Cats on the Dog Watch!

This morning, while on my early morning walk, I spied several cats sitting on patio fences and looking out from window ledges, and it gave me pause (not paws!) to remember Shipboard Cats! The history of cats going out to the sea in ships is an old one, with sailors looking on cats as lucky charms, having miraculous powers of protection for man and craft from dangerous weather. Of course, cats were kept aboard to do their duty, ridding the decks of mice and rats, who carried all sorts of disease. Cats made for very effective pest control.

Sailors, being superstitious beings, made sure cats were well-fed and content. The worst thing one could do was throw a cat overboard - nine years of bad luck for sure. Cats could "predict" foul weather, as they became nervous and restless, and sailors took great notice. Their tails became veritable barometers.

By the way, the "Dog Watch" is a naval term for the period of work from  1600 -2000 hours, or 4-8pm, when Sirius, or "The Dog Star" comes into view in the evening sky!

One interesting story involves Captain James Cook (1728-1779) a British explorer and navigator, who carried a cat on board. He kept Tabbies on board during his voyages to te Pacific Islands, many of which were dropped off or stolen along the way.

In 1801, Matthew Flinders of the Royal Navy journeyed to Australia, with "Trim" the cat. He was a favorite of the crew and the first cat to circumnavigate Australia. Trim is the subject of many stories, and a statue of this famous cat sits outside the Sydney Library, in Sydney, Australia. A plaque reads:

To the memory of Trim
The best and most illustrious of his race
The most affectionate of friends,
faithful of servants,
and best of creatures.
He made the tour of the globe, and a voyage to Australia,
which he circumnavigated, and was ever the delight and pleasure of his fellow voyagers.
--Matthew Flinders

See http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/trim.html