De poezenboot (The Catboat)

Anyone who’s been to Amsterdam knows the city is all about canals and houseboats. De Poezenboot is a unique houseboat that is turned into an animal shelter. Volunteers run it with a big heart for animals and cats. As you could have probably guessed, we won’t even bother explaining how unique a floating cat paradise is. The best thing is that De Poezenboot is open to the public. So if you’re a cat lover visiting Amsterdam and are up for a relaxing moment away from the busy city, visit De Poezenboot Catboat. There’s no such thing as an entrance fee, but of course, you’ll leave a donation to keep the cats dry and happy!

Update; after 45 years of service, the old Poezenboot is up for retirement. With the help of volunteers and donations, work is being done to build a new floating shelter. As you can imagine this costs a lot of money and effort. Any support is welcome, check out this website to help.

History of De Poezenboot

The story of ‘De Poezenboot’ or The Catboat dates back to 1966, when founder Henriette van Weelde found a homeless cat family seeking shelter under a tree. She decided to take the cats with her and care for them in her home on the Herengracht. Soon after that first family of cats, another strayed cat followed. Before Henriette knew it, rumours spread, and people started bringing cats to her that they couldn’t take care of any longer. By 1968, Henriette was also known as “the cat lady” and needed every part of her home to house all her cats. At some point, her entire home, garden and roof terrace were packed with cats and people were still bringing new cats in. Henriette needed to find a solution, and she did, just by looking out her window. As she looked at a houseboat in the Herengracht, the idea of a houseboat as shelter for her cats arose. An old Dutch sailing barge was acquired, and with volunteers’ help, the interior was rebuilt to fit its new function: a floating cat shelter. The boat served this purpose for over a decade until it was replaced in 1979.

Unfortunately, Henriette passed away in 2005. However, her work is being continued by some of the loyal volunteers under the leadership of Henriette’s close friend Judith. Big applause to them!

It’s a hard knock life on The Catboat!

Just chilling

That time of day, every cat wakes up for a moment

Mr. Big loves chilling in the sun!

Poezenboot opening hours

The Catboat is open three days a week for visits. However, its opening hours are limited because it relies entirely on volunteers.

Tickets and prices

Visiting The Catboat (De Poezenboot) is completely free of charge. However, we know you will leave a generous donation, just like we did so the volunteers can keep up the good work!

More animal-related activities in Amsterdam include a visit to Artis or the Kattenkabinet.

Address, contact information and route

The Catboat is situated at the very beginning of the Singel. You can walk there from Central Station within a few minutes. If you exit Central Station at the front side just keep right until you reach the first canal. The catboat is located on the right side of the water.

Address
De Poezenboot – The Catboat
Singel 38.G
1015 AB Amsterdam
The Netherlands
+31 (0) 20 625 8794
http://depoezenboot.nl/en/

Take a look at one of the following museums below or go back to the general Amsterdam museums page.