The cat has been considered one of the most common and favorite pets for thousands of years. Naturally, there are those who are critical of their presence in the house or apartment, considering them practically useless compared to the same dogs. But cats and cats managed to prove that they are not just needed, but irreplaceable. And not just anywhere, but in the thick of hostilities.
The history of the participation of cats in wars is at least 2500 years old. And the first who decided to use the furry animals were the generals of the Persian army, which then fought with Egypt. It was a tactical move of genius in its simplicity, how to enter enemy territory without hindrance and practically without losses and move further inland. After all, the Persians knew very well that in the ancient Egyptian religion the cat was a sacred animal, and they brilliantly used this knowledge.
In ancient Egypt, there was a cult of the cat.
The soldiers of the Persian army simply opposed the enemy with cats in their arms. The Egyptians, for fear of harming the sacred animal, could not answer, and did not harm the enemy army. According to legend, this trick helped the Persian king Cambyses to conquer the city of Memphis almost effortlessly.
An interesting fact: the special status of a cat was legally enshrined in Egyptian laws: even for the manslaughter of a sacred animal, the death penalty was provided.
Cats helped King Cambyses to conquer Egypt.
It would seem that with the technological progress of recent centuries, only troops and equipment should be used in wars. However, there was also a place for animals. Cats and cats were still perhaps the best "radar" for alerting people to an air strike or gas attack. To this end, in the First World War they were kept in trenches and their behavior was closely monitored. This practice has saved many thousands of human lives.
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The cats lived in the trenches with the soldiers.
And the Second World War was not without cats. They were especially actively used not just anywhere, but in the Navy. According to Novate.ru, cats were frequent guests aboard submarines. Of course, they could hardly have prevented bombing in such conditions, but they coped with the "testing" of air quality quite successfully.
Fuzzies have found use in the navy.
Among the "warring" animals there are also real heroes, whose nicknames are even inscribed in military history. So, for example, the Belarusian cat Ryzhik lived near a battery of small anti-aircraft artillery and became their real talisman. The animal always accurately warned the soldiers about enemy attacks: half a minute before the raid, it began to growl in the direction from which it would come. Surprisingly, the cat successfully survived until the end of the war.
Radar cat Ginger.
But an animal named Simon "served" on the warship "Amethyst" of the Royal Navy of Great Britain. The cat was engaged in catching rats in the holds and was extremely courageous, not afraid of either the dark corners of the ship or enemy attacks. According to the sailors who served on the Amethyst, Simon was their moral support. The brave cat was even awarded the Mary Deakin Medal, Britain's highest military award for animals.
Simon the Cat is a hero of the British Navy.
But, of course, in the fighting, cats and cats did not lose the quality that they successfully demonstrate, sitting in a peaceful house on the lap of the owner - they bring peace. Back in World War I, doctors concluded that these fluffy animals are a good "anti-stress". Cats help to rehabilitate after injuries and illnesses, restore emotional and mental balance, and even easier to survive the loss of a loved one. And, as history shows, they brilliantly cope with this task both at home and at the front.
Cats help to recover from the horrors of war.
