The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-01-26
MISCELLANY.
CAT STORIES.


own offspring, they have also been known,
when deprived of their kittens, to adopt
young hares hedgehogs, rats and even chick
ems. The unusual sight of a rat and five
young ones in the same nest with cat and
three kittens has been seen in Edinburgh.
Tortoise cats especially are clever at
opening doors; others, deplorable poachers
on week days, become the very pink of pro
priety as soon as Sabbath-day comes around.
Besides being capital hunters and mole
catchers, others can fish, ring door bells, steal
cream and break eggs in most systematic
manner. But let the following anecdotes
given in Chambers's journal speak for them
selves
The cat that gravely laid a portion of it's
dinner IN front of monse-hole, aud then re.
tired to await the result, had surely some
thing in common with the human speculator
and quack, who does pretty nearly the same
thing through newspaper advertisement.
While black cats are supposed by the super
stitious to have some connection with the
Evil One, others make capital ghosts A
farm house in the north of England was
haunted by an invisible ghost, which for
considerable time had been in the habit of
ringing certain bell ; and the most lament
able results were about to follow, when the
farmer with the family Bible, and student
with bottle of whskeY. sat un all NIGHT
and etfectuaiiy laid the ghost. 1t was discov.
cred, very much to their satisfaction, that the
bell had been rung by Puss in her efforts to
seize the handle, which consisted of hare's
foot. Many people have heard of the plough
mans wise and affectionate cat Mysie. A
plcughman at the foot of the Ochls bad been
long ill-his home was in poverty--when the
doctor said the poor man would die if his
strength was not kept up by stimulants and
animal food. Let the sequel be told in the
words of the ploughman's wife sI put ava
my marriage gown and ring TO get him wine,
but we had naethiug In the house but milk
and meal. Surely, sir, it was the Lord him.
self that put 1t into that cats head for that
same night she brought In a fine young rab-
bit and laid it on the vera bed and the next
night the same, and every night the same for
a month. whites rabbit and whites bird,
till George was up aud going to his work as
usual. But she never brought anything hame
after that"
The ingenuity shown by cats in opening
doors is sometimes remarkable A large cat
in the country was in the habit of opening
the door for himself in the following manner !:
The handle of the door was one of the old
fashioned hooped kind, which required to be
grasped, and the latch pressed with the thumb
" He leaped GU to the Uindow-sill, which was
near the door, spraug from there, and caught
the hoop with his fore paw, and hung on until
he pressed down the latch with the other
this operation requiring considerable force
when the door swinging open, Puss dropped
to the floor, and quietly walked in" La a
like ingenious manner cat has been known
to open kitchen dresser door by working
the bar which acted as fastener around from
horizontal to perpendicular position, aud
thus gaining ingress.
A gentleman has a cat which gives double
knock at the street door when IL wants to get
in. The house has side door, which has the
upper panels glass, and the knocker is placed
below this, so that by standing on It's hind
legs it can reach the knocker. which it takes
hold of with both paws and gives regular
double knock. Visitors who do not know
Toms knock do not notice anything In 1t diff
ferent from that given by human being.
They are obliged to look pretty sharp TO see
that be is in before the house is shut up, as
he has several times returned home in the
middle of a cold night and knocked again and
again until some one has been compelled to
get up and let him in. Occasionally, when
the door is opened in answer to his summons,
he will stand purring for a short time, and
then walk away, as if be enjoyed the fun of
giving them the trouble for nothing
contributor says I'VE had horse,
which was kept in stable not far from the
house, and into the stable my man introduced
kitten, and a very close intimacy soon grew
up between the kitten and the horse. I have
often seen her on his back, which her equine
friend quite seemed to understand, and she
made her bed just under his manger, and we
have frequently seen them having bits of fun
together. The horse would advance his bead
toward her, when puss would put up both
her paws and pretend to scratch his nose,
which he seemed rather to enjoy and then
he would seize the grimalkin by the skin OF
her neck in his teeth, and lift her up, and
quietly drop her, only to repeat the game,
which both seemed to enjoy.
After while we sold the horse, where.