The Couple Sold Everything And Travels The World Sailing With Adopted Boat Cat

32-year-old Matt and Jessica Johnson sold everything, left their jobs, bought a boat, and went off travelling the world. During their journey they adopted a cat, who became their boat cat. Meet Georgie, the boat cat.

Matt and Jessica, who did not want to settle with a house or kids, had already visited more than 15 countries.

The guys share blue skies, water, and the cruising journey with their boat cat Georgie. They has been travelling together since 2012.

Matt and Jessica were never “cat people”, but they loved all animals. Sadly, they lost their precious greyhound dog Mazzii (Maserati) in April 2011 due to cancer.

It was a hard time for them. They were missing the dog being on the boat and felt empty without her.

Fellow cruisers shared stories with them about how cats make great boat pets. Matt and Jessica were strong “dog people”, but they agreed that they needed a companion pet on the boat. A cat would make a good choice as cats are comfortable living in smaller spaces and are easier to care for while traveling. Jessica kept saying, that on her 30th birthday she would like to have a boat cat.

One day they’ve heard about an adoption centre right near the place they were staying at. They decided to give it a shot and visited the centre.

“For The Love of Pets” is a no-kill shelter housing 209 cats. Matt and Jessica were welcomed by so many cats, each of whom wanted to be adopted.

While interacting with cats, Jessica paid attention to a cat who would crawl up her shoulder every time she wanted to keep her in her arms. One moment the kitty jumped away and they went to look for her.

It appeared that the kitty had a twin, Roxie. So it was not clear who exactly Jessica was petting all this time. After an explanation from the shelter staff, the couple made a decision to adopt Roxie. Jessica gave the kitty a new name, Georgiana, or Georgie for short.

They went to a pet shop and bought everything a cat needs – food, bowls, toys, a collar, a harness. Back on the boat, Georgie gave a lot of cuddles to the guys.

Time passed and Jessica noticed that Georgie did not like to be on the boat that much. The kitty preferred grass and ground.

Jessica had to leave Georgie with a girl they trusted, who acted like a cat sitter for Georgie.

Coming back after some time, Jessica was pleased to see that Georgie recognised them. They took her back on the boat. This time it seemed to be okay for the cat to be there.

Georgie chasing shadows:

Follow their journey on their blog and Facebook.

What other boat cats, like Lucy The Boat Cat, do you know?
Share in the comments below or ask their cat parents to submit their story.

xox Natalie
Ms Cat, Cat Mum, Editor-in-Chief at Ozzi Cat – Australian National Cat Magazine.
Special and Special Needs Cats Ambassador.

Tagged adopted, around the world, boat, cat, cruising, For The Love of Pets, sail, shelter, travel, USA