The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-02-24
The Loves Of Soulless Things.

ness of the cat are only outnumbered b,
those sppertaining to the dog; thei
friendships are strong and enduring. Tn
Rev. F. D. Morris, in his Natural His
tary Anecdotes" cites a remarkable in
stance, communicated to him BY Mr.. E
Pollock, of Sligo, of a terriers rescu
by cat. A bulldog had seized a littl
terrier by the throat, and although heater
and hustled by a crowd of people, woult
not let go his hold. Suddenly cat tina
lived in the same house as the terrier, ant
was always fed with it, sprang through
the mob, and fastening on to the dog
head and throat, lacerated him SO Sc
verely that he was forced to let the ter
rier 60 Just as it was on the point of be
ing checked. BY kind treatment it wa!
ultimately revived. Strange to say, the
opportune deliverer had kittens at thu
time. yet, for her poor little friends SAKE
she risked everything.
Nearly every one can point to singular
instances of close friendships formed be-
tween dogs and cats, and some very re-
markable accounts of the attachments fol
other animals have been recorded in this
journal; but certainly no one can tell OF
more eccentric choice of companion
than that related by Jesse. the natural
list. The anecdote was told him by an
engineer of repute who, during nine
years residence in the United States, had
charge of the construction of some ex-
tensive works, one being the erection OF
q beacon in a river swamp. During the
progress of the work young alligator
was caught, and became the property OF
the engineer. This strange pet he tanned
thoroughly, so that it followed him about
the house like dog, even continuing to
scramble up stairs after him. 1t displayed
great affection for its master; but its chief
friend, when taken to New York, was a
cat. The attachment was reciprocated,
and nothing seemed to disturb the
friendship of the curious couple. When
the cat reposed before the fire the ALI
gator would place himself close to puss
and 60 to sleep. When puss CHANGED
to be away the alligator would become
restless and unhappy, but as soon as she
returned regained his spirits.
Mrs. Lee, to whom we are indebted for
many suggestive anecdotes of animal
q
friendship made by cat with a canary!
Both these creatures belonged to the mar
rator's mother-in-law, and, as presumed
" natural enemies, were carefully kept
apart. The bird was only allowed out of
its cage when grimalkin was shut out;
but one day, to the lady CONSERVATION,
she beheld the cat in the room, and the
canary perched on its back. However,
puss seemed friendly, and the bird fear
less; and so they were left undisturbed
for the while, and on several other occa-
sions disported together affectionately.
One morning. when they were in their
mistress bed room, the lady was horri-
fled to hear the trusted cat give howl,
and Selling the bird in her mouth, jump
on to the bed, where it stood, with brist-
ling hair, glaring eyes and stiffened tail.
AT this moment the lady beheld a strange
cat creeping into the room. She drove
it away; and as soon as it had disappear
ed her own faithful puss deposited her
little feathered friend upon the bed quite
suniniured, it having only been taken up
to preserve it from the claws of the in
trt.ter.
The Rev. F. o. Morris tells us of re-
maEkable friendship that existed on a
far!a near Leipsic between cat and a
chi ken. The four-footed comp; MON of
the bird was almost constantly with her
favorite, and guarded it from every dan
ger. When the chicken grew up, the cat
still remained on friendly terms with it.;
and when the poultry were summoned
for feeding puss always attended and
would not permit any of the fowls to ap-
prOach till her favOrite hen had first sat
isfied her appetite, after which they were
allowed to feed unmolested. Bishop
Stanley mentions a case of a poor little
kitten whose mother had been killed,
taking up its abode with some fowls and
their young, and becoming SO friendly
with them that sometimes it might be
seen playfully catching at their feet as if
about to bite them, while they playfully
pecked at their singular companion in
return. Sometimes the kitten would hide
behind bush or shrub, and then I'M
expectedly springing into the midst of
them without their displaying any fear,
and would purr and rub against their
sides. One particular hen, however, was
the kittens especial favorite, and every
day she would accompany it to its nest,
and lie down outside to wait for its re-
appearance.
One of the most remarkable instances
of cats friendship for the feathered
race is related by the late MIR. Kingston
in his "Stories of Animal Sagacity." In
a loft where puss was rearing her kittens,
a pigeon had built her nest. The bird
had frequently lost her eggs and young
through the depredations of the rats; and
this. it is surmised, had prompted her to
build her nest close by the cats snug
quarters. Puss offered no objections,
and in little while the two matrons be-
came quite sociable, feeding out of the
same dish. and displaying much affec-
ton for each other. The strangest part
of the matter was that when puss was
absent, the pigeon constituted herself
defender of the kittens, flying at anyone
who attempted to approach them, and
striving with beak and wings to drive
the intruder away. Subsequently, when
neither her own brood nor the kittens
required her further care, she was often
seen fluttering close to her feline friend,
when puss was making her excursions
abroad. Surely. no more marvellous in