Roger Long wrote:
Not particularly germane to you question but I'm remided of a tradition
on a large sail training vessel that usually had a few cats aboard. It
was really something to see one out on the end of the boom, playing
totally unconcerned, at 10 knots.

When crew and students were sitting around in the main salon or at
dinner, every once in a while someone would shout out, "Cat Overboard
Drill!". Everyone would then put a hand up in the air and start waving
goodby, usually without looking up from what they were doing.

Which brings up a good point. If the cat is going to be considered "a
member of the family," anthropomorphized and given all the priviliges of
a human (as many do), then Skip and Lydia are acquiring one more hazard
for their voyages by keeping the cat.

Trying to fish a cat out of the water in rough weather, or making any
kind of life threatening decision due to saving or easing the
"suffering" of the cat would be a huge mistake for two people who
already have their hands full taking care of themselves.

Stephen