All paws on deck: Gary’s epic sea voyage

PETALING JAYA: While most cats tend to object to a long car ride, a feline named Gary has embarked on something far more ambitious – a voyage spanning 5,900 nautical miles (about 10,900km) from Australia to Malaysia aboard a sailboat

Last month, the almost two-year-old kitty set sail with his humans, Hadhinah Fawwazah Nasaruddin and Austin Spencer Abdullah, aboard their floating home, Malua.

Their planned route takes them up Australia’s east coast, across the country’s north and through Indonesia before reaching peninsular Malaysia.

“We never planned on becoming ‘the people with the sailing cat’. We just fell in love with one little cat who now happens to live on a sailboat,” Hadhinah, 39, told FMT Lifestyle in conjunction with International Cat Day.

As it turns out, Gary has taken to life at sea better than some humans might.

The couple introduced him to sailing through short visits before gradually spending nights aboard. Familiar toys and consistent routines helped him settle in while they taught him where he could, and couldn’t, wander.

Before long, Gary had claimed his favourite sleeping spots and lookout points on deck, happily watching birds and jellyfish drift by.

“He treats the boat as if it’s his house. It just happens to float,” Hadhinah said fondly.

Whenever it’s time to tackle repairs aboard Malua, Gary is never far away. Every job is a team effort in his eyes – whether his humans asked for help or not.

“We started growing spider plants on board because he loves chewing on them. But he has absolutely no patience: more than once, we’ve found him proudly snacking on an entire baby spider plant straight from the pot, roots and all, while we chased him yelling, ‘Gary, no!'”

She also revealed that Gary is especially fascinated by the morning dew that collects on deck: “He’ll happily lick up the droplets.”

Gary came into the couple’s lives through friends who had taken him in after he needed a new home. He had originally been adopted after another family’s cat went missing. But when the missing feline eventually returned, the two cats couldn’t get along.

Thankfully, Gary found his forever home with Hadhinah and Austin – and it came with a built-in adventure.

For Hadhinah, who is from Sandakan, and Austin, a Las Vegas native, the decision to sail to Malaysia instead of flying was driven by a desire to slow down, savour the journey and embrace a simpler way of life.

“When your life is confined to a 7.9m sailboat, you naturally learn to need fewer material things,” Hadhinah explained.

The couple have no fixed arrival date, saying the voyage will depend on the weather, tides and any repairs Malua may need along the way.

The couple found Malua in May last year.

“We flew to Australia from the US, where we both lived, to finalise the purchase in August. We were reunited with Malua in February this year and spent time getting to know our sailboat with the help of her former owner,” said Austin, 36.

Gary has embraced the adventure in his own unique way. “He has a lot of confidence packed into a small body. He’s hilarious, affectionate, loves plopping down for belly rubs and is curious about everything,” Hadhinah shared.

“Despite being the smallest member of the crew, he somehow behaves like he’s the captain. We’re just the support staff.”

Despite his independent streak, Gary has a gentler side. When he’s in the mood for affection, he quietly wanders over for pats, reminding the couple to pause and spend time with him.

“They’re such small moments, but they’re the ones that make him feel like family rather than just a pet,” Hadhinah added.

Gary has also surprised his humans with his bravery. During rough weather, he instinctively finds the most stable spot on the boat and calmly sleeps until the rolling eases.

When the sea is calmer, he often heads to the deck on his own, watching the sails and the endless stretch of water.

“Gary went from being an indoor cat to living on a sailboat, surrounded by an environment that would be completely unfamiliar to most cats. Yet instead of hiding from it, he’s become curious about it,” Hadhinah mused.

“He still has his cautious moments, but watching him confidently make his way to the deck to check on us always makes me smile.

“It’s his quiet way of reminding us that courage doesn’t always look dramatic – sometimes, it’s simply taking one small step into something new.”

This article was written by Sheela Vijayan. Read more pet stories here.

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