Frontline battle cats: Meet Ukraine's surprising secret weapon | Frontline | Daily Mail

Anyone who has owned a cat knows how much comfort they can bring in difficult times. I wish these soldiers and their feline companions well.

My platoon had adopted a young crow. Discipline was expressed in gathered worms to feed the crow and happily done by the soldiers. He repayed us by scouting for us.

"Unlike people, they are not treacherous." Spot on!!!

The scores of people I saw carrying their pets to safety at the start of the war was something that really marked me. The way animals, farm and domestic, feature so heavily in the coverage of Ukraine—that and their sense of humour are the things which have really endeared the Ukrainian people to me.

Anyone who has ever had a pet recognizes their psychological value. The story of soldiers going 160 kilometers to recover a cat left behind doesn't surprise me a bit. Slava Ukraine!

All these cats should be immediately promoted to the rank of Colonel.

Cats are incredibly valuable working pets. They'll keep the vermin count down, provide some nice companionship, and can alert you to incoming without the wide area notifications of a dog. Anyone who's had a barn cat or just a reasonably outdoorsy cat knows what i'm talking about.

Animals talk directly to the heart and soul ...... So many of those soldiers will desperately need that. Bless all of them.

I'm glad these little animals can help the soldiers and the soldiers them. Its nice to see.

You have earned the cats trust if you can scratch its belly.

Oh sweet Dusia. You're doing a blessing of a job.

Как хочется, что бы война закончилась. И все эти ребята защитники и их животные вернулись домой целыми и невредимыми.

2:55 damn behemoth is a glorious looking cat

Ask one of those cats just how hard it is to supervise and manage a unit and do all the hunting. During my deployments, cats were very important in keeping me grounded. They also reduce disease by deterring vermin. We also had a Fox on base. When she had a kit, we named him Rommel (the Desert Fox). I wish I could post pics.

Thunder Company? Holy crap, she's a Thunder Cat!!

It's very reminiscent of ship's cats, a long naval tradition of keeping a cat on board as a mascot and a mouser. It used to be a really important position on the "crew" to keep mice out of food on old sailing ships, and the sailors could watch for when the cat's mood changed with the drop in air pressure that preceded a storm. And, of course, it was great for morale as a bonus. There are even famous ship's cats up to the first and second world wars. I hate for all these little critters to get caught up in this mess, but I'm glad they are able to comfort these brave soldiers.

I'm impressed by these soldiers. Listen to what they're saying obviously but look at the background. The trenches and hovels they're living in are clean and not cluttered. It shows discipline and hope against an adversary who was expected to just plow right over them. Compare that to videos from Russia and there's trash scattered about. It's why Ukraine is worth fighting for, cheering for and giving whatever we can for. They're a people of hope and not despair.

What a lovely story under such terrible circumstances for cat and human.

A kitty snuggle a day keeps the demons away.

Cats and dogs make the best morale officers.