Pets of the Titanic and Feline Survivors

A nod of appreciation to feline and human moms for Mother’s Day.

As every dedicated cat enthusiast knows, our feline friends have an uncanny sixth sense about danger – a survival instinct that has served them well throughout history.

Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the remarkable story of the cats aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic, particularly the apocryphal story the mother cat known as Jenny.

Jenny, the Titanic’s designated ship’s cat, displayed that mysterious feline intuition that continues to fascinate cat behaviorists to this day. As the “unsinkable” vessel prepared for its maiden voyage in April 1912, Jenny made a decision that would save her life and the lives of her recently-born kittens.

According to accounts from crew members, Jenny had been a familiar and welcome presence during the ship’s fitting and sea trials. Ship’s cats were common on vessels of the era, valued for their mousing abilities that protected food stores and prevented the spread of disease. Jenny had made the Titanic her home, comfortable enough to birth a litter of kittens in the ship’s galleys.

However, on the very day the Titanic was to depart Southampton, crew members observed Jenny systematically carrying each of her kittens off the ship. This behavior was entirely out of character – mother cats typically don’t relocate their young during the vulnerable newborn stage unless they sense imminent danger.

One steward reported seeing Jenny make multiple trips, carefully transporting her kittens by the scruff of their necks down the gangplank to the safety of the dock. The crew, many of them superstitious as sailors often were, took note but continued with departure preparations.

What makes this account particularly fascinating to those of us who study feline behavior is that it aligns perfectly with what we now understand about cats’ heightened sensory perception. While we cannot know exactly what Jenny detected – perhaps subtle vibrations in the ship’s structure, changes in air pressure, or even emotional cues from anxious crew members – her actions suggest she sensed something the humans around her could not.

Some cat owners report similar experiences during natural disasters like earthquakes, with cats displaying agitation or seeking hiding places minutes before humans feel the first tremors. Jenny’s story on the Titanic provides one of the most dramatic historical examples of this phenomenon.

Sadly, not all cats aboard the Titanic may have been as fortunate as Jenny.

Yes, there were pets on board the Titanic, though their presence wasn’t extensively documented in passenger manifests. Here’s what historical records do confirm:

Dogs were the most well-documented pets on the Titanic. The ship had a designated kennel facility for first-class passengers’ dogs. According to surviving records, at least 12 dogs were officially registered as traveling on the Titanic, though the actual number may have been higher.

Only three dogs are known to have survived the sinking:
– A Pomeranian belonging to Elizabeth Barrett Rothschild
– A Pekingese named Sun Yat-sen owned by Henry and Myra Harper
– A Pomeranian belonging to Margaret Hays

These dogs survived because their owners brought them into lifeboats rather than leaving them in the kennels.

As for cats, there are fewer verified records. While ship’s cats were common on vessels of this era for rodent control, the specific details about cats aboard the Titanic are more limited and often based on crew anecdotes rather than official documentation.

Some passengers may have brought smaller pets like birds in cages or other small animals that weren’t officially registered. First-class passengers sometimes traveled with various pets, and crew members occasionally had their own animals on board as well.

Unfortunately, most of the animals aboard the Titanic, particularly those left in the kennels, did not survive the disaster.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

For those of us who share our lives with cats, Jenny’s story serves as a powerful reminder to respect and sometimes heed the mysterious warnings our feline companions provide. The next time your cat behaves strangely for no apparent reason, perhaps pause to consider what they might be sensing that eludes your human perception.

After all, Jenny’s story suggests that sometimes, the wisest course of action is to follow where the cat leads.​​​​​​​