They inhabit many of our homes and hold a dear place in our hearts, but did you know that our feline friends have historically accompanied explorers into extreme climates, defended valuable cargo, and even survived battle at sea? While the daring expeditions of seafarers have been well documented, those of their indispensable mousers and companions haven’t—until now. Michelle Fern is joined by Philippa Sandall, author of Seafurrers: The Ships’ Cats Who Lapped and Mapped the World.

Philippa and illustrator Ad Long have dug deep into original sources—including journals, newspaper reports, photographs, and more—to explain how cats became “domesticated” and how these notoriously water-averse animals ended up on ships in the first place.

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