All Paws on Deck marks the inaugural event inspired by The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor’s “Beyond the Book” Club! The dedicated team at The Whaling Museum shares a profound passion for cats and has been brainstorming ways to honor the connection between felines and maritime culture.
Liz Cousins, a caretaker and behavior expert from The Ladew Cat Sanctuary, has participated in the Book Club since it was launched two years ago. One autumn evening in 2024, Brenna McCormick-Thompson and Lisa McCaffrey, both educators at the museum who oversee the Book Club, reached out to Liz to discuss the event idea and gauge Ladew’s interest in showcasing adoptable cats, and “All Paws on Deck” was created.
“Out of all of our programs, our staff were most excited to offer this first-time event for the community,” said Nomi Dayan, executive director of The Whaling Museum. “We were delighted to see nearly 200 participants join us for the day. Cats have long had a place aboard ships, and we were thrilled to share these stories while shining a light on adoptable cats. Big thanks to the extremely dedicated team at the Ladew Sanctuary for partnering with us in such a unique way.”
“We loved working with the Whaling Museum,” said Susan Wittred, executive director of The Ladew Sanctuary. “This was the first time we’ve done All Paws on Deck — it was so well put-together and so much fun for all involved, especially all the kids who had a great time learning about both species. It’s equally heart-warming when the non-profit community can join for the good of our beloved furry and finned friends. We really hope that we can make it an annual event!”
“All Paws on Deck” is a one-day celebration of the historic ties between the maritime industry and its furry feline friends! The fun event is chock-full of crafts, trivia, presentations, a scavenger hunt of cat photos and an entire room of adorable, adoptable cats.
