Here’s A Cat Who Sailed The Seas. Roger That!

Frank and Lou are seasoned sailors who had no trouble handling their 42-foot sailboat together. However, they unexpectedly picked up another crew member in Central America. Here’s the story in Frank’s own words.

It will be seven years ago this Christmas that my wife and I sailed into Colon, Panama from the San Blas Islands. We were on the tail end of a four year cruise in the Caribbean on our 42 Ft. Ketch, “Sweet Lou”. We moored alongside a slip at the old Panama Canal Yacht Club, which I understand has since been torn down.

One of the features of the Yacht Club was a Hispanic/Chinese restaurant. It was a cruiser’s hangout for cold beer and inexpensive food. The owners of the restaurant fed leftovers to a large group of quasi feral cats. We were there on two different occasions and always saw at least twenty to thirty cats waiting to be fed. All of them were quite large and mean looking. One day while returning to our boat I saw a small kitten hiding in a hole in a doorway. The kitten would come out and beg food from passers by and then run into his protected hole where the larger cats couldn’t get to him.

I told my wife, Lou, not to pass by the door because there was the cutest little kitten there and I was sure (tongue in cheek) that she didn’t want to see it. Well she did see it and the kitten ended up on our sail boat. We never saw the mother cat and assumed it died.

We named the cat Roger Roger after a lady, forgot her name, who ran a Security Network from her sailboat in Grenada. She used the single side band radio and did an excellent job alerting cruisers to security issues. However she would Roger you to death, i.e. Roger that Sweet Lou, Roger, Roger. It seemed that every five or ten words would include a Roger. Anyway we named the cat Roger Roger.

Roger Roger was small, he fit in the palm of my hand. White with black spots, he’s slightly cross eyed; our vet tells us it is due to inbreeding. We took him to a vet in Colon and learned that he was healthy and just needed some good meals. Roger Roger got his shots and became our boat cat.

Preparing for our passage North to Tampa Bay we soon left Colon. In order to get a good sailing angle on the trade winds we beat due east to Portobelo where we laid over a few days. Roger Roger quickly took over the boat. We bought him a small harness and when ever he went top side he was attached to a strong line, just in case he went overboard. Thankfully this never happened.

Roger Roger took to sailing like a fish to water. With the boat heeled over with all sails set Roger Roger would find little nooks and crannies where he could wedge himself in and go to sleep. We were amazed at how fast he grew. We set up a kitty litter box in the shower stall, wedged it in with old towels, showed Roger Roger where it was and it was in business.

Our first overnight passage with Roger Roger was from Portobelo to San Andres, a Columbian Island a few hundred miles north of Panama. I held the midnight to sunrise watch and every hour I would leave the boat on auto pilot, go below to check our position on the GPSD chart plotter and transfer our position to our paper charts. The boat was lit with red lamps and Roger Roger would come out of his hole and look to play. He would nip on my feet and jump to my shoulder and peer at the GPS with me. It was in San Andres that he got his second rabies shot. Roger Roger wasn’t allowed ashore and the vet would not come out to the sailboat; we were riding on our hook. We compromised. Lou and I took Roger Roger ashore in our dinghy, secured to the end of a long dock where the vet gave him his second shot.

After a week or so in San Andres we resumed our passage north to the Island of Providencia, another Colombian island. (Roger never got off the boat until we reached Bradenton, Florida). From Providencia we sailed for the Honduran Bay Islands where we spent several weeks.

The father north we went the more hatch boards we had to put in the main hatch. When Roger Roger first came on board he was so small that he couldn’t climb the stairs from the main cabin to the cockpit. However it wasn’t long before he managed to crawl up the stair and get into the cockpit all on his own, without his harness. This called for inserting one hatch board which blocked his entry to the cockpit. But it wasn’t long before he managed to climb over the single hatch board and we had to insert a second board. And yes, you guessed it, it wasn’t long before he managed to climb over the second hatch board and we had to slide the hatch cover shut to prevent him from getting out unattended.

From the Honduran Bay Islands we had a very fast passage, thanks to strong trade winds and the beginning of the Gulf Stream, to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. By now Roger Roger was quite large and accustomed to life on a sail boat. We rode out a strong norther in Isla Mujeres and after giving the sea and winds time to lay down we left on a three day passage for Tampa Bay and Bradenton.

It was at the Twin Dolphin Marina that our voyage ended. We spent several weeks getting adjusted to living ashore, finding jobs, buying a home, and putting the boat up for sale. During this time Roger Roger learned how to climb up on the bow and jump down to the dock. He roamed the dock and made friends with all the live-aboards in the marina. He knew every dog on the dock and was quite friendly with them all.

After a couple of months we moved into our new home in Pelican Cove, Sarasota, Florida. We picked up another kitten that had been abandoned so now Roger had a Buddy. Roger Roger appeared to like his new living quarters. Lots of room. A three bedroom apartment gave him more room than did a sailboat 42.5 feet long with a beam of 13 feet.

Roger Roger still gets out. Can’t let him run around on his own but he goes for daily walks with me and stays close to me. Of course I carry a light-weight but long rake that I use to direct his movements. From the little kitten that I could hold in the palm of my hand Roger Roger has grown into a 15 lb sleek tom cat. He’s extremely playful and has a mind of his own. He’s very lovely with Lou but likes to play rough house with me.

From the movie, Airplane (1980):

Roger Murdock: “Flight 2-0-9′er, you are cleared for take-off.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger!”
Roger Murdock: “Huh?”
Tower voice: “L.A. departure frequency, 123 point 9′er.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger!”
Roger Murdock: “Huh?”
Victor Basta: “Request vector, over.”
Captain Oveur: “What?”
Tower voice: “Flight 2-0-9′er cleared for vector 324.”
Roger Murdock: “We have clearance, Clarence.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger, Roger. What’s our vector, Victor?”
Tower voice: “Tower’s radio clearance, over!”
Captain Oveur: “That’s Clarence Oveur. Over.”
Tower voice: “Over.”
Captain Oveur: “Roger.”
Roger Murdock: “Huh?”
Tower voice: “Roger, over!”
Roger Murdock: “What?”
Captain Oveur: “Huh?”
Victor Basta: “Who?”

The Christmas Kitten

photo courtesy ©2004 Alex Ringer, Israel

I once was a cuddly kitten,
But now I am a stray,
‘Cause when I was no longer fluffy,
They sent me on my way.

They’ve kept their big watchdog,
As he can bark and growl,
But I could fly at strangers,
If I caught them on the prowl.

I slink around their garbage can;
I mew outside their door;
But it’s clear from their behaviour,
They don’t want me anymore.

Now I’m cold and hungry,
And getting very thin,
What have I done to hurt them,
Why won’t they let me in?

I crouch in sheds and boxes,
In my bedraggled fur,
So shivery and dejected,
I cannot even purr.

They have another kitten,
Their childrens’ whole delight;
But probably next Christmas,
It will share my wretched plight.

“Man is rated the highest animal, at least among all animals who returned the questionnaire.”  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

When Does The Brutality End?

It’s January 26, 1999 in Columbus, Ohio and a man adopts a cat from the Citizens For Humane Action. About a week later, he beats the cat, pokes out its eye, breaks its jaw and legs and leaves it alive, in agony and a barely recognizable bloody mess in the laundry basket.  Later, he calls his girlfriend and asks her to take the cat to the Humane Society and tell them that she found it by the road. Instead, she took the cat to an emergency vet where there was no choice but to euthanize it.

The cat shown above is not the one discussed in this article but another sad and unresolved case that ended in death for the poor little creature.

Supposedly, six or seven other cats and a puppy had been adopted by this man previously and were tortured and mutilated. In court the man pled guilty to a charge of torturing one cat – the one from the Citizens For Humane Action – in an apparent effort to avoid the publicity of a jury trial. For his crime he was sentenced to 90 days in jail (45 suspended), 5 years probation, mandatory counseling and he was forbidden from owning any living thing during the 5 year probation period.

Here’s the thing. Just how much of this is true?

You know, I’m as sickened and angered as the next person by the brutalization of any animal and when I first read of this incident on pet-abuse.com I thought it would be an ideal case on which to base an article. Problem is, I really can’t find any proof that the horrific acts occurred. What I have found, however, is an online diatribe against this man that smacks of internet stalking. Message boards are filled with hate and vitriol towards him yet no-one has offered any substantive proof of their claims.

Another side to this story is presented here:

http://www.knightsofliberty.com/lyingaboutshonrahrigwedontplayaround.html

Now I’m not defending anyone, nor am I saying that there’s no truth to the allegations. I simply don’t know what the truth is. What I do know is that all too often someone gets the wrong side of a story, or deliberately distorts it, and a host of well-meaning but otherwise ignorant people pick up on it and spread misinformation across the web in a heartbeat. And if this man is innocent, then what has been done to him is almost as callous as the acts he purportedly committed on the cats.

So, please, remain vigilant in your efforts to bring animal abusers to justice but do your research and be absolutely sure of your facts before you condemn someone who just may be innocent.

“Love of animals is a universal impulse, a common ground on which all of us may meet. By loving and understanding animals, perhaps we humans shall come to understand each other.” ~ Dr. Louis J Camuti.

Cats and Bodily Fluids

In a multi-cat household it seems that no matter where you look one of your cats has leaked some sort of feline bodily fluid.

Nine cats reside in my home. They’re all rescues, of course, and run a gamut of ailments from digestive disorders to hyperthyroidism, respiratory problems to anxiety and stress. Some of them are long-hair but all seem to shed with equally relentless capacity. As a consequence, I swear I spend half my life cleaning up spit, snot, hairballs, pee and poop. And if I don’t stay on top of things, there’s the risk that my house will smell like a feline latrine. So, let’s address some of these problems and ways in which to deal with them.

The litter box. Perhaps the most essential tool for the indoor cat owner; just dumping in any old litter and placing the box any old where is rarely good enough. To this day I still have not found the ideal cat litter for me or my pets. Yes, your cat can be as finicky about her litter as she is about her food.

The scented litters can be overpowering and some of my cats don’t like them. I also happen to be highly allergic to them, which makes me wonder what damage they might do to my furry “kids”. Plain clay gets smelly quickly and requires dumping the whole mess rather than just scooping. Then there’s the issue of dust (like I don’t have enough cleaning already) and tracking (it’s a pain getting into bed with bits of kitty litter stuck on the bottom of your feet). I’ve finally settled on a mix of scoopable pine (looks like sawdust) and clay granules (Ultra Precious Cat). There are no perfumes, dyes or chemicals; almost no dust; tracking is not quite as bad as lot of other litters and it does sweep up easily. Cost may be a little higher than some well-known brands but I find this combination lasts longer. To control odor, there is no substitute for frequent scooping, which I do at least twice a day.

As for the litter box. The rule of thumb seems to be one box per cat. But I don’t use those expensive pet store boxes. I go to Walmart and for seven or eight bucks I buy 30 gallon storage containers, cut an opening in one side and spread them around the house. In some areas I use the lid and disguise the box behind plants and room dividers but, because not all cats like to do their business in a completely enclosed space, in places like the laundry room and garage I leave the lid off. Adequate, clean litter boxes are the best way to prevent…….

Inappropriate peeing.

I’ve had my problems with this on and off. In fact every time my husband and I go away our insecure little Ollie expresses his anxiety by marking around the house. So I am never without a supply of Ultimate Pet Odor Out or Anti Icky Poo. For me these are the best odor eliminators on the market and are absolutely necessary as they destroy the bacteria that cause odor. They may seem expensive but do actually last a long time. Check on amazon.com; I usually find the best prices there. Cleaning alone, even with bleach, will not work. After the odor eliminator has done its job, try cleaning with a solution of white vinegar or lemon juice.

Note: If you have a consistent problem with your pet urinating in the home, take her to the doctor. The problem may be an infection. And chronic behavioral problems can sometimes be controlled with homeopathic remedies.

Hairballs. Most spit-ups are hairball related and the best way to deal with this is prevention. Not that you’ll ever have a hairball-free house but there are are things you can do. Daily brushing helps. Most of my cats love this. For those that don’t, one of those grooming gloves works instead. Try a hairball food as well but be careful. My cat, Ms Taz, absolutely craves the stuff and if I don’t control the amount she eats we then have to deal with….

Loose stool. I first became aware of Taz’s overindulgence when it looked as if there had been an explosion in the litter box. It was ghastly! But scrubbing the box is a lot easier than cleaning bed linen or cat beds where the loose stuff sticks to your pet’s butt and then gets wiped on every spot they sit. The Icky Poo works here as well before washing. Taz also happens to be long-haired, so I regularly trim her rear end for easier cleaning, if necessary.

Snot a problem. A couple of my kitties have slight allergy issues. Of course, usually they sneeze when they’re on my lap gazing into my face but, thankfully, it’s generally just mucus.

The thing here is, if you’re going to have house pets, you’re going to have dirt. I long ago adjusted to the fact that my home will never look like anything featured in Good Housekeeping. The beds, the sofa, the chairs, all have covers over them that I can wash when necessary or whisk off in a hurry if someone comes to call.

“It’s really the cat’s house – we just pay the mortgage.” ~ Unknown.

Black Cats and Halloween

There’s so much superstition about black cats, especially on this day, so I’ve compiled a few articles that will help put things in perspective.

This sleek black cat is looking for a home on petfinder.com.

History of the black cat

Halloween No Holiday For Black Cats – News Article

October – Black Cat Month

Ancient False Myths Leave Bewitching Black Cats Shunned By some – News Article

How cute is this black cat?

“There are many intelligent species in the universe. They all own cats”. ~ Unknown

Are You Poisoning Your Cat?

Ditto loves to drink from the toilet. He’ll hear that flush and just come running. When he does, we flush a second time to be sure the water is clean and let him have at it. Be assured, though, that we use absolutely no chemicals in the toilet. I clean with vinegar and good old fashioned elbow grease.

Drinking from the toilet is not something I recommend for pet owners. (For Ditto, in a household of nine cats it’s his special “thing”). I do recommend, no… insist, that cat owners make every effort to poison-proof their homes, starting with the toilet. Don’t use those things you hang over the bowl or drop in the tank. Even if you usually put the seat down on your toilet someone only needs to forget once and it could be curtains for your cat. If you feel you have to use harsh cleaners then flush several times after cleaning to be sure there’s no residue.

Feline curiosity is legendary and that extends to tasting all sorts of tempting, but potentially lethal, plants, foods, chemicals, human prescriptions, cleaning products and on and on. A friend of mine lost his cat when she got into a closet and chewed on the mothballs. What make this worse is that I’ve actually heard mothballs recommended as a deterrent to cats. Well, yeah, I’d say killing the cat is definitely a way of deterring it! Keep your cat away from mothballs, people!

In some ways cats are like babies. Their mouths house primary sensory organs and putting things in their mouths allows them to explore taste and texture. So in addition to removing dangerous substances from the home, offer alternatives to keep kitty occupied. Start with a sound diet so your pet doesn’t have to search for food. Get cat grass as an alternative to your exotic plants. You’ll find it at most pet stores for a healthy price or buy seeds and grow your own. You can get a free sample of seeds here.  Even if your feline is the outdoors type, she’ll appreciate the fresh young stalks. Live catnip is also great and can be found at most major pet stores (again, for a hefty price). I found it for less on ebay – just search for “live fresh catnip”.

And use toys and other diversions so your cat won’t have to go looking for something to do.  That can be a recipe for disaster.

For lists (and they’re long) of substances that are poisonous to cats take a look at these pages:

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/a-poison-safe-home.html

If your pet is poisoned….

The obvious thing is to get to a vet as quickly as possible. Cats, of course, don’t conveniently get sick during your vet’s operating hours, so make a copy of this informationfrom the ASPCA. Post it on your refrigerator where everyone in the house will know where to find it. Highlight the poison control number –(888) 426-4435. Program the number into your cell phone and the speed dial of your home phone. Sometimes, seconds can count.

“There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast” ~ Unknown

Talk About A Cinderella Story!

I’m on the road this week, so will be very brief. If you haven’t seen this video yet it could be a rags to riches story for a dog a cat and a rat. Oh, and their human. Enjoy!