Kitties on the Adriatic Sea

On any given day there is water getting splashed around somewhere in the house or I slide on a puddle struggling to keep my balance. My two Maine Coon cats, like most of their breed, love water. They pat their water, slap their water, routinely get chased out of the tub and love the sound of the rain. Fatty paws and pats at the rain drops drizzling down along the other side of the window. Legend has it that Maine Coons love water because they were ship cats. Their long ago benefactor, Marie Antoinette (I'm not kidding it's in books! Check it out here) had 6 Turkish Angora long haired cats that she adored. Miss Marie was imprisoned during the French Revolution, planning her escape, and asked her friend, American Captain Samuel Claugh to please take her grand piano and cats on his ship and that she would join them as she escaped. Well, Marie met the guillotine and died. Those royal spoiled kitties however sailed the ocean blue across the Atlantic, watching the water splash against the ship the entire way and landed on the coast of Maine. As they arrived on the chilly shores of the state of Maine they met short haired Maine cats who were guarding the boat docs. The short-haired American sea cats loved these Marie Antoinette's kittens, seduced them with fried cod and lobster, made woopie and out came little fluffy Maine Coon kitties. These Maine Coon kitties are now the biggest domestic cats, they are very gentle, playful and love splashing water around.

My cats adore water and I thought they might be intrigued by meeting their biggest match yet: the Adriatic Sea. I mean, what could be better for them than lots of water and an eternal litter box to walk on? On an overcast day I thought there would be no risk of joggers with their dogs on the beach. This presented a perfect opportunity to take the cats to the beach. I recruited my mom-in-law into walking with me down to the shore. She carried Bentley and I carried Fatty who is 2 pounds heavier.

Mamma-in-law and Bentley on his way to the sea!

I imagined that they would be curious and shocked at seeing the sea. I imagined taking fantastic pictures of them, glamour shots even. But my cats turned out to be grouchy  wimps that wanted to go back home. Fatty came out first, trembling with fear.

"Who goes there?"

He instantly forgave Bentley all of his faults and ran next to his brothers bag.

Fatty next to Bentley's bag, "Listen Gordis, we are a long way from Baltimore!"

Here are my best shots of the Fatness:

"Baywatch looked sunny, where are the babes?"

"Why are you doing this to me? Don't you know I'm a CAT?!"

I love this one

"Friend or foe?"

Getting splashed by a miniature wave wasn't that bad

Fatty eventually tip-toed out to the water, sniffed it, and got splashed by a wave. He didn't budge though and just stared at it, then decided he was over my idea of a kitty day on the beach.

Bentley, my more curious and water splashing beast, was even more terrified. Here are his best shots:

"What?! No way, we landed on the biggest litter box in the world!"

Bentley spots lunch

Prowl

Prance

"Oh no. No way. Not for me. What was that lady thinking?"

"Get me out of here"

Crouching low and moving swiftly

Best shot of Bentley the beach kitty

Sinking

I did what I could. I should have known that cats, even Maine Coons, hate water. If I had a dog we would be on the beach every single day. However, I think this was a good  experience for the kitties and I'm glad they got to meet the Adriatic Sea.