Almost every ship has its own cat, and yes, the infamous Titanic had one too, although eyewitness accounts of her fate vary.
According to reports, there were 12 animals on board during the disaster, predominantly dogs. Three of them belonged to crew members, while several others belonged to passengers. It is known that at least two Pomeranian spitzes and one Pekingese managed to get into the lifeboats with their owners (likely first-class ladies).
The Titanic's Ship Cat
She boarded shortly before her first and last voyage. Her name was Jenny, and she had previously sailed on the Olympic, the Titanic's sister ship. Although this is not directly related to our story, it is worth noting that the Olympic outlived her sibling and continued to sail for many years.
Jenny resided near the galley, feeding on scraps. She had no official owner, but she had a patron — in some sources, he is referred to as Jim, a handyman, while in others, he is identified as Irish stoker Joseph Malholland, who protected her in difficult times and showed her affection.
Jenny's story is full of uncertainty in other aspects as well. It is said that a week before the Titanic's departure from Southampton, she gave birth to kittens. Then the loading of the ship with supplies for the first voyage began, and the boarding of passengers — and it was at this moment, according to some surviving crew members, that she began to show signs of distress. These witnesses claimed to have seen Jenny carrying her kittens to the dock. There are rumors that Jim-Joseph, Jenny's unofficial guardian, noticed her leaving the ship, trusted her instincts, and also disembarked.
However, there are other witnesses who assert that the cat set off on the voyage with the ship. This is sad if it is true, as neither she nor her kittens were among the rescued people and animals. We can only hope that the cat's intuition saved her.
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