it used to be pretty common for there to be cats on boats. they’d take care of any rodents who would chew on ropes or wires and spread diseases. sailors were also superstitious and believed that having a cat aboard would bring good luck! this belief passed on to their wives, who kept cats - especially black ones who were believed to be extra lucky - at home in order to keep their husbands safe when at sea.
another popular superstition? that if a cat came aboard it was a sign of luck, but if it only boarded halfway and then left, it was a sign of bad luck.
most ship’s cats are only found in modern times on private vessels, but they have roots going back to early history. one such example is the Vikings, who took cats with them on expeditions.
Anyone who has visited Rome and its antique monuments has also seen their four-legged residents: the many stray cats that bask in the sun amid the ruins.
The Roman ruins at Torre Argentina are an oasis in the middle of the city’s chaotic traffic. The site is dotted with the broken columns of four ancient temples. It was here, at a theater designed as a meeting place for politicians, and the same site where archaeologists at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) claim that it’s exact site where Roman general Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in 44 BC – which is now a Roman Cat Sanctuary for homeless cats.
Love Garden Sounds in Lawrence, Kansas seems like any other cool record stores. It’s been known for their cool stocks of various musical offerings.
Once inside the store, you might find yourself being stuck in there for a while not just because of browsing vinyls but also not being able to stop yourself from petting their purring employees/resident cats, Mickey Roy and Sam Cat.
