THE ADVENTURES OF AN OLD SEA CAT
The irresistible combination of a cute, fluffy feline and the world-famous sailing grounds of Argyll has created a social media sensation in Salty the Sea Cat, finds Morag Bootland
Meet Salty, Argyll's favourite feline skipper
Cats were traditionally a valued member of the crew on many Royal Navy ships, the perfect solution to vermin problems on board.
And a quick glance at Salty the Sea Cat’s Instagram or Twitter accounts – where he has around 50,000 followers – seems to confirm that some felines are still very well suited to a life on the ocean wave. Salty may not be required to deal with errant rats, but lives on board the yacht Camargue with springer spaniel Pippa and their owners, Andy and Berni Lockwood.
Salty is a five-year-old rare Turkish Van Cat who has seen more of the Argyll coast and Western Isles than most people. Berthed in Oban, Linnhe, Dunstaffnage, Craobh or Melfort during the winter, this sea-faring family tend to hug the coastline during the colder months, venturing further afield for weeks at a time to explore the islands of the Hebrides in the summer.
The Lockwoods sold their home and business in Devon eight years ago after getting fed up of working to pay the bills
and bought their boat. Berni grew up in Drumchapel and had always wanted to return to Scotland, so Argyll was the obvious choice for professional skipper Andy and Berni, who works remotely in health care management.
Salty has lived on the boat since he was a kitten and is more than at home on the water. ‘He’s never been sea sick and he’s never fallen in,’ says Berni. ‘He does like to go for a paddle in a loch, but the water is too cold for him to go in.’
Exploring the islands with Salty and Pippa is always an adventure. ‘We just really love the way that they are all different, like the ponies and deer on Rum and the seals on Coll, they’ve all got a different flavour and community,’ says Berni. ‘We also love sailing up to the Knoidart Peninsula and exploring around Mallaig because it’s so beautiful.’
Despite spending most of their time on board, these little forays onto shore result in some pretty spectacular photographs of Salty in the glorious landscapes of Argyll. ‘That’s why we started up his own social media two years ago,’ Berni tells me. ‘Because everyone was fed up of seeing photos of him all over my Facebook page!’
Salty has been harness trained since he was a kitten so is able to get plenty of exercise when he is on land. ‘He is quite a big cat, he weighs about 20lbs, so I think at first glance people think he’s a dog. They often do a double take when they realise he’s a cat. He does enjoy playing fetch and can be quite dog-like,’ says Berni. ‘We have a special backpack as he’s very curious and we wouldn’t get far with him on the harness all the time. Just like popping a toddler in a buggy, it means we can trek for a bit and then let him out for a wander and a biscuit. We’ve even got a little portable litter bag in case he needs the loo. Most of the islands we visit aren’t very big, so we can have a good mooch around in a couple of hours.’
He may have the mannerisms of a canine, but when it comes to his grub, he’s a sea cat through and through. Shunning meat for the fruits of the sea, Salty’s favourite meal is langoustines and he’s partial to tuna too. ‘We do fish for him,’ says Berni. ‘We sometimes get fishermen offering him some of their catch and that’s great, because he has expensive tastes.’
Berni puts Salty’s popularity down to cat fans around the world and few would argue that he is a seriously photogenic moggy. But as gorgeous as he is, there’s little doubt that his backdrop plays a part in his massive following too.
‘It’s cat appreciation, but because he’s Scottish and he goes wandering around the forests and hills of Argyll and the islands we get lots of fans of Scotland following him too,’ says Berni.
If you’re heading to the islands this summer be sure to keep an eye out for Captain Salty at the helm.