this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2025
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Two ship-mascot cats being held while their ships are repaired, WW1, 1918 (infosec.pub)
submitted 3 days ago by PugJesus@piefed.social to c/historyphotos@piefed.social
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[–] Paradachshund@lemmy.today 2 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Wait do ships have mascot cats???

[–] tal@olio.cafe 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Wikipedia: Ship's cat

The ship's cat has been a common feature on many trading, exploration, and naval ships dating to ancient times. Cats have been brought on ships for many reasons, most importantly to control rodents. Vermin aboard a ship can cause damage to ropes, woodwork, and more recently, electrical wiring. In addition, rodents threaten ships' stores, devour crews' foodstuff, and can cause economic damage to ships' cargo, such as grain. Vermin are also a source of disease, which is dangerous for ships that are at sea for long periods of time. Rat fleas are carriers of plague, and rats on ships were believed[a] to be a primary vector of the Black Death.[2]

[–] Paradachshund@lemmy.today 3 points 2 days ago

About time these cats started pulling their own weight 😏

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