Pat's Boating in Canada: Cruising with Pets

Cats and dogs adapt to onboard living quite well, but travelling is another matter. Pets rarely do well offshore.

Cats

Getting Seasick: Most cats, even after much practice, will get seasick when motion increases. The best way to minimize the cat's discomfort when you are going into waves is to create a cave as low as possible near the center of motion.

Cats have poor instincts and will hop into a v-berth in the bow (about the worst motion on the boat) and promptly get sick. Make sure someone has the time to tend to the cat early in the trip. A gram of prevention is worth a whole kilogram of cure! If you don't have a crate or carrier, make a "nest" for kitty where she feels safe and secure - use cushions, lifejackets, even a box. Some cats like to be surrounded on top as well before they will stay in this spot.

A litter box should be located near the centre of motion of the boat, out of traffic, and in a corner if possible. Secure it well (shock cord) so it doesn't move. Use clumping litter to save on garbage. It's the greatest invention, but be forewarned - it will create a disaster if mixed with your bilge pump!

Dogs: While it may seem to be an easy task to put Rover in the dinghy and row him ashore, that isn't always possible. Aside from private property issues, you could find yourself anchored in mangrove swamps where there simply isn't any terra firma upon which to set Rover. Anything you can do train him to use facilities on the boat will obviously be worthwhile. If you can't re-train your dog, marinas are an option.

Garbage... Plan what to do with pet poop if you are in a location where garbage disposal is either not available or expensive. On a long-distance cruise, you may have to carry your garbage for weeks at a time.

Falling overboard: lifejackets on cats will interfere with their agility. Some people use them on dogs, but the nuisance factor tends to negate the advantage. I rarely saw them on pets when we cruised south. Teach your pet the number one rule of boating - do not fall overboard! I hung a strip of carpet over the side when we were anchored, and always had a fish net in the cockpit, but neither were ever used (probably just luck). Our first ship's cat fell in the water many times, but usually managed to get out himself (see next).

Don't declaw your cat! His life may depend on being able to climb out of the water! "Skipper" used up 7 of his 9 lives while cruising. Without claws he would have drowned several times over! Keep the nails trimmed, but don't cut them all at once. Start when kitty is young so clipping is tolerated.

Scratching post - mandatory for a cat, even for a short stay. We are lucky to have a mast "box" which we cover with carpet to a height of 30 cm, fastened securely with carpet edging. Boat cat #2 loves it too. If you boat has carpets, try natural hemp rope instead - hopefully kitty will not also scratch your dock lines! Whatever you use, fasten it securely, or your cat won't use it.

Dogs

Dogs must be licenced and leashed almost everywhere in Canada and other countries. Poop'n'Scoop laws are common, requiring you to collect and dispose of the "bag" in a proper garbage container! A dog will go anywhere with you, but often does not adjust to parts of living aboard involving motion, heat, activity restriction and traction. Health can be adversely affected by life aboard and should be monitored carefully.

Pet AWOL:
Arriving at new docks is a perfect example of when a pet needs to be shut in the cabin or tied up in a manner that does not restrict the crew.

From our experience, we know that this is a perfect opportunity for a pet to sneak off without being noticed. Our dog and both cats have all done it. Before we approached a dock or lock, we always tied the cat (both) to the binnacle or closed them inside the cabin. Skipper's name had double meaning - he learned how to back himself out of every harness we ever tried, usually using a winch. Pepper has already learned this trick. Maybe cats are just smarter.

We have been fortunate - all three boating pets survived to old age. We never lost a pet from the boat, at least not permanently. Not all our friends have been so lucky. One pair of cats didn't survive the first night aboard, as they both decided that a sailor's life was not for them and left during the night. Our friends could not afford the time to look for them and had to continue on without them. Other friends had a dog that drowned while they were on holiday. Yet another retrieved their

Should you take your Pet?

Your pet will alter the cruise, mostly for the better, but it will also impose some restrictions on destinations, heavy weather sailing, choices about going to marinas or anchoring out. Housekeeping chores will double. Some pets just don't adapt to travelling on any kind of boat or react badly to the stress of wild motion. On the other hand, a pet is better than valium for the crew!

A Paws and Claws pet study (Ipsos-Reid 2001) estimated that Canadians have 7 million cats and 5 million dogs. 98% of people talk to their pets. 70% allow their pets to sleep on their beds. What's really scary though is that nearly half the women surveyed said they relied more on their pets than on their spouse for affection!

In our travels we have met many happy dogs and owners, but most have had to deal with issues not found on land. We've observed the unwanted dip in the water immediately before bed time. Sometimes a steak that goes missing - in one case a whole barbecue with 6 chickens went over the side!

We see many more dogs on boats than we do cats in our home waters (Thousand Islands). While cruising south, we saw a few dogs, but many more cats aboard boats.

Your pets will be required to react to many new situations, people and other animals. Once you make the decision it's pretty much cast in stone if you are going on a long distance cruise.

Questions to ask yourself:

Cruising Notes

St. Lawrence Islands National Park

In winter, the raccoons actually travel across the ice, so Parks Canada sometimes resorts to a trap-vaccinate-release program to prevent the spread of rabies. Warn your kids about traps (baited with sardines) and keep your pets away from them. Animals are not allowed in parks unless on a leash, and "Poop'n'scoop" laws apply everywhere.

Rabies

If your pet come boating with you, always carry a vaccination (rabies) certificate dated within the last year in case you need to cross the border. People living near the St. Lawrence River are in a battle to contain an epidemic of raccoon rabies from the eastern U.S. from Niagara Falls to New Brunswick. New York state reports rabies exposures have increased tenfold since 1990! "If the little suckers can rent a boat, they'll be here", joked the town clerk in Landsdowne, near the Ivy Lea bridge. Cruising boaters should check for quarantine requirements or special certificates BEFORE entering a foreign country with animals.

United States

Recent health papers should be carried on board for pets. A rabies certificate must carried and renewed regularly for Canadian pets travelling in the US

As a general rule, there are no restrictions on bringing cats into the U.S. but Hawaii or Guam have quarantine requirements. While a rabies certificate is not usually required, cats must be in apparent good health. Further examination by a licenced veterinarian may be required at the owner's expense. Regular vet exams and recent vaccination certificates will make border crossings easier. While you're there, get your pet fitted with a microchip identification.

Bahamas

To travel to the Bahamas requires getting papers signed by a veterinarian within a few days of departure from the U.S. Cruising folk have the problem of waiting for the right weather to cross the Gulf Stream, so make sure the veterinarian leaves the date blank. Don't forget to enter it before you check in to Bahamian customs!

Our Pets on Board

We have been cruising on boats with our pets for almost thirty years and have actually enjoyed having our dog and two cats with us on trips - on our sailboat for about twenty years and on our two powerboats prior to that.

We have enjoyed Ontario's canal systems, Lake Ontario and the 1000 Islands and points south between Ottawa and the Florida Keys with pets aboard. We also sailed in the Bahamas, other Caribbean islands, and other cruising grounds to which our pets did not accompany us.

Our cocker spaniel, Saki, primarily cruised with us on powerboats, but was a terrible boater. Happiest with the motor running, he would simply go to sleep. He managed to get into too much trouble when the boat was tied to land.

Our two cats Skipper and Pepper have both been sailors. The longest tenure on any cruise was put in by Skipper who lived aboard with us for 15 months as we went south and back - he actually changed personality, becoming more aggressive. Pepper is our current ship cat and has taken over admirably. We haven't tortured her yet! Photos of Pepper on board

Collection:

Dogs believe they are human. Cats believe they are God.

Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast.

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

"As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat." - Ellen Perry Berkeley

"Dogs come when they are called; cats take a message and get back to you." --Mary Bly

You call your cat "sweet-pea" - everyone else calls it "the cat from h*ll".

"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him." -- Dereke Bruce

Cat's motto: No matter what you've done wrong, always try to make it look like the dog did it.

Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.

You call it the nav table - kitty knows it as "the bowling alley." (William J.Thomas)

That WAS your favourite place to sit. Move on. (William J.Thomas)

You say,"Get down!" Your pet hears "Mboep bhon!"

Cruising with Pets