The CatBoat, the floating cat sanctuary
This is a story of solidarity, generosity and love for animals. This is a story that takes us to **Amsterdam**, to Amsterdam in the late 1960s, when Henriette Weelde decided to take care of a cat and her kittens who were seeking refuge in front of her house.
Henriette, of course, did not imagine that this altruistic act would lead to the creation of a true floating cat sanctuary.
Fifty years later this sanctuary still survives and, with the founding status acquired, The Catboat Foundation remains committed to its goal: take care of the abandoned cats of the Dutch capital and try to give them a better future.
This ray of sunshine is mine
“Our goal is to give them a new home and find them a nice family. For some cats, this comes easily, but for older cats, those with difficult medical conditions or who need special attention, we usually need more time until we find the perfect home”, they explain to Traveler.es from the Foundation.
They don't keep track of how many cats they've already helped. And it is that the doors of this ship are the place where they knock “former owners who can no longer take care of them for different kinds of reasons. Also the people who find them abandoned” they count
“We can take in up to 50 cats. There is a small group of permanent residents who roam freely on the ship. They are cats that do not socialize and, normally, it is not good for them to be in a house with a family: the boat is your home. Other cats stay here temporarily, until we find them a new home.”
In that impasse of time, The Catboat Foundation takes care of them , takes care that they pass a veterinary review, provides them with the necessary medical care and guides their process until they acclimatize to this cat friendly boat, that is, to a boat in which everything revolves around these kittens.
We have new guys on the channel!
“Our ship is designed as a shelter for cats: Those who arrive must be kept separate from the others, so they have to be in a large cage. This cage is designed to be as comfortable as possible, with a place to sleep and a blanket that has its scent, as well as a scratching post and toys. Cats that can walk around the ship freely, can sleep and hide in different places, have enough small boxes and even have an outside terrace. We clean everything daily, and as well as providing the cats with food and medical care, we make sure they get the love and care they need.”
And yes, fellow traveler who loves cats, you can visit them too. “We are open to the public in the afternoons, between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. We are closed on Wednesdays and Sundays (…) You do not need to book, although, as we are quite famous in Amsterdam, it is usually quite full so visitors may have to wait a while outside until they can enter. Of course, we make sure it's not too crowded: we allow a maximum of 10 people inside , since the boat is not very big”.
Always thinking about the welfare of the cats, whose house you are visiting, from The Catboat Foundation remember that “Cats are sensitive animals and they don't like a lot of noise. People have to keep this in mind when they visit us (…) Some of them want a lot of attention, so they appreciate the visits. If they don't want to see anyone, they can always go to the outside area where visitors can't access or find a hiding place up high."
Mealtime is sacred
The entrance to the ship is free, but they ensure that donations are welcome, “as they are our main source of income (...) We depend completely on donations, we do not receive any type of subsidy. If we want to continue We need all the support we can muster. The more support we get, the more we can do for cats."
The Catboat Foundation works on a volunteer basis that you, if you are going to spend a long period in Amsterdam, can also be part of.
“A few months would be the minimum period of stay. Volunteers only work one day a week (...) Clean the different areas it will occupy most of the day, it will easily take half a day. All the cages, the little boxes, the floors, the walls and the baskets. And of course, feed the cats and give them the attention they need" , describe.
"In the afternoon, when we are open, we need people to receive visitors , tell them our story and work in our little gift shop. Those are all the tasks of a volunteer.” To become part of their crew, you can contact them via email, social networks or phone to discuss the possibilities.
If I don't listen to you, don't bother me