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Story
March 7, 1832
The Massachusetts Spy
Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
What is this article about?
In 1793, two cats in Messina, Sicily, sensed an impending earthquake and urgently tried to flee their merchant owner's home, prompting him to follow them to safety in the fields just before the quake destroyed the city, including his house.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Indications of Earthquakes. The following extraordinary anecdote of the sensibility of cats to approaching danger from earthquakes, is well authenticated.
In the year 1793, two cats belonging to a merchant of Messina, in Sicily, announced to him the approach of an earthquake. Before the first shock was felt, these two animals seemed anxiously to work through the door of a room in which they were. Their master observing their fruitless efforts, opened the door for them. At a second and third door, which they likewise found shut; they repeated their efforts, and, on being set completely at liberty, they ran straight through the street, and out of the gate of the town. The merchant, whose curiosity was excited by this strange conduct of the cats, followed them into the fields, where he again saw them scratching and burrowing in the earth. Soon after, there was a violent shock of an earthquake, and many of the houses of the city fell down, of which number the merchant's was one; so that he was indebted for his life to the singular foresight of the cats.
In the year 1793, two cats belonging to a merchant of Messina, in Sicily, announced to him the approach of an earthquake. Before the first shock was felt, these two animals seemed anxiously to work through the door of a room in which they were. Their master observing their fruitless efforts, opened the door for them. At a second and third door, which they likewise found shut; they repeated their efforts, and, on being set completely at liberty, they ran straight through the street, and out of the gate of the town. The merchant, whose curiosity was excited by this strange conduct of the cats, followed them into the fields, where he again saw them scratching and burrowing in the earth. Soon after, there was a violent shock of an earthquake, and many of the houses of the city fell down, of which number the merchant's was one; so that he was indebted for his life to the singular foresight of the cats.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Animal Story
Extraordinary Event
What themes does it cover?
Nature
Survival
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Earthquake
Cats
Messina
Sicily
1793
Animal Foresight
Survival
What entities or persons were involved?
Merchant Of Messina
Two Cats
Where did it happen?
Messina, In Sicily
Story Details
Key Persons
Merchant Of Messina
Two Cats
Location
Messina, In Sicily
Event Date
In The Year 1793
Story Details
Two cats belonging to a merchant in Messina sense an approaching earthquake and frantically try to escape through doors, leading their owner to follow them out of the city to the fields where they burrow; soon after, a violent quake destroys many houses including the merchant's, saving his life through the cats' foresight.