# Does the U. S. Navy still have ship's cats?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-u-s-navy-still-have-ships-cats/722867
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 18, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-u-s-navy-still-have-ships-cats/722867 "2015-06-18T17:21:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-u-s-navy-still-have-ships-cats/722867/21 "2015-06-19T15:04:19Z")

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The Royal Navy banned animals in 1975. Before that there was a long tradition of ships cats and many stories are here:

> **[Purr-n-Fur UK | Cats in Wartime | At Sea - Ship's Cats](http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/featuring/war02.html)**
>
> Brief tales and anecdotes of cats involved with naval forces in wartime.

> [@](#):
>
> Sadly, since 1975 the British Royal Navy has banned cats, and indeed all animals, from its ships. It’s a far cry from the days of Louis XIV’s French Navy in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, when it is reported that all French ships were ordered to carry two cats for rodent-control duties.

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### Author: ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-u-s-navy-still-have-ships-cats/722867/22 "2015-06-19T15:57:24Z")

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> [@dougie\_monty](#):
>
> Related question: Do Navy vessels still use those rat - guard disks on the mooring ropes?
> 
> > [@susan](#):
> >
> > I don’t know, but at least some cruise ships do, suggesting that they may still be a good anti-rat device.

[This classic ship-size structure](http://untappedcities.com/2013/08/05/daily-what-sculpted-rats-nyc-graybar-building-grand-central/) in NYC still does. Rats everywhere trying to get in.

ETA: Actually, some have slipped through, nibbling as a team at the poles holding the disks.

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### Author: ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-u-s-navy-still-have-ships-cats/722867/23 "2015-06-19T16:08:08Z")

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Excellent rat statuary. Thanks.

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### Author: ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-u-s-navy-still-have-ships-cats/722867/24 "2015-06-19T17:04:37Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> […]
> 
> ETA: Actually, some have slipped through, nibbling as a team at the poles holding the disks.

That’s a foolish thing to do. Most likely the rodents will cut the line in two, landing in the drink.😛

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