Jenny the Titanic Cat

For an animal notoriously known for hating water, cats have a long history of joining their humans at sea. They are mainly brought on board for their skills catching mice and rats, a practice that dates back as far as Ancient Egypt. Black cats, in particular, were seen by British and Irish sailors as a source of good luck for their journey. Although these cats were given “jobs,” many of them were loved and spoiled by the crew, as they were a great source of entertainment on long voyages. Several ship cats e

Jenny was transferred from the Olympic, Titanic’s sister ship, to the Titanic. She was one of the mousers on the ship, although there were likely more on board for such a large vessel. These cats were allowed to roam free around the ships and kept vermin away from the food supplies. Before the ship set sail for New York, Jenny gave birth to a litter of kittens. She set up her family by the ship’s kitchen, where the staff fed them all on scraps.

Jenny was the only feline passanger aboard the Titanic and she was allowed to roam the decks freely to help keep the rodent population under control. Jenny joined the ship while it was still in Belfast, and in early April 1912, before the Titanic departed for Southampton, she gave birth to a litter of kittens.