New cat - possibly!

[splashgirl45]

Glad you are enjoying being a cat slave again

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Aw Ratty I’m so glad Catto aka Rodriguez found you. He sounds a perfect barge cat and a typical feline yoof that does nothing but demand food from his human slave and then sleep it off. I hope the two of you have many happy years together on the river.

I’m currently sitting on my hands and not adopting more cats. My two are very elderly and not the most agile, they just wouldn’t cope with 2 whirlwind kittens.

 

[Fjord]

Oh it sounds like he's settling in beautifully!

 

[Lurfy]

Catto sounds like a very happy cat

 

[Cavalier]

Ratface, try the pills squashed into a little ball of mince. Mine inhale them like this. They don’t like the spot on treatments, it makes them very lethargic for about 24 hours. Having said that other cats I’ve had have been fine

 

[Ratface]

Thank you. I'll try that.
Rodriguez Catto is demanding to go out! The shrieking at the wheelhouse door is becoming very loud.
I'm so worried about him leaping off the barge and falling into our fast running river. I wouldn't be able to fish him out. Am I being a mean Cat Slave?
That said, my next-door neighbour has too Maine Coones who are indoor cats. They sometimes come out and wander round the decks of his barge, but come back inside at the shake of a Dreamies bag.
What do you advise, Oh Wise Ones?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

You are not being mean not letting him out just yet. He doesn’t know you or the area. Could you get a harness for him today so you can accompany him out for a while as you get used to each other.

 

[quizzie]

I have no idea of your boat layout, but would there be any chance of a friendly boatyard handyman making you small/temporary "catio"...bit of timber/chickenwire/roofed that could sit securely over an open hatch, allowing limited deck access and the opportunity for watching the world go by?!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I wouldn't let him out, however as pp said could you pop him on a harness and let him explore the outside of the boat?

Ours are indoor only but go in the back garden under strict supervision on their harnesses

They are also carried out, so they don't learn they can just mooch out of their own accord

 

[Ratface]

You are not being mean not letting him out just yet. He doesn’t know you or the area. Could you get a harness for him today so you can accompany him out for a while as you get used to each other.

Hmm. Good idea in theory. Thank you. However, I think he would be a Cat Houdini. He is very long, slender, quick-witted and determined.
Re: the hatch. The only one that I have is over the saloon and is too far from the sole ( floor) for it to be a safe landing. On my next foray to P@h I will have a look at Houdini-Cat Harnesses. I won't tell him. It'll just give him more time to plot a method of getting out of them.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Hmm. Good idea in theory. Thank you. However, I think he would be a Cat Houdini. He is very long, slender, quick-witted and determined.
Re: the hatch. The only one that I have is over the saloon and is too far from the sole ( floor) for it to be a safe landing. On my next foray to P@h I will have a look at Houdini-Cat Harnesses. I won't tell him. It'll just give him more time to plot a method of getting out of them.

Ours use the mynwood cat walking jackets which are like a little waistcoat so less easy to wriggle out of, fastened quite firmly

 

[Ratface]

I have no idea of your boat layout, but would there be any chance of a friendly boatyard handyman making you small/temporary "catio"...bit of timber/chickenwire/roofed that could sit securely over an open hatch, allowing limited deck access and the opportunity for watching the world go by?!

Thank you. Yes, I do, but they're booked up months in advance and are mighty expensive!

 

[Ratface]

I've just had a look at mnywood cat jackets and cat harnesses. I'm not convinced that RC wouldn't be able to wriggle out of them He has the most alarming Cat Tantrums when thwarted in any of his wishes. Silent, open- mouthed snarls, followed by Hound Of The Baskervilles growling. Followed by a silent, slow, stalking walk. I think he is channelling his inner Tiger. "Got the stripes, en't I, foolish human?"
I'll certainly look at cat jackets though. Thanks for the info. Most useful.

 

[Ratface]

Just looked at cat jackets. Cats have to be fully grown. So - possibly another six months?

 

[taranana]

Did you mention upthread that you had a dog crate? Could he sit in that outside or in an open doorway

 

[blodwyn1]

I kept one cat in for three weeks and it fooled me into thinking it was settled,I let him out to never see him again. I now keep new cats in for at least six weeks and don't trust them!

 

[Ratface]

Did you mention upthread that you had a dog crate? Could he sit in that outside or in an open doorway

Thank you for this idea. The dog crate is huge - think GSD+++ size. I'd have to collapse it and wrangle it through the galley, and aft cabin and up the perpendicular stairs to the wheelhouse. Re-open it and then not be able to open the wheelhouse doors.
Meanwhile RC is sitting in the wheelhouse, on the chart table, making blood-curdling threats and menaces to any feathered thing that catches his eye.
I think he's a pterodactyl, in furry disguise.

 

[taranana]

Thank you for this idea. The dog crate is huge - think GSD+++ size. I'd have to collapse it and wrangle it through the galley, and aft cabin and up the perpendicular stairs to the wheelhouse. Re-open it and then not be able to open the wheelhouse doors.
Meanwhile RC is sitting in the wheelhouse, on the chart table, making blood-curdling threats and menaces to any feathered thing that catches his eye.
I think he's a pterodactyl, in furry disguise.

Not a practical suggestion then!

 

[Cloball]

Just got back from The Mud Monster who demanded a carrot NOW, got it and went back to his haynet. Chipped most of it off, skipped him out and set the bed fair. Ditto for YO's Old Mare next door. I don't think YO has a tactful brain in her head: " Wot's it called? (Catto) "B****y stupid name. Call it Rodriguez and get it a bandana." I said "Hmm. A unusual name. Right." So, as far as YO is concerned, he's called Rodriguez. I shall have to fashion him a bandana from an old Buff, take a photo and placate her with that.
On a positive note, The Spanish Cat came flying out of his dog cage to greet me, all smarm and charm, and has now curled up next to me and gone to sleep.

The Spanish catto aka gato

 

[Ratface]

Yes! RC says he's not bothered what he's called. He'll continue to do exactly what he wants, when he wants to. And how about more food, whilst he's at it? Only had five (!) sachets of food today, plus biscuits, and has wiped the dish with the meat on it completely clean.
I think RC will be gradually moving on to adult food soon.

 

[Ratface]

A piece of useless information for you: Andras Tchiffley who did an extraordinarily long ride in ?Argentina many years ago, had a horse called Gato. Apparently very sure footed and somewhat wilful . . .

 

[Cloball]

Little skewbald, I have a copy on my shelf.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

There's nothing mean with deciding to keep them as indoor cats. As long as you provide them with suitable amounts of food, your company, activation/toys, one or more place to trim their claws, and preferably the opportunity to choose between both higher and lower sleeping spots, there's absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting them to risk getting swept away in a fast running river, risk getting splatted under a car/lorry, and in most cases doing their best to decimate nearby wildlife.

But if you want to let him go out, what about getting a resizable harness? Maybe something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PetBonus-Adjustable-Harnesses-Breathable-Reflective/dp/B09V4M8DTJ

Or to continue on @taranana 's idea, if it's not practical to use your current dog crate outdoors, depending on what size outdoor space you might have, I've seen a few videos on YouTube of people living in their vans with cats which use collapsible pet tents to give their cats some outdoor time. E.g.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-Enclosure-Suitable-Portable-Exercise/dp/B096RWQS8V

I've heard that some persons thinks those easy to pop up things aren't always so easy to fold back together into a flat pack, but I've also heard that as long as you make sure to follow the instructions, it's doable.

 

[Ratface]

Thank you for your helpful and supportive responses. RC and I have spent a relaxed afternoon and evening slummocking on the settle in the saloon. Me reading a tec novel and RC lying at full stretch with a propriatory font paw on my knee.
RC has the run of the barge. He likes the wheelhouse best atm. He can sneer and chatter at the bird population ( swans, mallards, assorted seagulls, a couple of red kites from the North Downs and the lone Indian Runner. He doesn't like speed boats, but enjoys watching yachts who tack alarmingly close to our hull. We both hate the fast motorcycle-type things that blast up and down the river. They're not supposed to go more than 4 knots past residential moorings but always do. I've complained, but the owners of the place that they hire them from sags it's nothing to do with them. I may feel irritated enough to ensure that they are . . .
RC has just downed the fifth packet of Felix, and is stirring the biscuits round with a contemplative paw.
Good job it's not spoilt.

 

[Ratface]

Pt. 2. RC has a variety of toys to play with - The Famous Fevver on Fishing Rod, which he enjoys doing Cat Ballet with, a collection of clattering balls, which he's bored with, a long piece of folded newspaper like the initial stage of a hand-made fire lighter, a plush snake on a fishing rod. P@H have furry toys that do tuck and roll movements. However, RC has a very short attention span, it seems. Five minutes maximum and he wants to flake out next to me. May be a cat adolescent thing?
I've looked at the cat harnesses. Houdini-RC would probably throw a furious fit and wriggle out of it in no time at all.
He'll have to put up with what he's got, for the time being.
Cruel Cat Mother.

 

[Ratface]

And the wretched creature has lots of places to sharpen his claws: steps up to the now externally blocked midships entrance have a non-slip covering which is like corn stubble. It's got a proper name but the brain fog has smothered it. He uses them for claw sharpening purposes. Basically, he's the Megan Markle of the cat world at the moment. "What RC wants, RC gets . . ."

 

[Highmileagecob]

Lidl now stock cat food called 'Prochoice' which is 100% meat, no fillers or cereal. Hooligan absolutely loves it, and it's under £3 for a box of twelve 100g packets. He also has adopted the door mat as a scratching pad.

 

[ycbm]

And the wretched creature has lots of places to sharpen his claws: steps up to the now externally blocked midships entrance have a non-slip covering which is like corn stubble. It's got a proper name but the brain fog has smothered it. He uses them for claw sharpening purposes. Basically, he's the Megan Markle of the cat world at the moment. "What RC wants, RC gets . . ."

Does RC get RC if he doesn't get what he wants?
.

 

[Ratface]

No - he always gets what he wants. Life is calmer that way.
He's discovered the power of The Typhoon. If he has said "Squawk Squawk" more than twice, there is an ominous silence. Then, rather like Road Runner, he tears up and down the length of the barge, and knocks things off shelves, counters, the chart table, the bunk. Then crouches malevolently, giving me squinty-eye, flat-eared stares. Second phase is to bat all his noisy toys round. Continuously. On a polished pine sole. As the coupe de grace, he jumps into his full oblong water dish, which is considerably shorter than he is. After all this energy expenditure, Little Treasure comes and lies down on me, purring, and falls asleep. Usually, on the arm that I use to turn the pages of whatever I'm reading at the time.
RC is a quick study.

 

[Lurfy]

It sounds like RC is really enjoying having a devoted slave. He's lapping up the attention.