Domino On The Boat

I’ve mentioned Domino here and there in our posts but have not given her the full attention she deserves. People want to see more of our faithful traveling cat. Which is understandable as she is very cute. So this post contains photos of Domino on the boat. Don’t worry, she’s faring well since her first month on board sailing vessel Sava.

Sailing with A Cat

We haven’t had any issues with Domino in any of the countries we’ve visited. Either they haven’t asked about pets or when we’ve said we have a cat, someone will come to check her out but no one ever has. We have papers confirming her latest shots, but haven’t needed them yet.

Meal Times Must be Regular

Domino likes her meals at set times. This hasn’t changed a bit versus living in a house. She wakes us up at sunrise for breakfast. Sometimes she’s served as our alarm clock when we needed to get up to set sail or go to shore.

Her dinner time fluctuates a bit: at home, it was whenever we got home from work or afternoon activities. Same now. Domino starts positioning herself near the food bowl and with us in her sightline so she can pounce as soon as the wet food is poured. She will start meowing like mad around 5PM if we haven’t fed her yet.

Domino’s last meal of the night is before we go to bed. We try to NEVER forget to feed her before bed or else our alarm clock will go off VERY early and ruin our sleep.

Our Bed is Her Bed

Once Domino has gotten us out of bed in the morning, it becomes hers. Sure, sometimes she hangs out in the salon if she’s feeling social and wants our attention.

Dommie on our bed on Sava

I don’t understand why Domino wants to be in our bed, at the furthest forward part of the boat. It’s the bounciest place. I hate going up there when we are under way. But, this is where Domino has chosen to hide out when the boat is moving and rough. She’s gotten a little more comfortable lately, and does hang in the salon sometimes when it’s an easy sail or motor.

Domino hiding under the salon table

It was OK that she hid in our bed during passages because in the Bahamas they were short. Now that we are doing 24 hour trips, we can’t have Domino in our bed without accidents. I have to remember to take the sheets off and/or put down pads for her to go on so we are all more comfortable during long passages.

The More They Stay The Same

She’s been through a lot joining us on board Sava, but Domino is the same cat she’s always been. She loves exploring every part of the boat. The second I open a cabinet door, she’s peeking inside. She finds new nooks to squeeze her chubby body into all the time.

Considering she’s 10 years old, she’s still a pretty good climber! She jumps on everything she can inside the boat and loves sitting on the stairs (just like at home) so she has views of the cockpit and down below.

Domino on the stairs

The outdoors is Domino’s favorite place at night. Just like at home in Toronto, she prefers to be outside after sunset. Living on Sava is better than our house, because she doesn’t need us to open a door so she can go outside. All she has to do is jump up the stairs, and the stars are there twinkling for her! Domino is not a big fan of the heat or the light of the sun (or both), so she rarely comes up in the daytime. At night, the deck is her space. She sits under the bimini and up near the bow.

Domino in the cockpit of Sava

One of her favorite pastimes is walking along the side, peeking in every window (or porthole as per the jargon) along the way. It’s the cutest thing when we’re down below and Domino’s little face appears from above!

Brian loves coming out on deck and seeing Domino purring away admiring the view wherever we are. He thinks it’s her happy place out on deck. We are both happy she’s happy!

She’s Staying on Board

Domino has never tried to leave the boat. Obviously, we don’t expect her to try while we are on water because she doesn’t swim. But even when we were on the hard, or the times we’ve been docked, she hasn’t looked like she’s considered it. Despite the rough passages, she’s sticking with us. I guess we’re doing an OK job with her. Or she’s lazy and doesn’t want to look for food. Either way, we’re glad she’s staying on Sava and likes it most of the time.

More on Domino on the Boat

I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. If you want to see Domino photos more regularly, you can follow her on instagram. We try to update a couple of times a week. She is really fun to have around and keeps us comforted and entertained. If you don’t have instagram, don’t worry. We will try to be better at including Domino in our posts.