There are merchant ships that take passengers. Maybe one of themn would take your cat as deck cargo. However it might be cheaper to buy another cat in Canada!
I had a quote to take my 24' boat to the Gulf a few weeks ago. Came in at £7500 so I've decided to buy again when I get there. Before anybody says anything I'd love to sail it out there but would take more time than I've got.
I have a buyer in Canada he has a quote that he is ok with for roll on roll off from Southhampton. Liverpool would be better for me anybody done it before?
Boat transporting companies charge mega amounts - as you may have discovered (Let's guess - $US18k E coast of Canada?) Look at deck cargo, supplying your own cradle (there are firms that do a good job here)
If you sell here through a broker that's 8% + VAT (reduced, I know) That goes quite some way to transporting the boat (see below)
Loading the hull with possessions saves costs elsewhere - a useful offset, possibly. Weight hardly matters in the sea transporting costs: overland is different of course.
Dump the mast here if the oncost for transporting this as deck cargo is too high, and buy another at destination (assume E coast?)
If it's west coast of Canada, there's no way I can think of that won't cost pretty well, the value of the boat. Any boat!