One of the hardest decisions to make when we head out for a day sail, a week’s cruise or even a winter away in the Caribbean is what to do with our pets. A lot of us—Rosie and I included—consider pets to be part of the family, and it’s hard to leave them behind when we go sailing.
Some pets adapt to life afloat better than others, and that can be a matter of their personalities as much as the watery and restricted environment. Going foreign with animals can be a problem, too. Some countries, like New Zealand and Australia, do not welcome pets arriving on boats and require expensive quarantines. But, if you are devoted to your furry companions, it is possible to sail about the world with them.
Years ago, while sailing across the South Pacific on a 30-foot Tahiti ketch, we adopted a kitten in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. We named her Bean, and she became an amusing and affectionate crewmember. A month or so later, we were mooring to the quay in the Tuamotuan Atoll Takaroa when we noticed that Bean was not aboard. We mounted a search to no avail. A couple weeks later in Tahiti, we realized why Bean had jumped ship; a rat had come aboard in Takaroa and the kitten had fled instead of doing her job. Bean’s example aside, cats make great boat pets. Rats don’t.
When Rosie and I set off with our two boys to sail around the world, we decided to leave our dog behind. We would be at sea a lot and visiting many countries where dogs were either unwelcome or treated as dinner. For three years, we sailed petless, until we got to the Med, where cruising dogs were common and welcomed. In Cyprus, we adopted a little Maltese-Bichon cross that had been abandoned. We named her Bonnie—as in, “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.” That little dog sailed with us for two years and was a perfect shipmate. She had her own passport and loved to ride in the bow of the dinghy at high speed. And she was a great watchdog. She didn’t shed and was diligent about using the on-deck lavatory.
Small hair dogs or slightly larger Portuguese Water Dogs make good shipboard companions. But big dogs can come along, too. As we cruised across the Indian Ocean on our way to the Med, we joined up with friends Adrian and Lotti, who were sailing Moonshine from Hong Kong to The Netherlands with their German Shepherd, Fluke. He was a wonderful dog, although big for their mid-sized cruising boat. The salt environment can be hard on big fur dogs’ coats, but Fluke was not a swimmer and his masters were good about his diet and freshwater baths. He loved a run ashore, but could stay on the boat for many days on end without fretting. He had the right attitude for the adventure.
For a lot of us, pets make our boats feel more like home, and despite the hassles that can come with keeping animals afloat, we’ve always considered the tradeoff worth it. How about you? We want to share your stories and pictures of pets aboard. You can send them to our managing editor, Valerie Meffert, at valerie@bwsaiing.com.
Of course a lot of us older folks have pets which we are reluctant to leave
behind. Many of us have dogs but since most boats will have limited
living space, a cat might make a more reasonable boat pet. Cats are
generally quiet, self tending, chase away rats and roosting gulls,
and, if you are lucky, are warm and cozy. We have had dogs and cats
aboard. While I admit that dogs are admirable creatures and certainly
more intelligent than cats, they can’t be trained to use a litter box.
Better for a house and yard than a boat.
My wife and I concur that our best boat pet was a Norwegian Fishing Cat.
It loved to swim and was hard to keep out of the water. These cats were
bred in Norway and Iceland and were trained to help fishermen capture
the “one that got away.” When a fish slipped off the hook, the cat would leap off
the boat and with its webbed feet, “pounce” on the escaped cod or
mackerel and bring it back. As a reward, the cat would get to eat an
occasional fish.
Olaf, our Norwegian Fishing Cat, spent his younger years aboard a
fishing smack, diving in to retrieve the one that “almost” got away.
In a typical day he would catch a dozen or more large fish, bringing
them back to the boat. He more than earned his keep. But the cold
water takes its toll. Cat fishing is a young feline’s game.
Our cat was retired after ten years of honorable service. My wife’s
uncle sent Olaf to us to live out his remaining years. He had
developed arthritis and was retired to the balmy climes of upstate New
York. Most of the fish he ate came out of cans. Olaf spent his summers
paddling around our pond with an occasional jump into the Hudson River
from our boat. Every few days we would throw him a couple of herring
so he would feel at home.
Olaf passed away quietly in has sleep, aged 21, after consuming 6 cans
of brisling sardines. He had a smile on his whiskers and his breath
smelled like a cannery. I can picture him today in Feline Valhalla
attended by 70 nubile female kitties, gorging on smoked salmon with a
cream cheese chaser. It would be hard to find a more suitable boat pet.
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For those that doubt the story of the Norwegian Fishing Cat, here is a
passage from the Encyclopedia of Cats. Lumpkin, Susan and
Seidensticker, John. 1991. Great Cats Majestic Creatures of the Wild.
Rodale Press, Pa. Pgs 40, 172, and 173.
THE FISHING CAT: A MOST UNUSUAL FELINE
APPEARANCE / SIZE:
This cat has a deep-chested body and comparatively short legs.
The front toes are partially webbed and the claws protrude slightly,
even when fully retracted. Small rounded ears are set well back on the
large, broad head. The fur is short and course with gray or olive-
brown background, covered with small black spots. A male weighs 24 to
27 pounds, while the females are smaller and weigh 13 to 16 pounds.
The tail is unusually thick and muscular near the base, and is less
then one-third of the animal’s head and body length.
HABITAT / DISTRIBUTION:
This cat is usually associated with areas of thick cover near water,
in marshes, mangroves, and densely vegetated areas along rivers and
streams. It has a discontinuous distribution in Asia. It is found in
Southwest India, Sri Lanka, countries of the southern Himalayas,
Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, China, and the islands of
Sumatra and Java. Despite this broad range, the real distribution of
this animal is quite limited as the species is strongly tied to areas
of suitable wetland habitat.
DIET:
These cats have been seen in the wild crouching on rocks and sand
banks using a paw to scoop out fish. They have also been observed
seizing fish with their mouths. They have also been reported to dive
deeply for prey. Their powerful build and strong swimming ability
enable it to take a wide range of prey. They are said to be able to
kill calves, dogs, birds, small mammals, snakes, snails, and of course
fish.
The Fishing Cat belongs to the Panthera lineage within the Feline
Felidae family. It is classified under the scientific name Felis
Viverrina.
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Here is a quote from the Norsk Skovkattering, Danmark, a Danish cat
fanciers magazine.
“There are many similarities between the Forest Cat and the Norwegian
lynx. The most apparent of these is that they are both big cats with
large ruffs, and tufts at the tips of their ears. Moreover they both
like water, and the stories of swimming Forest cats who catch their
own fish in lakes and rivers are innumerable. Locals often refer to
them as “Water Cats” or “Fishing Cats.” The Forest cat evidently
utilizes the same methods as the Norwegian lynx when it goes fishing.”
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So there are two theories about the origin of the Norwegian Fishing
Cat. The first is that some cat loving Norwegian sailors brought a few
breeding pairs of the fishing cats home from trips to Asia during the
1800s. Over the years the cats acclimated themselves to Norwegian
weather but retained their fishing instincts. Although Norway is quite
far north, the West coast is washed by the Gulf Stream and the winter
weather is surprisingly mild. This is especially true of the Lofoten
Islands, the prime fishing area. The second theory is that the Fishing
Cat is simply a variation of the Norwegian Forest Cat or Norwegian
Lynx who adapted to a more marine environment. Or perhaps they are
both the same species. I’m sure DNA testing could tell. Do a Google
search for Fishing Cats for more information.
Larry Z