Here’s a tribute to a few “pole-dancing” fire cats that I’ve featured in earlier posts, as well as some snippets of fire-cat stories that will be in my upcoming book on FDNY animal mascots (in other words, this is a tease…)
Posts Tagged ‘FDNY history’
The Pole-Dancing Fire Cats of Gotham
Posted: 14th July 2022 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Mascots, FDNY Horses/MascotsTags: Cats of Old New York, FDNY fire cats, FDNY history, New York City History, Pounce Cat Cafe
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1897: Dan, the Lifesaving Fire Horse, and Dick, his pal, of Engine 4 at Old Slip
Posted: 14th May 2022 by The Hatching Cat in FDNY Horses/Mascots, Horse TalesTags: Engine Company 4, FDNY history, Martin Cook, New York City History, Old Slip
When FDNY veteran Martin Cook received his promotion to captain of Engine 4 in 1886, the company received two horses, Dan and Dick. Even as the two horses aged, they did the city and the FDNY proud. Captain Cook often received offers to trade in his team for younger animals, but he always turned them down. According to the FDNY veteran, there was not a more reliable, more careful, or faster team of fire horses in America.
1910 and 1931: Happy and Pansy, the Cat-Saving Fire Dogs of the FDNY
Posted: 16th April 2022 by The Hatching Cat in Dog Mascots, FDNY Horses/MascotsTags: Engine 225, Engine 36, FDNY history, FDNY mascots, fire dogs, John H. Doherty
In 1910 and 1931, Happy and Pansy were two cat-saving fire dogs of the FDNY who ran into burning buildings to save their natural enemy.
1915: Bouncer, Nellie, and Willie, the Cats and Goat of Fire Patrol 3
Posted: 1st April 2022 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Mascots, FDNY Horses/MascotsTags: 240 West 30th Street, Cats of Old New York, FDNY history, FDNY mascots, Fire Patrol No. 3
Five years after their new house opened, the patrolmen were still without a mascot. They wanted one, but they did not want a canine mascot. As a salvage corps, the men of Fire Patrol 3 had an immense territory to cover—from river to river and from 14th Street to 57th Street—which made it impractical for them to have a dog trained to follow the apparatus to fires.
So, when the opportunity to acquire a proper mascot presented itself at a fire at Seventh Avenue and Twenty-Eighth Street in October 1900, the men acted immediately.
1903, 1936: The Dog and Cat Mascots of FDNY Engine Company No. 65
Posted: 19th February 2022 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Mascots, Dog Mascots, FDNY Horses/MascotsTags: Bide-a-Wee, cat mascots, dog mascots, Engine Company No. 65, FDNY history, New York City History
In 1903, one of the most popular dog-and-cat dynamic duos of the FDNY were Dan and Nickie* of Engine Company No. 65. Forty years later, Chappy and Henry the pole-sliding cat were the canine and feline stars of the fire company. Here are their stories and photos.
