
06/06/2025
In the 1870s, the city of Liège in Belgium conducted an unusual experiment involving cats as mail carriers.
As part of a test proposed by the Belgian Society for the Elevation of the Domestic Cat, 37 cats were trained to deliver messages in small waterproof bags attached to their necks. The cats were released in villages around Liège with the goal of returning home with the mail, similar to how carrier pigeons operated.
While some cats did successfully return—one in under five hours—the overall results were inconsistent, as the cats tended to follow their own whims rather than strict delivery routes.
Due to their unreliable nature, the experiment was never repeated.