The public fascination with the Titanic extends to nearly every aspect of the ship’s existence, including the animals aboard the massive liner. Historical records surrounding the maiden voyage in April 1912 provide a clear picture of the passengers, crew, and cargo.
The Direct Answer: No Official Cats on the Maiden Voyage
According to official records, no cat sailed on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. The ship carried a number of animals, including at least twelve dogs belonging to first-class passengers, a canary, and several crates of poultry. The dogs, which included breeds like a Pekingese, a Pomeranian, and an Airedale Terrier, were either kept in the ship’s kennels on the F-Deck or secretly housed in passenger cabins.
The absence of a cat on the final voyage is notable because most large vessels of the era maintained a ship’s cat for practical purposes. While detailed records confirm the presence of other animals, no feline companions were listed on the manifests when the vessel left its final port of call.
The Story of Jenny, the Shipyard Cat
The common belief that a cat was aboard the Titanic stems from the story of Jenny, a feline present during the ship’s fitting-out phase. Jenny was a tabby cat transferred from the Titanic’s sister ship, the Olympic, and served as an unofficial mouser while the Titanic was being prepared in Belfast. She was a familiar sight to the crew, particularly the galley staff, who often fed her scraps.
Jenny made her home in the galley area, where she was cared for by a scullion named Jim. Stewardess Violet Jessop, a survivor of the sinking, wrote about Jenny and her devotion to the kitchen staff. The cat gave birth to a litter of kittens shortly before the Titanic was scheduled to leave Southampton for its transatlantic journey.
The legend surrounding Jenny centers on her maternal instinct and a perceived premonition of disaster. The story suggests that just days before the ship sailed, Jenny was seen moving her kittens off the vessel one by one. She reportedly carried them down the gangplank and settled them on the dock, refusing to return to the ship. This action was interpreted by some, including a stoker named Joseph Mulholland, as a bad omen, leading him to also leave the ship before the maiden voyage.
Why Ships Had Cats: Maritime Tradition
The persistence of the question about a cat on the Titanic lies in the long-standing tradition of the ship’s cat in maritime history. For centuries, cats were considered a necessary part of a ship’s crew, serving two primary functions. Their most practical role was pest control, as they were highly effective at hunting the rats and mice that infested wooden ships.
Rodents posed a serious threat to a vessel’s integrity and supplies, chewing through ropes, woodwork, and contaminating food stores. Cats helped protect the crew’s health by controlling vermin that carried diseases. Beyond this utility, cats were valued for the companionship they offered sailors during months at sea, providing a sense of home and normalcy.
Sailors were often superstitious, believing cats brought good luck and protected the ship from bad weather. It was considered a sign of good fortune if a cat approached a sailor on deck, and harming a ship’s cat was thought to invite disaster. This deep-rooted tradition meant that nearly every large vessel, including the Titanic’s sister ship, the Olympic, had a resident feline.