Cruising Cats ?

[senormechanico]

We had a Snowshoe Siamese with us while we cruised Mexico. He loved the boat, and never got seasick. We mounted a standard plastic litter tray with a cover between our Monitor wind vane rails. The only modification was easily done with a heat gun to make a small dimple in the front end so it would nest with the backstay chainplate. The cat used it even when underway in nasty conditions.

Even at anchor, there was no smell at all. In fact, when one visitor to the boat asked where the litter tray was kept, we said, "You're sitting right next to it."

We used clumping litter with no problem. We did have trouble finding litter in Mexican stores though. When asked, the store clerks gave us a "you silly gringo" look and said, "Cats go outside!"


Steve B.

[MelissaK]

Clumping cat litter has several POISONOUS ingrediants, perfume being one, as well as the magic stuff that expands twenty times with water.

Do not use it!! My kitten has developed problems with his liver because he licked his paws after he used the litter box. His life has been shortened, and I'm so sad!

There's a new product that I just saw called Feline Pine, made of compressed sawdust. Much better! little pellets. Zero dust.

Cheers,

MelissaK

[lazydaysrus]

My husband and I have had a cat on board for 34 years (3 different cats!). We were able to find kitty litter (clumping) throughout Mexico, Central America and Panama. We did carry a lot with us, and we made sure we bought it when we saw it, but it never was a problem (2 years 8 months of cruising). Our cat is a Ragdoll, never gets off the boat at the dock and doesn't mind being underway. Lazy Days

[ZolaSail]

I thought I might revive this thread with a question. My soon to be wife and I are going to the bahamas and Dominican republic around the end of the year. SHe has a 1 year old cat with all its shots etc. but we where wondering what is required to bring the cat into the bahamas and DR. The cat wont be going ashore just on the boat.

Also regarding litter for the box, I had assumed using beach sand and keeping the box clean would be the easiest way to deal with it. I know our cat has no problem using the sand out side or the litter in the litter box inside. This has to be a better option than carrying around 6 months worth of litter?

[Talbot]

I have seen an ingenious litter tray in Fl that had a sensor. When the cat had finished, the litter was combed and clumps placed into a box that was then resealed. This kept the smell down significantly and also minimised the use of litter.

[windsaloft]

Only problem with the sand ---- if you are cruising where you can get fresh sand and clean out the litter box at least every other day and use a mild bleach rinse, if not daily, then you might get away with it --- otherwise, day two in warm temps, your boat smells like cat pee. On longer passages.....phew. Maybe you could add in some baking powder, but.......we've not had a ton of luck with litter alternatives and have actually settled on those 100% crystal things ---- less clogging problems than the clumping stuff, not bad on the tracking issue, and although expensive, one of those cartons lasts a LONG time and have NO odor as long as you deal with the solids daily and keep it stirred. Once we are overseas, access to this stuff might change, but then I hope we have daily sand access! It lets us go a few weeks per box. Try it, you will be surprised. In the small space of a boat, in the heat, the litter box def. needs a good solution.

[CaptHead]

I had to jump in here. I have a large Maine Coon cat and he has been our Ship's Cat for 14 years. I tried all kinds of litter and found the clumping got into the bilge and caused problems. I found the crystal litter when it first came out and really like it the best. It lasts longer, almost no smell ever and is easy to clean up.

My cruising friends warned me about sand fleas and to never use beach sand.

Being on a power boat, the cat box fits nicely in the aft cabin with his food bowls. He loves the boat and anchoring the best where he can run the boat and chase seagulls. I would think Maine Coons and Ragdolls would make the best cruising cats as they are more relaxed. Mine actually wears a dog halter and walks on a leash when I take him on the dock. This turns heads like you wouldn't believe.

[sailmatch]

I had a three year old cat (she is now four) which I took with me on my travels - she took to it straight away and has her cat tray in a locker behind the head with a porthole cut out for her to go in and out of.

So far I have found cat litter to be very cheap and easy to obtain and I dispose of it in the same way as I do all of my rubbish - in a dedicated bin onshore.
My main concern was safety and I have trained her to go inside the cabin when I clap twice - she growls at me if she doesn't want to come in but comes in all the same. It's amazing what a cat will do for a few kitty treats!

[Sea Otter]

Hello All,

My wife and I live on board our sailing boat since three years now. Last summer we got a new crew member, a little kitten from Norway. She has adapted well onboard, never seasick or any other problem. She has got her Pet passport with all the vaccinations and stamps, rabies and the titre test etc, etc. We are mostly on the hook, at least we were in Scandinavia and all our years in the Med, but this winter we spend in a marina in the Azores.

The cat "Lisa", stays on board all the time and has never tried to jump onto the pontoon. She has fallen into the water once before x-mas, that was because she started to become a bit over confident on where she could walk and balance. The stanchion wire was not a good choice!

Lately my wife and I have started to discuss whether we should take Lisa onshore for walks, would it improve her health and happiness?

The argument for is that it might be nice for the cat to see something else and get more exercise than she gets on board.

The argument against is that it might start a lust to run away to experience things by herself.

Would love to hear opinions from more "cat experienced" sailors.

All our years before we had dogs when we lived on land, but a cat is a total different animal. I think our cat gets extra spoiled, as we were a few years without a pet.

[CaptHead]

Our Maine Coon cat was a rescue and we got him at 18 months old so he was used to being on land and we had to watch the door constantly with him. I finally decided to get a small dog halter, the cat halters don't have a strap connecting the neck to the chest so if you pull up you choke the cat, and he actually took to it like a dog. We would walk him on the docks and he loved it. This satisfied his wanderlust and he would let us know when he was ready.

He would walk for 10-15 minutes then want back onboard so I think it wasn't an exercise issue, just wanted out to check the territory. His favorite thing to do was chase birds and in the evening the Great Blue heron would be on empty slip fingers. We would drop his leash and he would go down the finger chasing the bird off, then turn around with his tail up high and strut back to us.

I think cats get plenty of exercise on boats, jmho.

Friends we have with female cats say they hate halters and won't walk on a leash. We just got a new baby girl Ragdoll kitty so we'll find out for ourselves.

[Bright Eyes]

we keep the liter box under the nav station with a lid on it. we keep a mat around the box to keep him from tracking the litter around the boat.

i really like the hamster water bottle idea, i have to try that. our cat has an obsession with running water, like hes too good for still water. hopefully the water bottle will suffice.

we originally had two cats but Noodle had a problem staying on the boat (among other things) every night id have to search for him around the dock, and yell at him to get off the other boats. scary! i foolishly installed lifeline netting thinking it would keep him aboard, but he easily hopped over it, so eventually we had to give him away

so i wouldnt take the cat for walks, they might like it too much and then you got a problem. luckily our current cat Nomy has no intentions of leaving the boat, he runs around on deck and comes inside when we call him (for the most part).

[zeehag]

i use a figure 8 harness with the connector for the leash under his chest--have never had a problem with any kind of kat doing it that way LOL.....my kat is bubbadaboatkat--has his own facebook page and has been a liveaboard ship kat for 3 1/2 yrs and a cruising kat for 3600 miles so far. he does well. just hates flying. on my friend's boat the pan in in the quarter berth
on my formosa the pan is on coach house roof lol...under way will probably be in shower stall with plastic under it to keep the clumping litter from getting into the bilges and pumps.he also has his own bathroom rugs for wiping his feet...lol..he is a goood kat...nothing flies into HIS boat without waking up dead lol...gooood boy....guard kat lol..he plays in water and maine coons and burmese swim quite well---have webbed feets...LOL...

[peterfynn]

The reason the UK has such strict restrictions to pet entry is the fear of rabies. There is no rabies in the UK, but is is endemic in the rest of Europe. To get a dog into the UK you have to go through a six month vet check, have a chip in the animal before the rabies shot(s), etc. Then you have to fly the pet on a specified airline on a specified date from and to specified airports in a sealed pet carrier. If the seal is broken en route, the carrier has to be resealed by an official of the country it was broken in. Pets on your boat or a ship are not allowed in. Certain breeds are not allowed (pit bulls for one) and will be confiscated and destroyed. If you don't believe me, go online to the regulations that are published. Don't ask me how foreign dogs compete at Crufts!!
Going in to the rest of the EU is not so much of a problem.
I was also told that the restrictions to pets into Hawaii is similar to that for the UK.. Is this really so? I do know that the rabies thing is the problem there too.
Peter

[zeehag]

hawaii is very very strict--have to have rabies shot within 90 days of arrival.yada yada--there is noonsite for reference--they have alll the info on everything cruising...

yes, i am taking bubbadaboatkat with me feb 9th when i return to louseyannny for more adventures with sailing..and , yes, he has his paperworks ...LOL....i gots a goooood vet....

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by ZolaSail

I thought I might revive this thread with a question. My soon to be wife and I are going to the bahamas and Dominican republic around the end of the year. SHe has a 1 year old cat with all its shots etc. but we where wondering what is required to bring the cat into the bahamas and DR. The cat wont be going ashore just on the boat.

Also regarding litter for the box, I had assumed using beach sand and keeping the box clean would be the easiest way to deal with it. I know our cat has no problem using the sand out side or the litter in the litter box inside. This has to be a better option than carrying around 6 months worth of litter?

For the Bahamas - Google Bahamas animal permit and follow the instructions.
For the D.R. you only need the shot records an $10 per pet upon arrival.
DO NOT use beach sand! It is full of Fleas and other critters. Buy plenty of bags full of your favorite litter.