 and he worked on the ship for 10 years. She has never been bored with Pitufa. In her many years of duties, she has never found a mouse. She curiously checked every open locker and supervised every work on our ship. She is a happy cat and we are lucky to enjoy her company for such a long time. ——Bilgit Hacker and Christian Feldbauer
To read information about Leeloo and advice about cats on board, please read "On Velvet Paws Towards the Horizonn", which can be found on pitufa.at.
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