Cats as Stable Companions

There have been several racehorses who shared there stables with cats. The cats seemed to have a calming effect upon the highly strung thoroughbreds, with horse and feline often becoming inseparable friends. The famous stallion, Godolphin Arabian, had a cat companion. When the horse died, in 1753, the cat refused to leave the body, sitting on the carcass until it was buried. The cat eventually crept away to hide in the hayloft where it was found some time later... dead! George Stubbs included the cat in his famous portrait of the stallion. (right)

Other Cat-Loving Horses 

• Daunt, winner of the 1945 Derby, was inseparable from Ginger, a tom-cat.
• Fet, winner of Cesarewithch on three occasions, would not bed down if his companions - a goat and a black tom-cat were not present.
• Foxhall, another champion racehorse, allowed two cats to sleep on his back.

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