Animal instinct - A tale retold

Most people know the tragic story of the Titanic, but few have heard of Jenny, the cat who lived on board and was perhaps the only one who sensed what was coming.

Jenny was no ordinary cat. She was the Titanic’s official rat hunter, brought aboard to control the rodent population. During the ship’s sea trials, she gave birth to a litter of kittens and was lovingly cared for by a workman named Jim Mulholland.

Jim prepared a cozy nest for her and her babies near the galley, warmed by the boiler. He even shared scraps of food with her during breaks. The quiet routine gave her a sense of calm amid the chaos of preparing the most luxurious ship in history for its maiden voyage.

But something strange happened.

A few days before the Titanic set sail from Southampton for New York, Jenny’s behavior changed. She began to get restless. Then—without warning—she began picking up her kittens one by one, gently grabbing them by the neck… and leading them out of the boat.

She walked them down the ladder over and over again, until all the kittens were safely on dry land.

Jim stared. And in that moment, something became clear.

“This cat knows something… something we don’t.”

Trusting his intuition—or perhaps the woman’s intuition—Jim packed up his things and quietly stepped off the boat. He never returned to the ship.

The Titanic sailed without him.

We all know what happened next.

Years later, Jim, now an old man, told the story to a journalist. He credited Jenny with saving his life. His instinct—old, silent, and unwavering—may have been the only real warning anyone ever received.
Sometimes heroes don’t wear uniforms.

Sometimes they have fur, whiskers, and a knowing heart.

🐈 *original post of Betty Nurbaety