The ship chandlery cat, 1903

By The Red Hook WaterStories team

“Next to killing a cat on board ships, is to maltreat a cat in a ship's chandlery. The ship chandlery cat is a beautiful specimen that is stroked by every seaman who comes in. Its function in life is to take care of the big rats that come from the ships across the street.“

Brooklyn Eagle, August 16 1903

A ship chandler is someone who sells supplies for ships such as rope, sails and paint. Rats and mice are inclined to chew through sail cloth line. Cats can keep them at bay

Date:

1903

Item Relations

This Item	is related to	Item: Bark Arrives, Battered, After Perilous Voyage. (Smutt has a Fit), 1913
This Item	is related to	Item: Chiclet, PortSide Ship Cat, thoughts on preparing for a flood
This Item	is related to	Item: Red Hook Kittens relocate to Saltsjobeden, 1932
This Item	is related to	Item: Olaf the Cat fell off a Ship and was Rescued, 1929
Item: Cat Escapes Watery Grave, Not Warmly Greeted by his Kind. 1904	is related to	This Item
Item: Yankee Tomcat Pirate, 1923	is related to	This Item
Item: Lion Scares in Erie Basin, 1921	is related to	This Item
Item: Wrecks in Storm's Wake, 1896	is related to	This Item

Subjects

Cats

Sources:

Brooklyn Eagle, August 16 1903

Published on Jun 26, 2016. Last updated on Sep 29, 2025.