On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 00:11:06 +0000, Peggie Hall wrote:



Lloyd Sumpter wrote:
Hi,

I'm thinking of taking out 1-yr-old cat "Kitty" on board Far Cove next
year (Maybe this winter, I donno...) She's been indoors all her life,
except a few times outside on a leash. And then she tends to hide under
whatever's handy...

Leave her at home, Lloyd. It's one thing to move a cat aboard
permanently...cats can adapt pretty easily to a new home. But unless you
start taking 'em places with you from the minute you bring 'em home as
kittens, it's quite another to take 'em out of their "safe" home
environment--that's HER territory--to drag her along on weekend and
vacation cruises in surroundings that aren't her established territory.
She'll just be miserable, and you will be too...she'll hide and you'll
spend half your time with your hearts in your mouths, afraid she went
overboard.


Yes, these are my fears.

I've taken her to the woodwork shop behind the house, and she's pretty
"tenative" (and she HATES it when I run the ShopVac or tablesaw!). But I
like her company, and I think she'll adapt.
Good point about liveaboard vs weekend: I've based my "cats love being on
a boat" on liveaboard situations, now that I think about it. But I think
I'll bring her along a few times and see if she gets used to the idea.

Lloyd Sumpter
http://www.bcboatnet.org