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Who is your favorite real life cat?
Mine is Faith. She lived in London at St. Augustine's church as a church cat from 1936 until September 28, 1948 when she died in her sleep.
Faith somehow knew London would be bombed during air raids in September 1940. She lived with Father Henry Ross, attended all his Masses. In August 1940 she had a kitten named Panda. September 6, 1940 she began bringing Panda to the basement and hiding down there. Father Henry Ross made a space for the 2 of them to be comfortable while down there. At the time no one knew why Faith insisted on staying in the cold dark basement, other than she felt Panda was in some kind of danger.
September 7, 1940 The first air raids started. September 9, 1940 St. Augustine's church was hit during the air raids. When Father Henry Ross got to the church the building was wrecked, debris & flames every where, the roof wasn't going to stay standing much longer. He dug through the debris to the place he was certain Faith & Panda would be. When he called to her. She meowed. He dug through the debris to get to her, he found her nursing Panda. Both cats were dirty but they were alive an unharmed. Soon after he got Faith and Panda to safety the roof collapsed.
If Faith hadn't insisted on hiding in the basement, hadn't called to Father Henry Ross when he came looking for her, she & her kitten would've died that night. Instead Panda lived his life as a nursing home cat and Faith continued her life as a church cat, attending every one of Father Henry Ross's Masses.
Faith was not able to be given a Dickin Medal like Simon of the HMS Amethyst because she was a civilian cat, not with the armed forces or civil defence. But on October 12, 1945 Faith was awarded a silver medal for courage. The Archbishop of Canterbury held Faith while Mrs. Dickin put the medal over Faith's neck. Faith is the first cat to receive a medal for courage.
An interesting thing about Father Henry Ross, he led Simon of the HMS Amethyst's burial. He kept Faith's medals with him.
If you go here:
http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/faith.html
You can read all about Faith, Panda & Father Henry Ross. You can see Faith's picture, a painting of Faith & Panda. You can also see Faith's tribute.
Mine is Faith. She lived in London at St. Augustine's church as a church cat from 1936 until September 28, 1948 when she died in her sleep.
Faith somehow knew London would be bombed during air raids in September 1940. She lived with Father Henry Ross, attended all his Masses. In August 1940 she had a kitten named Panda. September 6, 1940 she began bringing Panda to the basement and hiding down there. Father Henry Ross made a space for the 2 of them to be comfortable while down there. At the time no one knew why Faith insisted on staying in the cold dark basement, other than she felt Panda was in some kind of danger.
September 7, 1940 The first air raids started. September 9, 1940 St. Augustine's church was hit during the air raids. When Father Henry Ross got to the church the building was wrecked, debris & flames every where, the roof wasn't going to stay standing much longer. He dug through the debris to the place he was certain Faith & Panda would be. When he called to her. She meowed. He dug through the debris to get to her, he found her nursing Panda. Both cats were dirty but they were alive an unharmed. Soon after he got Faith and Panda to safety the roof collapsed.
If Faith hadn't insisted on hiding in the basement, hadn't called to Father Henry Ross when he came looking for her, she & her kitten would've died that night. Instead Panda lived his life as a nursing home cat and Faith continued her life as a church cat, attending every one of Father Henry Ross's Masses.
Faith was not able to be given a Dickin Medal like Simon of the HMS Amethyst because she was a civilian cat, not with the armed forces or civil defence. But on October 12, 1945 Faith was awarded a silver medal for courage. The Archbishop of Canterbury held Faith while Mrs. Dickin put the medal over Faith's neck. Faith is the first cat to receive a medal for courage.
An interesting thing about Father Henry Ross, he led Simon of the HMS Amethyst's burial. He kept Faith's medals with him.
If you go here:
http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/faith.html
You can read all about Faith, Panda & Father Henry Ross. You can see Faith's picture, a painting of Faith & Panda. You can also see Faith's tribute.