Cat Heroes
January 4th, 2011 | 
Author: Someting interesting happened last night. For some reason our baby monitor wasn’t working so I decided to sleep nearby in case the baby cried at night. Well, he did cry but I did not hear him. I awoke to my cat standing on my chest meowing to get my attention. One always thinks of dogs and their “life saving” behavior – but cats do it too. There have been many heroic cats over the years. Here are a few:
Cherry Woods was viciously attacked by two large dogs that might have killed her had her cat Lima not intervened. Cherry screamed and even though her husband tryed to stop the pit bulls, it didn’t work. Lima lept from the bushes and attacked the dogs – clawing and hissing. The dogs turned their attention to the heroic cat and followed her. While you might expect it to end badly for the cat, it didn’t. She returned later unharmed. Cherry eventually recovered from her injuries and the cat was credited with saving her life.
As an apartment fire blazed though Mona’s building, she might have died of smoke inhalation except for her cat Beau who threw himself against her bedroom door repeatedly, attempting to wake her. He was finally successful and they both escapted to the balcony for help to arrive.
An elderly woman was working in her garden when 4 pit bulls attacked. While she fought for her life, her cat Tiger lept into the fray and distracted the dogs so she could escape into the house. Again, the cat returned unharmed (It makes you wonder how the dogs fared – must be one tough cat!).
Cats have been known to help their blind or deaf companions as well. Cashew, a blind and deaf Labrador Retriever had a good friend in Libby the tabby cat who led her around obsticles, and brought her to her food dish. They slept together each night. It’s quite common for one animal to help another in this way.
In another family, an elderly Pug, Mary, was nearly blind due to injuries, and by the age of 14 had completely lost her vision. Mancat who was rescued as a kitten became Mary’s eyes. He guided her around furniture, took her outside, and stayed beside her during meals to keep dogs in the family out of her bowl. Mary and Mancat became extremely close and even slept cuddled together.
Then there is the well known story about Oscar the cat, who lives at a Rhode Island nursing home. He became quite famous for his ability to predict impending death and comfort dying residents. Oscar would maintain a constant vigal until the person passed away making sure that person was never alone. He became so well known for his accuracy, that he was praised in death notices and eulogies by families of the deceased.
Often we discount stories like this, attributing them to coincidence – but they are not. Animals that become bonded to us learn to read us better than we can read ourselves. There is no doubt they care, so it’s quite sad they are often not given the recognition they deserve.
Don’t let your best friend go unprotected!
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Cats and Sailors
Cats have been a part of the open seas for centuries. Sailors needed the cats to kill vermin on ships, and the cat of course, saw this as the perfect opportunity to get a free lunch and some pampering. The perfect relationship!’
It is likely this relationship started with the ancient Egyptians. Early cats saved the Egyptians from famine by controlling an out of control rodent population. Because they asked nothing in return, a Pharaoh elevated the cat from adorable pest control to demigod around 2000 B.C. Bastet, an Egyptian goddess was depicted with the body of a woman and the head of a black cat. She was the daughter of the sun god Ra and was the goddess of motherhood, fertility, grace, and beauty, and of course, cats. Egyptians obtained her good will by keeping black cats in their homes.
The Egyptians were the first seafarers to realize having cats as shipmates was a win-win for everyone. The cats provided protection by ridding ships of vermin and in the process, provided the sailors with much needed companionship. A ship without cats was at risk of having its provisions eaten by rats and mice. They would chew through ropes and spread disease, so a ship without cats was riskier to sale on – especially for long voyages where starvation and disease was part of the lifestyle.
While the practical aspect of cats at sea made sense, there was a more etheral reason. Some sailors, superstitious and fearing the sea and all its perils, believed cats protected them by bringing good luck. It became common practice for sailors to adopt stray cats in foreign ports of call – as a reminder of the voyage and to alleviate homesickness.
While soldiers at war today in Iraq adopt stray dogs and cats for something to nurture and feel human about amid the death and sadness of war, Sailors have always done this. Sailors had a built in “psychologist” in the cat – someone who could listen to his problems and not tell a soul. Many kittens were adopted at ports after their mothers are killed by shelling, or were found abandoned and become crew mascots.
At Halloween we fear black cats, but at one time they had a better reputation. And fortunately, the rest of the world has a much more positive opinion of black-coated cats than the U.S. In Egypt, Great Britain, Australia and Japan, owning or encountering a raven cat is thought to be a portent of good fortune. In old England, when a cat abandoned a home or ship of her own accord, great disaster was expected. A bride in southern England whose path is crossed by a black cat will have a happy marriage. Sailors believed if the ship’s cat approached them, it promised them good fortune. If the cat came toward them, then changed her mind, trouble was brewing.
Carrying a black cat on board promised to bring Yorkshire fishermen safely home from rough seas, and cats as lucky charms extended well beyond the ship. Early sailor’s wives kept an ebony cat as a pet to keep husbands safe. A black cat shortage at the height of the fishing industry boom spawned a black cat black market in the village of Yorkshire, England. Fishermen’s wives had to keep constant watch on their valued ebony cats for fear that thieves would steal them and sell them to another fisherman’s wife.
Then there are the Celts who believed black cats were reincarnated beings able to foresee the future. The great female pirate Granuaile in 1503 no doubt had ebony cats stowed on her fleet of ships that sailed the Irish coast.
Cats have been with us since the beginning of time. They’ve paid their dues and worked hard for a place in our society. They’ve worked hardest to be part of maritime society and the special bond they have with sailors throughout history.
More links about cats and sailors:
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