On August 6, 2026, the Tacoma Police Department responded to a welfare check on a sailboat anchored off Point Defiance Park and discovered it contained 60 cats without any humans on board. Officer Shelbie Boyd noted that the marine services unit initially boarded the boat to assess its condition. Upon finding numerous cats, they called in animal control for assistance, realizing there were too many cats present to simply leave food and water.
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After obtaining a search warrant, police and animal control personnel first removed 30 cats from the vessel. However, it became apparent that more were hiding. Initially estimating around a dozen more cats, the operation concluded with a total of 23 additional cats being rescued during a subsequent visit.
By the end of that Monday, the count reached 53 cats, but it soon grew. Efforts to locate remaining cats included drilling and cutting into the boat. During the operation, bystanders also intervened to rescue a cat that had fallen overboard and placed it back onto the boat. An incident occurred when an individual boarded the boat illegally and removed two cats, which is against regulations as the boat is considered a crime scene.
On Tuesday, the total number of rescued cats reached 60, all of which were transported to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County. Initial health evaluations revealed that the cats were in acceptable condition, although some exhibited minor skin issues and signs of stress. Most were found wearing flea collars.
The sailboat, which is legally registered, has prompted police to identify and locate its owner. Tacoma Police plan to begin the process of removing the boat after a waiting period of one week.