The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-06-18
Cats.

''cattery," and enjoyed ample opportunities for
familiarlzing himself with the pecu!iarities of
the genus FEDS has strung together the ensuing
anecdotes and theories, which bespeak kindly
consideration for very much soandalized quad.
ruped:
French cats are not called Puss, they are com.
monty called "Minnie !" and it is related Of late
eminent prelate, that while staying at French
hotel he had tried to call cat to him by calling
"Puss Puss " % he had been used he was in
formed that he must call Minnie !" he did so
and the cat came at once, extorting from the
bishop an exclamation of surprise 1t even the
very cats understanding French. .'. pa.
All sorts OF things are said about cats. Even
Shakespeare, who ought to have known better,
repeats the proverb which says they are afraid to
wet their feet; but is not true A cat probably
does not like to vet its paws but if an end is TO
be comprised, she will do it readily enough. We
know cat who would sit for hours together on
the cold lstones, exposed to the occasional drip.
ping of an old.fashioned water-butt, because
rats paw happened TO be protruded every now
and then from hole In the sink near by.
An nowd We viii prove that cats are more affec.
rionate than il commonly believed. We once
had cat that would run up stairs every morn.
ing, on being released from the kitchen, and Ed.
tering her masters room. leap upon his bed and
purr loudly to wake him. If this failed she
would bite him very softly, 90 As not to hurt
and repeat the nibbie until be opened bis eyes
and awoks; after which she would lie couteuted.
ly upon his pillow until be rose. They are CRATE
full for small mercies, and glad to get good
word from any one. How often We have seen
the sleek, shy, proud cat enter q room 70 show
it's last capture in the shape Of . large rat or .
mousse s1tsr t''e.- ueI- -" +'.'
Cats are uncommonly ssgacious, and they seem
at times to reason from cause to effect We re-
member one tom-ost fine, intelligent looking
fellow, and consequently . great pet who took
objection to his mistrass' working 90 much with
the needle having doubtless observed that when
80 engaged no notice was taken Of him. He &C.
cordingly hit upon the plan of stealing her house
cloth, and hiding it under the carpet; and this
practice he continued steadily until he was one
day summarily chastised. We have known sew.
eral cats which had taught themselves TO open
doors fastened by latch-s feat which certain.
ly is thought clever in Q dog. Sometimes, W.
admit, pussy steals but then she is 30 ingenious
about it that she ought to be forgiven One cat,
we remember, was very fond Of eggs, and having
noticed how they were broken, used to mount
tho dresser, and push until She got one ont Of
the basket in which they were kept; she would
then roll it of the dresser on to the floor, when,
Of course, il cracked, and she would lesiusely
devour It She gave great uneasiness to the ser.
wants until her sagacity was discovered, and no
one could account for the mysterious disappear.
ance of the eggs. '.,-'y ~
Every one knows how fond cats are Of their
young, although candor compsls rs 20 own that
some of them have an unpleasant knack of kill.
ing their kittens if disturbed soon after ltterng
AS q set-of against this we may cite the heroic
cat celebrated by carving on the church Of
Marlborough, in Willis. England. When the old
church was on fire a cat was seen to run up to
the belfry, where hor helpless brood of kittens
lay, and bear one IN her mouth through the blaz-
ing rafters which hedged them in, and though
dreadfuliy scorchcd the poor mother, in sight of
the crowd, repeated her journey until the last
little one had been saved. She died immediately
afterwards-scorohed to death. 4. t..r ..I..
A witch, who was generally poor, half-orazed
old woman, was proverbially attended by her
black cat and thus unintentonally no doubt,
an additional tribute was paid to the species,
which was thus shown to be capable of peculiar
and lasting attachment to the weak. the perse-
cpted and the friendless 1t is often SAID, to
show how inferior one creature is to the other,
that you cannot get cat to follow yeu like q
dog Well, as we before observed, their natures
are different but great difference can be effect!
ed by kindness in this respect. A young lady,
who lived in a very retired part of the country,
used, when at home for her holidays, to walk to
the village post Office for her letters. At such
times her cortege contested of two dogs and three
favorite cats, and these would accompany her
across the fields all the way to the village, dis.
lance of moro than two miles. Again, some
people declare that cats have only local, not per
sonal attachments. It is said, for instance, that
they will not remove with family to new
house but this notion most OF our readers can
contradict for themselves. Probably the idea
derived its chisf support from the remarkable
power osts have Of finding their way to their old
homes which power every one who has trisd 70
'loss" O. ost must have discovered. A. certain
gentleman onoe owned Q iavorite black cat, which
became affiicted with the mango, and having
made up his mind to drown it-(he would not
trust anyone else with the office OF sxesutiooer
but himself -enclossd poot Peter in beg with
several stones, aud carried him 70 o deep stream
ct considerable distance and threw him In. To
his masters horror, puss burst the bag 10 bid
strugglsa and swimhingt 10 the steep bank, oEept
into drain which discharged itself into To
stresm. His mater went home, much grieved
70 think what hstduhipS his uoor favorike might