The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-02-05
Curious Cats.

seems 20 NO '"inO niuu VI oil eplQenl
s among the cats in town, and j
i ;' his opinion that unless strict santa
~ precautions are taken at sonce, VIC
ara ~ liable to loose every feline net il
.hsejty. With the idea of ascertain.
inc the truth Of this statement, we Wis.
tied several localities last evening, and
attained the following information re.
sardiug the ''eatalepsyhippie.n
The First Systems.- MIR. Shelter
who keeps clearinghouse and cut
feed mill upon back alley, Informed
ns that he first noticed sometime
wrong with the cats a week ago. He
had twenty of these household pets in
his establishment, which he keeps for
the comfort of his single male dodgers
who, upon cold nights, take q cat to
bed with them to keep their feet warm.
No additional charge is made for this
luxury by Mr. Spelter. About a week
since 3 change in the demeanor of
these animals was observable. A younc
gentleman boarder was about to retire
for the night, and, as has been his ems.
tom since cold weather set in, called
upon the landlord to furnish him with
cat and candle. The proprietor
procured a candle, but upon reaching
10 under the stove for a cat, found
none there. He then began q search
for these living warming pans in the
pantry, and wood box, the bag of dried
peaches, and the oven; but the only
SIGN he could discover was circular
cavity or depression in a pan of bread
that been set to rise by the stove. The
result of the search was in vain. anil
the inmates of the house went catless
to bed that night. spelter says the
next day his pets all re-appeared, and
acted as if nothing had happened; but
about sundown change seemed to
have come over them. Their ewes i
turned green, and sounds began to |
eminate from the older animals similar {
to the more delicious strains of the Ital- {
ian opera. The younger animals also {
caught the operate infection. and the
entire feline tribe began to walk slow i
" around the room in couples, main 4
tanning very orderly behavior, bnt a
seemingly suffering extreme mental Fl
anguish, which occasioned the cries Il
they tried to repress. "All at once.n n
said Mr. spelter, "without word of g
warning. large, gray and white cat, G.
the Thomas variety, elevated the L
central vertebH Of his spine; his tail h
expanded like hOt-air balloon, and fc
with an exclamation that sounded for in
all the world like "Come boys! come u
heath" with the last word drawn ont W
Ike linked sweetness or sausages, re
plunged through the window, and was n;
followed by the other nineteen in rapid A
succession, so thatit seemed to q board kl
er.who happened to be standing out hi
side, as if one variagated cat, about gr
thirty feet long, and with twenty fails a
heated at regular intervals along its en-
spine, had jumped through the win so
dow. -. &C.. pu
Mr. spelter made every effort to dis W.
over this unusual behavior. but could or.
lot do so. The cats have now for sew yo
raj nights indnlged in these eccen- pu
Ticties, and it is the belief of their DO
wner that they are affected in some ed
tanner by the same atmospherical or.
nnses that have produced the horse
isease, though Prof. Bologna, the cell
brated naturalist and cat expert, de'
links it simply the pleasant even lies
rs and love of excitement that calls Sol
lem out. Hh H,. wa
Other Felines Affected--A visit to for
her parts of the city developed the ma
ct that some peculiar complaint is clio
rt'inly raging among the cat tribe, cen
else they are enjoying unusual good thl'
alt and an exnberrance of animal you
lrlts just now. Housekeepers tell we
that cats who have long since ar Tin
red at the age of discretion, and have a c
en- exceedingly domestic in their any
oits heretofore, now prowl around But
house after dark, and utter cries wit
at would cause sewing machine Cou
emit to weep, and skirmishing is con- up;
',aally going on upon the house tops ana
other available spots, whereon sing
$50 adlmals love to indulge in teeth SHIN
Toe nail contests. The prevail gott
sentiment among the cats seems to pers
. desire to rather fight than eat, you
!, as consequence, the rats have TINS
'ome so bold in some localities as to llarl
70 things all their own wav One enjo
tIIesman, whose mendacity is un- stan
's'lonnable, assures us that he saw a You
es OF cat fight in his back yard the clou
er night, where. upon ovsfer cans resti
ks and othpr afoynt;,,, t cedU