Episode 2: The History of Cats on Ships by The Untitled History Podcast

From as early as 7000 years before the common era, we have evidence suggesting cats served alongside humans on ships. This isn’t just in a civilian capacity. As long as there have been warships, cats have served on them around the world. This is a tradition that has extended well into the modern era. At least 12 cats are known to have been present at the D-Day landings in June 1944. There were almost certainly more felines present in those critical early hours than dogs. Cats would continue to have an official presence on Royal Navy vessels until they were officially banned in 1975, and just how rigorously that ban has been enforced remains a question sometimes today. Individual ship’s cats have sometimes been the subject of articles, videos and podcasts. What’s often not covered in detail though, is why cats were so important on ships, and how ships throughout the ages managed their presence. So today, in this episode, we’re going to explore both the history and logistics of one of the most critical elements of naval history - the ship’s cat.