Given my interests include photographing cats and taking cruises, I guess it’s no surprise that I had a dream last night in which an adult me took my (sadly long departed) childhood pet cat on a cruise.
In the dream, it was a perfectly normal thing for me, and other passengers, to rock up with our cats, which were put in cages until the ship set sail, and then allowed to roam freely.
Now, I’m sure some people would have a problem with that idea — just as I did when somebody’s companion animal, a small dog of indeterminate breed and very bad manners, crapped in the cafe just in front of me on a cruise I took last year.
Cats are generally more considerate than dogs in terms of choosing where they do their business, but I’d still suggest that they be excluded from certain areas, such as kitchens and restaurants, but allowed in others. Perhaps ships could be fitted with large cat “runs”, just as some people have in their back yards.
There is a long tradition of cats at sea — they served an important function in killing rats and other nasties — and it’s about time we bought it back.
Just like cat cafes, I’m certain that cat cruises would be extremely popular. After all, what’s more relaxing than sitting on a balcony watching the ocean go by? Doing it with a contented cat on your lap!
