The Story Behind Amsterdam's Floating Cat Shelter, Where Rescued Cats Find a Home on the Water

Celeste Mello • Writer and Editor

Oct 17, 2026 12:45 PM EDT

How did I visit Amsterdam and miss a boat full of rescued stray cats???

I wish I'd known about De Poezenboot sooner. The name means Catboat and refers to Amsterdam's floating cat shelter. The owners describe it as the only floating cat sanctuary in the world. Now my question is: why are we tourists visiting the Van Gogh Museum and not this shelter? I would have gone straight there if I knew about it. The works of art are of a different kind, but still, I bet tourists walk out of the place equally astonished by the cuteness.

According to its official history, it all started back in 1966 when a woman named Henriette van Weelde found a mother cat and her kittens beneath a tree opposite her home. She took them in, and more cats followed, including animals whose owners could no longer care for them. She was soon recognized as the "cat lady" in the neighborhood. Two years later, she was running out of room for the animals, so she came up with the coolest idea ever: buying a boat for the cats so they could live there. Yes, she bought an old Dutch sailing barge and turned it into a cat shelter. If people can live in boats, why can't cats? Some volunteers joined her, and the Catboat Foundation became official.

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The first Poezenboot (Catboat) acquired in 1968.

via De Poezenboot
I navigated the Singel canal, which is absolutely beautiful, and saw the tulips on the streets, but I was completely unaware of the existence of this shelter. Now I have a good reason to come back to Amsterdam. I'm pleased I got to see the Van Gogh paintings for the first time there; now my next vacation objective is to meet the Dutch cats.
De Poezenboot (the Cat boat) today.

via Things to do in Amsterdam
They help a lot of cats find new homes every year. There's space for around 50 cats at a time, and the shelter reported taking in 200-250 cats annually.
The everyday comforts of the cats won me over. The shelter has beds, raised shelves, and mesh protecting cats from falls. They also have underfloor heating and air conditioning. I can picture a cat discovering a warm patch of floor and lying there for a good nap. Let's take a behind-the-scenes look inside the shelter…
The Cat boat from the inside

via @depoezenboot
via @depoezenboot
via @depoezenboot
via @depoezenboot
via @depoezenboot
When a cat arrives, the shelter explains that they put them on quarantine while their health and behavior are assessed. They receive the necessary veterinary examinations, vaccinations, microchips, neutering, and treatment for any existing injuries.
Some cats are ready for adoption, and some are not. For those who aren't, the shelter keeps them under its care, but supporters can adopt them financially. The cat shelter explains that after spending so much time outdoors, some cats wouldn't be happy in an ordinary household, so that's why they provide this option.
Let's meet the cats living on it!
Some of its lovely residents aboard...

via @depoezenboot
via depoezenboot.amsterdam
via depoezenboot.amsterdam
via @depoezenboot
via @depoezenboot
via depoezenboot.amsterdam
Tourists can visit the shelter too. Entrance is free, but you can always help with a donation!

via depoezenboot.amsterdam
via depoezenboot.amsterdam
via depoezenboot.amsterdam