Francesca Capozzi There are legends and deep mysteries that continue to hover over the Titanic. One of these stories is that of Jenny, the transatlantic liner's cat who reportedly saved herself from the shipwreck, taking her kittens with her. A sailor particularly attached to her would have followed her, a choice that secured his life
Countless anecdotes and legends circulate about the tragic sinking of the Titanic, and over 100 years later, they continue to be told today. Some of these episodes, though less well-known, have made history or nearly so, and the story of Jenny, the Titanic cat, is one of the most incredible.
It’s whispered that for her kittens and for a man aboard who cared for them, Jenny was a lifeline and brought them to safety even before the British transatlantic liner disappeared into the ocean depths on that April 15, 1912.
What for many was just a simple tabby cat became a solid point of reference for the Titanic’s crew, and not just for the task assigned to her. As was customary at the time, Jenny was chosen and brought aboard the Titanic to keep the rat population under control.
She entered the hearts of many and won the affection of the crew, particularly of a stoker whose name appears to be Joseph Mulholland. A native of Belfast and son of a sailor and a washerwoman, Mulholland joined the Titanic for the route that would take him from his hometown to Southampton as part of the voyage.
It was then that his gaze would meet Jenny’s, forging a sincere friendship with her. He gave her food when she showed up in the kitchen, even granting her more than a few treats so that the mother cat could properly nourish her kittens. Perhaps in her he had found peace.
It’s no coincidence that, according to what some sources report, Mulholland apparently had a distrustful attitude toward the transatlantic liner, a sort of premonition that would be confirmed by Jenny’s unique instinct.
It’s said, in fact, that Jenny left the Titanic carrying away her kittens one by one. This gesture did not go unnoticed by the stoker’s eyes. Seeing her abandon the ship, Mulholland reportedly decided to do the same and follow that animal who had been so close to him during the days of navigation.
Did Jenny really exist?
It was in this way that, according to legend, Jenny would have saved herself, the kittens, and also her human friend Joseph. A choice that would have ensured their survival. But did this really happen? Does this story have any truth to it?
Apparently yes, because Jenny’s figure as the ship’s cat/mascot is mentioned by several survivors of the shipwreck. One of these is stewardess Violet Jessop. In her travel memoirs, the woman provided several details about the Titanic cat.
From her accounts we know, for example, that the cat’s name was indeed Jenny, so further confirmation, that the animal had her own reserved spot where she rested and, last but not least, we know that Jenny would have given birth to her little ones in April before arriving in Southampton. This would have been her last destination.
Some articles appearing in the Irish News Global Edition would support this version, recalling that the specimen named Jenny was employed precisely as a mouser, therefore a means to chase away rats, on the route from Belfast to Southampton, the same one on which Mulholland operated.
It must be specified, however, that there is considerable confusion about the name of Jenny’s caretaker. References are also found to a certain Jim (who could correspond to the person Joseph/Joe Mulholland), described as a rather clumsy kitchen worker.
Whether this story is a legend or has some truth in it, the fact remains that the sinking of the Titanic caused not only the death of thousands of passengers, but also of many animals that were on the vessel before the tragedy.
Some of these, such as specimens of bulldogs or birds, were kept as pets, others served very different purposes. We like to think that Jenny with her sixth sense wanted to give her offspring a different ending from the one the entire crew would witness shortly. And we also like to believe that in doing so, Jenny saved her caretaker from the shipwreck.
Other documents would confirm that Mulholland worked on other vessels once he returned safe and sound to Belfast. If the legend should prove to be truth, he perhaps owes part of that to his Jenny.
