Miss Rigby, an adventurous kitty, has spent her whole life traveling the seas with her family.
This American Burnese, known for being the most ‘dog-like of all cat species, has lived aboard a yacht with her owners Shane and Maryvonne since she was a kitten.
She was given to Maryvonne by a breeder in Connecticut and was known as Rigs, Riggles, or Chicken.
“They are exceedingly affectionate and devoted, as well as trainable—well, to the extent that a cat can be trained,” she noted. “However, she considers the yacht to be her home, and she adores it.”
Shane, 53, and Maryvonne, 52, formerly owned and operated their own architecture firm before deciding 10 years ago to sell it and follow their passion for sailing.
They now live and travel full-time on their yacht. They’ve toured the coasts of the United States and the Caribbean Seas together.
“Rigs joined us on the yacht at Long Island, New York, and we’ve sailed up and down the East Coast, as well as through the Bahamas,” Maryvonne explains. “We went down to Grenada with her and stopped at most of the islands in the Caribbean.”
She’s done well on the 50-foot sailboat and has shown to be an excellent sailor.
According to Maryvonne, the courageous feline is normally kept in the basement cabin. She is only permitted on deck or in the cockpit when the weather is calm and she can be properly watched.
“Our primary worry is always her safety,” Maryvonne explains. “People frequently inquire as to why she does not wear a life jacket. We tried it on her, but it only made her clumsier. She can swim well, and if she fell in, we would soon rescue her.
“Our safety and the safety of the cats is extremely important to us, and we have a number of emergency plans in place,” she added. “We also have a net hung from the rear of the boat in case she falls off while we’re at anchor—thankfully, this has never occurred.” She has a good sense of balance and is aware of the water around her.
“Our walks/hikes are also a lot of fun, and seeing her perform wild chases after Shane brightens my day.” We’ve trained her to behave like a dog, and she hasn’t disappointed us.
“We can be in rough seas, but she makes it comfortable with her sweetness and purring.” Maryvonne continued, “I can’t fathom not having her onboard.” “We have a lot of memories together, but the most important one is how happy she makes us and how much we adore and laugh at her.”
Since starting an Instagram account for Miss Rigby in 2017, Maryvonne has amassed over 40,000 followers—and it’s easy to see why.
Follow Miss Rigby’s “Miss Rigby Boat Kitty” page if you want to keep up with more of her travels.
