Interesting - Cats aboard ships who often went down with the ships

[packman]

The ship's cat has been a common feature on many trading, exploration, and naval ships dating to ancient times. Cats have been carried on ships for many reasons, most importantly to control rodents. Vermin aboard a ship can cause damage to ropes, woodwork, and more recently, electrical wiring. Also, rodents threaten ships' stores, devour crews' foodstuff, and could cause economic damage to ships' cargo such as grain. They are also a source of disease, which is dangerous for ships that are at sea for long periods of time. Rat fleas are carriers of plague, and rats on ships were believed to be a main spreader of the Black Death.

Cats naturally attack and kill rodents,[1] and their natural ability to adapt to new surroundings made them suitable for service on a ship. In addition, they offer companionship and a sense of home, security and camaraderie to sailors away from home.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship%27s_cat

[hlthe2b]

1. I'm no less saddened about the cats losing their lives so horribly than I am the humans.

but still, I'm glad they brought mutual comfort to each other in happier times.