--- title: "7 tales of heroism for cat people sick of all the military dog stories" date: "2018-04-02" modified: "2020-10-21" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/7-cats-braver/" categories: - "History" --- # 7 tales of heroism for cat people sick of all the military dog stories ![]() Dog people have had their day in the sun with the celebrations of the brave service of military working dogs across the web, including this site. But what about cat people? Where are the stories for them? --- No need to take your frustrations out on the scratching post. Here are the tales of 7 felines who have proved their mettle under fire: ### 1. "Acoustic Kitty" ![]() Acoustic Kitty is not the name of the cat itself, but the name of a $20 million CIA project intended to spy on the Kremlin and Soviet Embassies. A microphone was implanted into the ear canal of a cat, with a small radio transmitter implanted at the base of its skull. The first cat was thought to have been immediately hit by a taxi. CIA researchers concluded there were too many issues involved in training the cats and the project was discontinued. ### 2. Mourka, Stalingrad War Cat ![]() Not just present at the most pivotal battle of World War II's Eastern Front, Mourka was an active participant. Nicknamed the Battlecat of Stalingrad, Mourka belonged to the Soviet 124th Rifle Brigade. He delivered messages about German positions form Soviet scouts and carried propaganda leaflets to German troops. ### 3. Félicette the Space Cat ![]() Felicette, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Felix, was featured on French postage stamps. In October 1963, the year after the U.S. put John Glenn into orbit around the Earth, the French medical research center CERMA launched a black and white female cat 97 miles from Earth's surface, not quite reaching orbit. Félicette was the only cat ever in space and flew for fifteen total minutes before returning to Earth alive via capsule. ### 4. Mrs. Chippy, Polar Cat ![]() Mrs. Chippy was a tabby who met an unfortunate end during Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The expedition endeavored to be the first overland crossing of Antarctica. Carpenter Harry McNish's cat earned the respect of the crew after they watched in amazement as the cat walked the ship's inch-wide rails, even in the roughest ocean days. When the ship was destroyed, Shackleton ordered the cat and all the ships dog's shot. McNish never forgave Shackleton and told him so. Even though McNish built the boats that would return the crew home, Shackleton would deny McNish the medals awarded every other crewman because of his insubordination. A bronze statue of the cat was placed on McNish's grave in 2004. ### 5. "Unsinkable Sam" ![]() A veteran of the German battleship *Bismarck*, the HMS *Cossack*, and the HMS *Ark Royal,* [a cat named Oscar]() survived three sinking ships during World War II. After his sea service ended, he served the governor of Gibraltar before moving to Northern Ireland after the war. He died in Belfast in 1955. ### 6. Simon, Hero of Nanjing ![]() *Simon's resting place in Ilford, England. (photo: Wikimedia Commons)* The ship's cat on the HMS *Amethyst,* Simon was brought on board by a 17-year-old sailor in Hong Kong. The cat proved adept at catching rats (and leaving them as gifts for his fellow sailors). As *Amethyst* steamed up the Yangtze River to support British citizens [during the Nanjing Incident](), Simon was wounded when Chinese Communists opened up on the ship. Simon recovered and returned to duty, having earned the Dickin Medal for Animal Gallantry and the rating of "Able Seacat." He died in 1949. ### 7. Faith, the cat with the stiff upper lip ![]() *(photo: Wikimedia Commons)* Another British cat who served in World War II, Faith was the church cat at the Church of St. Augustine and St. Faith's in London's Watling Street during the Blitz in WWII. In September 1940, the church was hit by the Luftwaffe and completely destroyed. Faith protected her kitten, Panda, in the church basement and was found by rescuers the next day. The story of the cat who saved her kitten in the basement became a well-known symbol for the "Keep Calm and Carry On" attitude on Londoners during the Blitz. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()