Dear Fisher,

My name is Rocky and my problem is about going on the boat with my family. It’s not that I don’t love the water, but there’s sp MUCH of it! I get scared of the noises and boats coming and going.. Not sure what it is, but can you tell me how to get rid of my scared-y-cat behavior?

Rocky

Dear Rocky,

I have not personally gone boating - yet! I do know of a cat who rode around on a speed boat on a giant lake in Northern Minnesota. He loved it! It isn’t uncommon for some dogs and cats to go on boats. On the other hand, it is common that some cats and dogs fear going on boats - so do not get too hard on yourself. I think that just going over some rules and precautions will set your heart rate at ease. The same would go for humans, too. Knowledge can go a long way in easing fear.

Dogs are better boaters if the adventure is shorter, like a day trip. They adapt quickly to their new surroundings. Cats, on the other hand, may take a little longer to adapt to the boat, but once there and settled in, they could go forever. I highly recommend Diana B. Jessie’s book, Cruising with Your Four-Footed Friends. Her book is full of great advice for both you and your owners. It addresses both cat and dog issues, and I think once you read it, your fears will be replaced with excitement.

Jessie highly recommends a trial run before planning that “ultimate” adventure. Your humans should start out introducing you to your new quarters and pathways - slowly - without leaving dock. Adding motor noises and activities as you are feeling more comfortable is the best way to ensure a happy sail. Go ahead and sniff around - when you are ready for the next step, stop for a nap. That will let everyone know you are calm and confident - so far anyway - and you might then have a short romp around the deck to get used to the feel of being on the water.

Everyone on the boat should have a PDF - except the cat. What is a PDF? A PDF is a Personal Floatation Device. You do not have to wear it all the time, but practice putting it on in and out of the water so you will be an expert at getting it on quickly. And, “Why?” you might ask does the cat get excused from wearing a PDF. According to Jessie, even the smallest “dog” PDF’s do not fit a cat well and if in trouble, would really limit their movement. Instead of a PDF, the author trains her cats for self rescue by hanging a towel off the boat and teaching the cats to climb it. If they were to fall off, they can swim to the towel and get themselves back on board. Brilliant! (And don’t you know it would be done with style!)

These are just a few of the many great ideas for “four-footed boaters”. Take a look at the site BoatUs where you can read more about Diana Jessie and much more about all sorts of boating tips and advice. Happy sails!

Your friend,

Fisher

Dear Fisher,

My name is Kya and I was recently adopted from the Humane Society. I lived there for my whole entire life! I am still unsure about these characters. My question is, what is the deal with cats (no offense Fisher)? My family has a cat that just runs away and hisses at me whenever I chase him. I’m just playing. Are all cats like that?

Kya

Dear Kya,

Congratulations on your new family! And yes, I mean the cat, too. If you all work together on this, you and the cat can become friends – or at least learn to tolerate each other.

Your humans will need to supervise and look for common ground where you both feel comfortable. This will probably mean there are going to be a few command words, like “stop”, “sit”, “stay”. Cats can learn these, too. Each of you should get a lot of attention - equal attention.

Dogs are pack animals and born to chase their prey. They also tend to “pack” with the family, and might think the cat doesn’t belong in the fold. Not so. The cat, on the other hand, was probably just fine, thank you very much, and is pretty confused as to why you’ve suddenly shown up.

The cat is likely scared and uncertain about your intentions. He should never be put in a situation where he is trapped in an area with you. It is a good idea for both of you to have separate eating and play areas, too, so you aren’t always together. The cat should be able to play and chase his own toys without you jumping in; you should be able to wag your tail and play with your toys without the cat copping an attitude.

It may take some time for you to get to know each other. Once you get over the game of who’s smarter, who’s the cutest, etc. then you will realize you have a wonderful new friend.

Your friend,
Fisher

as published in tbt* Tampa Bay

Dear Fisher,

We have 2 cats at our house – me and housemate cat Fonzi. Fonzi is kinda moody. Sometimes he thinks he wants to be petted, but then suddenly will bite one of our people. I don’t think that’s nice at all and it hurts their feelings sometimes. I am the smallest and youngest (and cutest and nicest, and sorta the smartest, and, and, and…), and Fonzi won’t listen to me when it comes to saying anything about his biting. It’s just rude. Do you think I can help him get over it?

Cleo

Dear Cleo,

Your concern for your humans is admirable but I hope you are not worrying too much about Fonzi’s behavior. Chances are very good that your humans already know when they are “pushing the envelope” with their exuberance to pet and hug the little guy. But, I can review some of the reasons this may be happening. Napping in their lap is so comfortable and really a huge compliment. We all know how adorable we look when we are sleeping, and the urge to touch can become too great for the human. Sometimes, getting pets wakes us from our reverie and startles us. We are momentarily disoriented and react to that discomfort with a gentle (hopefully) bite. It is not an insult to the human, just a natural reaction. If Fonzi is not in the middle of a nap dream when this happens, he might just be a little sensitive or nervous about prolonged petting. Usually there are warnings, like flattened ears or tail wagging. Your humans will get to know these signs and learn the outcome, and whether or not they stop, they are not going to be insulted because they will realize they just got in an extra pet and it is worth it to them. Aahhh…they do love us so!

Your friend,Fisher