Kumi, our Abyssinian, wears a vest with reflective strips for travelling. In case she ever got out, it would be easier to ask for help finding her: “You are looking for a little brown cat in a lime green vest that glows in the dark.” Otherwise, she virtually vanishes into the undergrowth and trees. In her early cottaging days, our shed roof and woodpile caused many a plaintive cry for help. We have pulled out the ladder many times.
Our cat, Joe, likes to hop on an old Windsurfer we use for stand-up paddling and will ride on the front of the kayak with my husband.
Our Siamese cat, Ollie, loves it at the cabin. He once had a staring contest with a local stag for nearly 30 minutes before it lost interest and wandered off. Ollie remained on guard for another hour in case the strange creature reappeared.
Our cat, Flyer, travels in the boat to our cabin. He seems to sense when we get close, as he yaps to get out of the boat. He leaps out onto the dock, goes straight to our sandy beach, and rolls around, squawking. It is a ritual and funny to watch.
The late Tiberius, our swashbuckling tabby, would assume an authoritative stance on the bow of our motorboat. We found a lifejacket made for a tiny dog, but when we fastened it on him, he toppled over onto his side and lay there, looking up at us from the corner of his one visible eye. Okay, no lifejacket, but we did keep his halter and a leash on him while he was in the boat.
Elton, our tuxedo cat, loves barbecued chicken and shrimp and just wishes his paws were a bit longer, because he likes to lie on the dock and look at the rock bass, but he can’t reach them.
My husband and I bring our two Bengal cats with us whenever we head north to our cottage. On a recent long weekend, we took them on the boat for an afternoon ride, a picnic, and a swim. Like the car ride north, we’ve been doing this since they were kittens, and we find they are becoming increasingly comfortable being mobile. We don’t let them outside the cottage on their own, but we know they’ll be safe with us on the boat. We all had a lovely afternoon.
Our cat, Mickey, is the ultimate cottage cat. He spends all of July and August there with us, and he’s learned to open the sliding screen door. He walks over, sticks his claws gently into the screen, and slides it open three or four inches. Then the dog walks over, sticks in his nose, and opens it to a full 12 inches. No wonder our cottage is full of mosquitoes.
This article was originally published in the Early Summer 2016 issue of Cottage Life magazine.
When you think of pets who love to go hiking, hang over the side of a motor boat, or join their owners for a canoe ride, you tend to think of dogs. However, there are plenty of cottagers who bring their feline friends up to the lake—and many kitties who love to roam around the great outdoors.
Our readers have sent in several amazing examples of such cottage cats. Whether they’re curled up in the bow of a boat, or scaling a tree, they’re certainly having a lot of fun adventuring with their owners.
