Cry "Havoc!"and let slip the cats of war

December 7, 2007 9:52 AM

Cats in Wartime on land, at sea, and memorialized. (With discussion of some of the most famous-- like Simon and Oscar.) Also, What Cats Know About War, previously on metafilter.

On previewing the post, Simon the cat previously on metafilter.

posted by dersins (13 comments total)

And another thing-- "Pussy Goes To War." [Safe for work, duh.]
posted by dersins at 9:53 AM on December 7, 2007

So they have cat photos on the internet now?

Nah, I'm just busting your chops. Good post. Thanks.
posted by ba at 9:59 AM on December 7, 2007

This is cool.
posted by drezdn at 10:18 AM on December 7, 2007

Ha, the noble feline cameo in the upper-left of your first link cracks my ass up.
posted by sciurus at 10:38 AM on December 7, 2007

i can has war?



-sorry.
posted by Atreides at 10:38 AM on December 7, 2007

On a more serious note, I think this is rather neat. It chalks up there with those traditions and cultures often found in wartime, but rarely referenced in anything more than footnote in publications. Cats in our present war, previously featured on the blue.
posted by Atreides at 10:43 AM on December 7, 2007

The nazi kittens there too?
posted by panamax at 11:11 AM on December 7, 2007

Unfortunately, they also served another noble purpose by feeding the starving victims of war and the soldiers that passed through bombed out cites or abandoned homes. My Italian Grandfather recalled the time all the stray cats in Florence virtually disappeared when the hungry refugees would pass through. Bless their little hearts.
posted by Viomeda at 11:28 AM on December 7, 2007

I bet those cats were hanging the warzone because they knew that there was a constant supply of fresh meat.
posted by Kattullus at 11:33 AM on December 7, 2007

I like how, in the first link, they apologize for potentially offending German readers with reference to WWII POWs, but the famous dog Nigger passes by without comment.

Also, sciurus is absolutely right about that upper-left cat.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:47 AM on December 7, 2007

This is a great post, and I had no idea that I could very well be typing this in German, if not for the odd tabby or calico.
posted by Danf at 2:04 PM on December 7, 2007

Wonderful post. I thought about putting an FPP together about Félix the space cat but I couldn't find much information.
posted by Sailormom at 2:33 PM on December 7, 2007

Awww, my favorite is the gender-bending Mrs. Chippy, Cat of the Antarctic!
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:06 PM on December 7, 2007