Cruising Kitty
Cats make great cruising companions, but life on a boat can be challenging for them. Follow these tips to make sure your feline friend is safe and secure on board:
- Cats quickly find their sea legs, but falling overboard is always a possibility. Hang a carpet or towel off the stern to serve as a boarding ladder.
- Long days on the water can dehydrate a cat. Water bowls can easily be upset when sailing. Use a water bottle designed for a gerbil or rabbit cage instead.
- The next time the bitter end of a line becomes frayed, don’t discard it, save it for the cat! Cats love stringy toys, and you don’t want them chewing on your good lines.
- Give your cat a swim test so you know its abilities.
- Make up a comfortable and secure bunk as a safe place to put the cat on the roughest days or at night. When the weather picks up, it will likely go there on its own.
- Salt in the air and on deck will collect on your cat’s fur. To keep it from ingesting it all when grooming, give it regular freshwater baths.
