I have a weakness; a weakness for both airships and kittens, and while it might sound like quite possibly the most soggy-upper-lipped thing ever, I have an inexplicable desire to see the two united – kittens in airships, truly my dream.

So imagine my complete and perfect astonishment to read about Ms Kiddo, a mascot kitten taken aboard the airship America in 1910 in its historic attempt to cross the Atlantic in an airship! Indeed, the navigator on this most audacious of flights declared that “You must never cross the Atlantic in an airship without a cat.” – proving to be of more use than a barometer in warning against incliment weather!

But alas, the trip did not end well, even with kitten assistance, and after 71 hours of flight (a record holding time in an airship) and after travelling 2200km (1367miles) and with just 760km to go, they were forced to abandon airship, kitten and all, and were rescued by a Royal Mail steamship.  Kiddo and crew were hailed as heroes back in New York despite the shortfall, and Kiddo himself was shown to the public in a department store, with lovely soft cushions to recline on, and a gilded cage.  Kittens and airships – I must have been very well behaved to deserve that.