🇳🇴 On May 30, 1941, during World War II, the Norwegian merchant ship Rinda was torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Liberia. The ship sank rapidly, leaving its surviving crew struggling for their lives in the dark ocean. Thirteen crew members lost their lives, while 18 survived. After climbing into a lifeboat, the survivors realized that someone very special was missing: their beloved ship’s cat. Despite the danger and darkness, they refused to leave their feline companion behind. They rowed through the night, searching the surrounding water, until they finally heard a faint, desperate meow in the distance. The sailors immediately rowed toward the sound and discovered the cat, soaked and struggling in the sea. One survivor later recalled that they laughed and cried as they lifted the dripping wet cat into their lifeboat. On June 1, the survivors were rescued by the British armed trawler HMS Pict. The cat remained aboard the rescue vessel and was given the name Rinda, after the ship that had been lost. In the middle of a devastating war, when the sailors had lost their ship and fellow crew members, they still risked precious time to save a small animal they loved.

Mom has successfully created her own cat satellite. 🤣

🇬🇧 From 1909 to 1929, a tabby cat named Mike served as guardian of the British Museum’s main entrance in London. His story began when another museum cat, Black Jack, brought a tiny kitten to Egyptologist Sir E. A. Wallis Budge, who took him in. As Mike grew older, he became a familiar sight around the museum gates. He chased away pigeons and boldly confronted dogs that wandered into the courtyard. Though he was not particularly fond of strangers or being petted, the museum’s gatekeepers adored him and made sure he was well fed. Even after retiring from his duties in 1924, Mike continued watching over the entrance, becoming a beloved part of the museum’s history. As he grew old, the gatekeepers carefully prepared soft fish and meat for him when his teeth began to fail. On January 15, 1929, Mike died at around 20 years old. His passing was considered so significant that London’s Evening Standard and America’s TIME magazine published tributes to him. Sir Wallis Budge also wrote a special memorial booklet about Mike’s life. For two decades, one independent little cat had become as memorable to many visitors as the treasures inside the museum.