The RMS Titanic’s sinking in 1912 remains a harrowing chapter in maritime history. While the human tragedy is rightfully at the forefront, whispers persist about another soul lost at sea – Jenny, the ship’s feline mascot and her recently born kittens.
Unlike pampered canine passengers, Jenny served a vital role. Ship’s cats were mousers, keeping rodent populations in check. Accounts suggest Jenny, possibly a transfer from the Titanic’s sister ship, the Olympic, was a familiar sight patrolling the decks. Some survivors even reported a surge in rats after the disaster, highlighting Jenny’s effectiveness.
The mystery surrounding Jenny’s fate deepens when we consider conflicting stories. Some accounts claim she perished with the ship, a victim of the icy Atlantic. Others, including a surviving stewardess, depict Jenny giving birth to kittens shortly before the voyage. This heartwarming tale suggests Jenny, perhaps with her litter, may have been smuggled off the ship, a feat some passengers attempted with their beloved pets.
According to Catster, Jenny used to sleep near a man who cared for her and would give her kitchen scraps and affection. It had been Violet Jessop, the stewardess aboard the ship who survived, had written in her memoirs that Jenny was very affectionate and loved by most of the staff aboard the ship.
Wait! There is a popular myth, however Jenny carried her newborn kittens off the Titantic a week before it sank after the ship stopped in Southampton. A passenger is alleged to have seen the cat leaving the ship with her kittens, had a bad feeling and refused to reboard the ship.
The lack of concrete evidence fuels speculation. Was Jenny a stoic survivor or a tragic casualty? Did her feline intuition sense the impending disaster? These questions linger; a testament to the enduring bond between humans and animals.
While Jenny’s story may be shrouded in the mists of time, it serves as a poignant reminder of the countless creatures impacted by historical events.
As for the 12 dogs reported to have been aboard the Titanic, there were three survivors: two Pomeranians and a Pekingese.
One tragic story of a dog owner tells of first-class passenger Ann Elizabeth Isham. She had boarded the Titanic with her beloved Great Dane and refused to leave his side when the ship began to sink. Ms. Isham was confirmed to be one of only four female first-class passengers to lose her life in the sinking; her body was found frozen at sea, still clinging onto the body of her faithful dog.
The Catster
That terrible day ended up with 1,500 losing their lives along with countless other pets still left unrecorded. May they all be resting in peace.
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