Crimean Tom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 
The stuffed cat in the collection of the National Army Museum, London, purchased in the 1950s, that may be Tom
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| Other name(s) | Sevastopol Tom, Tom |
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| Species | Cat |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c.1847 |
| Died | 31 December 1856 |
| Resting place | National Army Museum, London 51°29′10″N 0°09′36″W / 51.486111°N 0.16°W |
| Known for | Leading British and French soldiers to food during the Crimean War |
| Owner | Lieutenant William Gair |
Crimean Tom was a famous cat who helped the British Army during the Crimean War. Soldiers found him in Sevastopol after a long battle. Tom was special because he supposedly led the soldiers to hidden food supplies. This helped many British and French troops who were very hungry. After the war, Lieutenant William Gair took Tom to England. Tom passed away soon after. His body was preserved and given to a museum. Today, a stuffed cat at the National Army Museum is sometimes thought to be Tom, but we don't know for sure.
Contents
Tom's Story
During the Crimean War, British and French armies fought to capture Sevastopol from the Russians. This battle lasted for almost a year. On September 9, 1855, the city was finally taken.
Lieutenant William Gair was a British officer. His job was to find food and supplies for the soldiers. He searched the basements of buildings in Sevastopol. One day, he saw a cat covered in dust. The cat was sitting calmly among the ruins. Even with all the noise and chaos, the cat let Gair pick him up. This cat, who was about 8 years old, had survived the entire long battle inside the city.
Gair took the cat back to his living area. The cat lived and ate with a group of British officers. They first called him Tom. Later, they named him Crimean Tom or Sevastopol Tom.
How Tom Helped
The soldiers were having a very hard time finding food. The city had been without supplies for a long time. The officers noticed that Tom was getting quite plump. They realized he must be finding plenty of mice to eat. They also knew that mice often live near hidden food stores.
So, the officers decided to follow Tom. He led them to an area blocked by rubble. There, they found a secret storeroom filled with food supplies! This discovery helped save many British and French soldiers from starving. Tom later guided the officers to more smaller hidden food spots near the city's docks.
After the war ended, Lieutenant Gair brought Tom back to England. He wanted to keep Tom as a pet. Sadly, Tom died on December 31, 1856.
Tom's Legacy
Lieutenant Gair had Tom's body preserved. He then gave it to the Royal United Services Institution, a military museum.
Years later, in the 1950s, a stuffed cat was bought at a market. Some people thought this cat was Crimean Tom. However, there is no real proof that it is the same cat. This stuffed cat was given to the National Army Museum in 1958. It is still on display there today. The museum cannot confirm if it is truly Crimean Tom.
Tom is also thought to be the cat in a famous painting. The painting is called A Welcome Arrival, 1855. It was painted by John Dalbiac Luard in 1857. It shows British officers opening packages from home. The cat in the painting is asleep on a table. Some people think the officer in the red coat on the left is Lieutenant Gair. But the National Army Museum says there is no evidence to prove any of these ideas.
See also
- List of individual cats
