Ships have carried cats on board through the ages,they are easily adaptable to new surroundings and most importantly are natures answer to rodent control. There are many stories of seafaring cats,but the one I found noteworthy was Unsinkable Sam. Sam didn't start out with that name,he was originally known as Oskar,the German ship Bismarck's cat. When Bismarck was sunk Oskar was one of the crew that was rescued by HMS Cossack. Oskar (now Oscar) was again among the survivors when Cossack was sunk a few months later. He was taken to Gibraltar where he became ship's cat of HMS Ark Royal,again the ship was torpedoed and sunk with Oscar among the rescued. It was decided at that time to transfer him to a home on land. Along with his new job as mouse catcher at the Governor Generals buildings he received a new name,Unsinkable Sam. He was eventually returned to the UK and spent the remainder of his life in a "Home for Sailors".
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