Who said cats don't like water? Well, maybe they don’t like it, but they’re certainly not afraid. And these old photographs prove it. See how cats accompanied sailors on long and not so long voyages, entertained them on board and enjoyed the sea breezes. Some ships even had their own cat mascots!
How cats went to seaHow cats went to sea Sailor with a cat and a kitten, 1910. (Sam Hood)How cats went to sea A cat at the helm is no joke.How cats went to sea Cat in a hawse on the barque “PAMIR”, 1947.How cats went to sea The trained cats on the battleship USS Mississippi even knew how to climb up the stairs into their own hammock. OK. 1925.How cats went to sea Whiskey the cat is the mascot and favorite of the crew of the Duke of York, 1940s.How cats went to sea Sailor and kitten, 1912.How cats went to sea Sailors train a cat aboard the Olympia in 1898.How cats went to sea Melvin Vaniman and his cat aboard the Trent off Bermuda in October 1910.How cats went to sea A sailor with a black cat on board the Olympia, 1898.How cats went to sea Unusual crew members are a kitten and a turtle.How cats went to sea American pilots relax and play with the aircraft carrier's cat mascot in July 1944.How cats went to sea Cats play in the ship's guns. The photo was taken shortly before the First World War.How cats went to sea A sailor of the ship "Pommern" teaches a cat to walk on the shrouds.How cats went to sea Radio Cat, Boston, 1917-1934.How cats went to sea The important cat Walkle on the anchor capstan of the ship "Flusser" in Venice, Italy, 1924-1925.How cats went to sea This is the US Coast Guard Academy mascot, 1944.How cats went to sea French sailors with a kitten, Seattle, 1950.How cats went to sea Mascot of the battleship New Mexico named Saipan, ca. 1944.How cats went to sea The crew of the battleship USS Texas with a kitten and a puppy - the ship's mascots, ca. 1900 The Texas had earned a rather sad reputation as an unlucky ship, and the sailors apparently hoped to bring good luck on board in the form of these adorable four-legged crew members.How cats went to sea Kitten on the ship Aurora, 1914.How cats went to sea A veteran of World War II is the cat Puli, who received three orders and four battle stars. This photo was taken in 1959, when Puli was already 15 years old.How cats went to sea The crew (including the tailor) of the cruiser USS New York, ca. 1896.How cats went to sea There was so much tenderness on the faces of the sailors surrounding their beloved cat in a hammock on board the ship Hermione in November 1941.How cats went to sea Kitten on the yacht "Morning", 1902.How cats went to sea Seven-year-old Robin Tucker gives a kitten to the ship's crew at the 1939 World's Fair.How cats went to sea Black cat and spaniel on board the ship Barham, circa 1916.How cats went to sea Senior sailors J.T. Walker with his dog Shrapnel and Gamble with his cat Salvo on board the ship Sydney in 1940.How cats went to sea Sailors of the USS Nahant with two cats, ca. 1898.How cats went to sea Kitten on the ship "Encounter" in 1916.