The Role of Cats during the First and Second World War
When thinking about war animals, we generally tend to think about animals such as horses or carrier pigeons. Whilst these animals certainly played their part, the heroic acts of the cat can sometimes go overlooked as a result. During war soldiers faced hardships and difficult times whilst stationed within the trenches, it was here that the comforting presence of our furry friends played a vital role. Within the trenches, cats were sought out to provide comfort, boost the morale of the men, and act as mascots amidst the troubles of conflict. Cats were seen as a place of solace for soldiers and provided them with a small piece of calm amidst the constant of war surrounding them. It has been reported that around half a million cats were sent to serve in the trenches!
As well as proving comfort, another important role that cats played was fending off rats and mice to keep the rodent population down, which as a result, meant they were protecting the soldier’s food. As well as this, cats were deployed as messengers, keeping important messages in their collars to carry between soldiers. This was famously done during the 1914 Christmas Ceasefire, where Felix the cat carried friendly messages, tucked in his collar, between Allied and German soldiers.
Our feline friends were also used within the trenches to detect mustard gas; they were able to do this exceptionally well due to their heightened sense of smell and abilities to detect the gas before humans. It was also believed that cats could detect bombs in advance, using their heightened sense of atmospheric pressure, thus saving many lives!
As well as in the trenches and in military barracks, cats also had another welcome home, on warships. Here they performed many of their important duties such as, providing companionship and fending off the rats and mice, that were at risk of otherwise overrunning the ship. Sailors also believed that having a cat on board the ship would bring them good luck and keep them safe whilst they were at war.
An example of this close bond between soldiers and their four-legged friends is Togo, the Persian cat. Togo was the mascot of the battleship HMS Dreadnought and was known for resting in the barrels of the ships main battery. Another brave kitty was known as Tiddles the cat. Tiddles served during the Second World War on a number of various Royal Navy ships. He was born aboard HMS Argus and later joined the crew of HMS Victorious. He often stationed himself on the capstan, where he would entertain himself and the crew by playing with the bell-rope. During his time in the service Tiddles travelled over an impressive 30,000 miles!
During their time in these wars, cats provided soldiers with love, care, and companionship. Their brave deeds led to lives being saved, food being protected, and soldiers having a friend, even in the darkest of times. Their courage should be remembered, alongside all the other heroic war animals who gave so much during the war.
Article by Lila Hamila.
A postgraduate History student currently studying at the University of Birmingham. The preferred area of study is Modern History and with a focus on the First World War and women’s histories. Currently writing a dissertation on societal views and attitudes towards religious conscientious objectors in Britain, during the First World War.
Thank you Lila for submitting an article for International War Animal Day.