About 30 cats and kittens were found aboard an abandoned boat drifting off Owen Beach near Tacoma, Washington, on Thursday, August 6, 2026, according to police. The crew of the vessel has not been located.
Police were alerted by witnesses that morning that a boat appeared to be drifting unmanned at sea. Officers dispatched a marine services unit to examine the vessel, and when they boarded it, they found no people at all, only around 30 cats moving about the deck.
John Correa, public information officer for the Tacoma Police Department, told The News Tribune that the best way to describe the scene was that it looked like something out of a Studio Ghibli film. He said it was as if it was the cats' own boat, and they were all going about their business, wandering freely aboard.
Animals found in dangerous conditions
Officers found the animals living in hazardous conditions aboard the drifting boat. The cats appeared malnourished and frightened, which forced rescue teams to proceed with caution during the operation.
Because the vessel still belonged to a private owner, the animal control service had to obtain judicial authorization before removing the cats. Once a search warrant was issued, marine officers returned to the boat on Friday morning to extract all of the animals.
A team effort to free the cats
The rescue required cooperation between the marine services unit, animal protection officers and police forensic technicians. The Tacoma Police Department credited the joint effort, saying that thanks to excellent teamwork, all of the cats and kittens were being safely evacuated from the boat.
The rescued animals were taken directly to a shelter to receive appropriate care. The marine unit was able to identify information about the boat's legal owner, but that person could not be reached.
Police said they wanted to inform nearby residents who had been curious about the large deployment of officers on the water. Investigators are continuing to look into why the cats were aboard the vessel. No arrests have been made so far, and officers say they are focused on removing every remaining cat from the boat.
