Kickstarting A Statue To Honor The One and Only Space Cat

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sergethew/a-statue-to-felicette-the-first-cat-in-space

Félicette was the first, and only, cat in space. Now Matthew Serge Guy is hoping to erect a statue in her honor in Paris.

Many of us are familiar with Laika, the dog who was the first animal to orbit the earth in a ship. However, if you’re like me, you might not be aware of Félicette.

While it is fun to imagine these animals enjoying an incredible view, it is important that we remember that they were animal test subjects.

It’s also important to note that Félicette, alongside many other animals that have braved space travel in the name of science, was ultimately an unwilling participant in this experiment. For this mission alone she, alongside 13 other cats, experienced arduous training prior to the mission and it eventually took her life. In that respect, this statue should serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by all animal astronauts throughout the Space Race.

If this kickstarter reaches its goals, we’ll see a sculpture created by the talented Gill Parker. There’s only about 2 days left on the campaign and they’ve got a bit to go.