Were there pets at the first Thanksgiving?

November 26, 6:04 AMDC Pet Care ExaminerErin Paquette

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While driving home on the long winding roads that inhabit Northern Virginia, I couldn’t help but marvel at the untamed landscape that peeked through the fences as they gradually faded out of view. Looking at the rawness of the trees against a blue-gray sky turned my mind to the history behind the first Thanksgiving. Unlike me -- who was at that moment gently cruising along at 45 mph in a comfortable automobile -- the early settlers of America had little to their names except for kinship, a will to survive, and a friendship with local Native Americans.

But what if the Pilgrims had something else to ease the gloominess of their first winter and keep them laughing despite the grim circumstances that closed in on their hurriedly built homes?

If you haven’t guessed what I’m getting at yet, think hard about what takes away the gloominess in your own life. Concentrate on one of the things in your life that can make your face spread into a smile during the most impossible circumstances.

I am, of course, talking about pets.

While the details of how the first Thanksgiving actually played out has been hotly debated by anthropologists and historians, recent research shows that there were indeed pets at the first Thanksgiving. A recreation of the oil painting The First Thanksgiving by J. L. G. Ferris (see top) also supports this notion.

According to historical record, there were at least two dogs who accompanied the 102 people who sailed on the Mayflower to the New World and a new life and survived in the harsh landscape of the New World.

The The Times-Picayune says that “the two historic canines were mentioned due to their participation in early settler incidents in the new land. They were John Goodman's mastiff and spaniel. We know their breeds, but their pet names are not specified.”

It is also highly likely that cats were brought aboard the Mayflower to catch the mice and other rodents that would spread disease and spoil food if not, ah, ‘removed.’ (I know -- I just did an article about pet rats earlier this week and now I’m talking about their untimely demise! The world of pets is a funny thing it seems).

While there are no historical records of the cats that more than likely inhabited the Mayflower (do any other cat lovers feel this is unfair?), The Times-Picayune writes that “the first historical mention about cats in the New World was 14 years after the Mayflower landing.” Since historians and anthropologists feel that cats are not native to the United States, it is logical to deduce that there were cats on the Mayflower who went on to produce more cats to inhabit the New World.

The felines were noted in the historical record for their bravery of saving crops from squirrels. 

Remember, if you are sharing this Thanksgiving with your pets, be sure to check out our article about Thanksgiving pet safety to make sure that you and your pets can enjoy the holiday without any worries.

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If you liked this article, check out our article about Fun Turkey facts (before and after they become Thanksgiving dinner).

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