Meet The Cat Boat: Amsterdam’s Floating Sanctuary For Cats

Where cats and water go purrfectly

Posted by taloringer

1
The idea was born in 1966, when a kind woman named Henriette van Weelde wanted to help a stray feline and her kittens and took them into her own home.

Via Land of cats
Advertisement
2
Henriette soon became well known in the neighborhood for her kindness so people started to drop off cats at her doorstep and she wouldn’t hesitate to take them all in.

Via land of cats
3
In about two years, Henriette simply didn’t have enough space to shelter more cats. She came up with the idea to put them all on an unused houseboat on the nearby Herengracht canal.

Via land of cats
4
The feline sanctuary was a ‘pirate’ ship for about two decades, as it was operating without the knowledge of the authorities. In 1987, the boat finally got a permit and was officially christened ‘de Poezenboot’ (the Cat Boat).

Via land of cats
Advertisement
5
The boat served as a safe place for cats in Amsterdam for decades, with Henriette loving and caring them until she passed away in 2005. Today a small staff and a few local volunteers are running it.

Via Land of cats
6
Around 50 cats are lying around the world’s only floating cat sanctuary, of which at least 14 are permanent residents. The others are available for adoption.

Via youtube
7
Initially the cat boat wasn’t intended to be a tourist attraction, but it regularly receives about 4,500 visitors a year!

Via Land of cats