A special place to visit in the splendid setting of the Dutch canals: cat lovers, here is the post for you!
Amsterdam it is known all over the world for its channels and just walking on the banks of one of these, on my last trip to the Dutch capital, I came across Catboat: the cat boat.
Docked right on the bank of a canal in central Amsterdam, the Catboat is nothing more than a shelter for stray and abandoned cats.
If you are a cat lover or simply curious tourists, do not miss the opportunity to visit thethe only floating cattery in the world!
A floating boat for stray cats
The history of the Catboat begins in 1966 when founder Henriette Van Weelde finds a family of stray cats under a tree, right in front of her house on Amsterdam's Herengracht canal.
So he decides to take care of them, inevitably ending up attracting other cats.
The rumor begins to get around to the point that the neighborhood starts bringing cats to Henriette that she can no longer take care of.
In 1968 the cats became so numerous that an immediate solution was required.
This is how Henriette got the idea of buying one of the many houseboats present in Amsterdam which, with the right renovation, becomes the refuge for all his beloved cats.
The Catboat today
After the death of the founder in 2005, Catboat continues its mission with the help of veterinarians and volunteers led by Judith, a trusted friend of Henriette.
Today the boat hosts around 50 cats in rotation, of which 15 live there permanently; they are those who because of their character or because of illness and trauma have no chance of finding a family.
All the others they can be adopted, bringing them home, or remotely by paying a monthly contribution.
Visit the cat boat
The Catboat, called De Poezenboot by the Dutch, it is located on the canal bank at Singel 38-G, just behind the Central Station.
It is open to the public every day, except Sunday and Wednesday, from 13pm to 15pm.
Entry for visitors is free, but you can contribute to the maintenance of the boat and the cats by leaving a free offer or by buying one of the many gadgets you find inside.
Every animal, just like people, has its own personality and at Catboat they know it well; for this reason, more aggressive cats are kept in cages during visits, while you have the opportunity to play with more sociable ones and even cuddle them.
The Catboat is a special place that is absolutely worth a visit, just to realize the great work the volunteers do every day. You enter out of curiosity and you never want to go out!
