A heart-warming story reported in the Leicester Chronicle 23 May 1833. Although reported in our local newspaper the incident happened at the Derby County Gaol

 

 

In May 1833 a mouse and two young ones were caught in the lodge of Derby County Gaol. They were given to the prison cat, who had a litter of kittens. The cat was a rather celebrated keen hunter. She devoured the old mouse and the young ones were left with her.  Afterwards appeared her interesting situation had so powerfully awakened maternal feeling, as to overcome the natural ferocity of the beast of prey. The cat  adopted one of the young mice, which she suckled and nursed with the greatest tenderness with her own litter. On the following Monday the kittens were removed from the basket, and the mouse turned out into a passage. The cat took it into her mouth, and carefully placed it with her kittens again and the little creature nestled under the cat's belly perfectly devoid of fear.

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