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How 26 Cats and Vicks Vapor Rub Helped End A Marriage
A California couple in the 1930s called it quits for very strange reasons
Couples who exchange vows and get married intend to stay together for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, that just doesn’t always happen. All sorts of reasons are given for these falling outs, which can range from the basic to the bizarre. Veering into the far end of things was one California couple from nearly a century ago when 26 cats and Vicks Vapor Rub played a prominent role in their divorce.
The October 22, 1937 issue of the Santa Cruz Sentinel ran on its front page the story of Carl and Thelma Flach. The Santa Cruz residents had gotten married in 1929 but on February 25, 1937 filed for separation with the purpose of getting a divorce. It was the reason why that led to their dissolution becoming headlines.
Carl claimed that during the course of their marriage, Thelma adopted a total of 26 cats. She spent an inordinate amount of time preparing their food and making sure each feline had significant attention and petting. During the winter months when the Central Coast of California rains a lot, she applied Vicks to the chests of the cats and dressed them in miniature sweaters.
