Hi, my name is Justin and welcome to the first post in the Gypsea Grounds travel blog! This blog includes travel stories and inspiration from the land, sea, and air, so let’s take a minute to appreciate one of my favorite travel companions, the domesticated cat. During my travels, I’ve had the pleasure to meet many house cats, semi feral cats, and working cats. Recently, while staying in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico, there were many semi feral working cats. It got me thinking, the domesticated cat has been instrumental in the evolution of humanity.
They’ve ensured the protection of critical food stores, a ship’s lines, and electrical cables from rats and mice, whether on land or at sea. Without the cat, disease would have run rampant, and advancements in culture, science, and faith would not have taken place. People in the Middle Eastern region and in ancient Egypt kept cats, and exported these working animals. The cat would keep pests in check and act as important weather soothsayers. Cats have the ability to detect pressure changes and keep mariners abreast of possible changes in the conditions while underway. Our sailing companions gave the peoples of the Middle East and Egyptians the ability to export their culture and spread key knowledge to the greater Levant and Mediterranean Sea. Throughout the growth of human civilization from Antiquity, to the Medieval Age, to the early Modern Age, and the current Modern Age, the cat has done it’s duty as a working animal, mascot, and companion worldwide.
A friend recently questioned the importance of cats and their contribution to the human experience. Cats are an essential crew member on a seafaring vessel because some vermin won’t fall for baited traps, or are too quick for rat terrier working dogs. A ship’s master is replaceable by an able first mate, but the crew would fall victim to starvation, disease, and the destruction of a vessels infrastructure without The Ship’s Cat.
Mrs. Chippy was the The Ship’s Cat aboard Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, on it’s ill fated voyage to explore the Antarctic in 1914. Captain Shackleton may have saved all the humans on board, but not The Ship’s Cat. Hounds that were brought in order to pull sleds to explore the area proved useless, outside of stealing sleep from the crew with incessant barking. They ultimately ate the dogs to avoid starvation, and Shackleton ordered Mrs. Chippy shot. This was much to the dismay of his caretaker and the ship’s carpenter, Harry McNish. McNish reportedly never forgave Shackleton for this injustice, and wouldn’t speak to him for the rest of the journey after abandoning the Endurance to the icy throes of the Antarctic.
Japanese sailors keep cats for their abilities and as good luck charms. Tri-colored calicos are particularly favored for their perceived good luck. You may recognize the beckoning Maneki-Neko cat found in many Japanese and Chinese restaurants, and is a tribute to them. Ernest Hemingway, himself a sailor, kept a colony of extra toed polydactyl cats at his home and estate in Key West, where you can still visit their descendants. Some military professionals that work in the field of bomb disposal hail cats as their mascot, because of their ability to land on their feet, avoid detection, escape danger, and lucky nature.
Cats have many important traits to teach travelers on land or the sea. These include quick reflexes and awareness of their surroundings. They also have the ability to be civilized, sociable creatures while indoors, while staying adaptable to a variety of outdoor environments. So, wherever we are in our journeys, may we keep the flexible nature of the cat in our spirit.
