St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-08
CAT CONVENTION.
Solo Arttsts from the Back Femce-Felines
Of High and LO,c Degree.
Philadelphia Times

Philadelphia Times.
Early. yesterday morning boys with gy-
rating bags on their shoulders and men
with baskets that emitted strange sounds
were hurrying into Horticultural hall, adding
to the feline family gathered in the "Nation-
al Cat Congress- to be exhibited for week
under the auspices of Frederick Kyle, of
Boston, whose abilities as Snowman impair
italy include cats and dogs and babies. The
attendance was large throughout the after
noon and evening and there were many
family parties, including numerous children.
Three tables extended the length of the hall
and there were double rows of cages, with
wire screens and sliding panels at the back,
in which the cats were confined. The cages
were numbered and in some cases scraps of
the cats history were written on cards and
posted up. AS it was the first day most of
the cats were shy and SUNK in the back of
the cages as much out of the way as posi-
bic, but some of them were playful and
friendly. A few were dangerous and, with
fur erect, spat and flew at every one who
approached them. Nearly all the floors of
the cages were carpeted and in instances
where cats had filters of kittens, cushions
and other comforts were provided. Early in
the day catnip was scattered in all the cages,
which appeared to delight the Mr.. Thomases
ann Miss Tabithas and they rolled around in
it gleefully. Twice during the day they
were fed with raw meat and milk, and at
tendants were also going around continually
to see that the cages were kept clean.
CATS FROM FAR REGIONS.
Besides the cats belonging to the exhibitor
there are entries from all over the country,
many from Maine especially. Prizes are
offered of 800 for the handsomest cat, $40
for the heaviest, 500 for the largest and $50
for the finest litter of kittens. There are
many curious and interesting specimens
representing, all the varieties and nationali-
ties of the strictly domesticated animal and
of their wild and half civilized cousins There
are civet cats from India, many cats from the
Isle of Man, heavy whiskered bushy cats from
Siberia, fine-feeced specimens from Persia
and France, others from Thibet, and Anger
as and Maltese in great numbers. There are
$50 entered in all, but some of them have
not yet arrived.
A genuine wild cat of the coon species,
thoroughly untamed, is ON the way and is ex-
pected to arrive to-day. A six legged cat is
also en- transit by express. Among the Gu :
riosities the coon cat the rabbit cat and the
kangaroo cat bear resent lance to the animal
from which they derive their names. The
rabbit cats are of various colors, with a tail
only an inch or two long and at times they
stand erect like their namesakes and hold
their food in their paws. The coon cat is
generally black, with a somewhat shaggy
coat. The kankaroo cat generally rests on
his launches and has a cob tail and short
ened forepaws. Ghe manx cat, which is very
timid, has no caudal appendage at all. One
very ordinary cat in the collection has been
the mother of ffty-eight kittens, most of her
numerous progeny having found watery
graves.
No. Is is ten. year-old Tom, a superb
specimen of fine size. As cats live to be over
twenty years old, he is yetin his prime. No.
IL, ''Goldie," receives its name from its
rich marking. There are several tiger cats,
so named on account of their stripes. One
of the largest specimens, No. %, weighs II
pounds, but a rival is looked for to-day who
will go six pounds better. There are numer-
GUS sports of color. In one cage, numbered
103, there is a tiger cat and her grown young,
one of which is perfectly black. In another,
numbered 116, are male and female cat,
both perfectly white, with litter of kittens
all white except one. which is a thorough
tiger, striped all over No. 33 is a cookbook
my dullldl. Will SeNtH lOCS Oh each lOOU.
''ToRToIsE-sHELLs" IN VARIETY.
Scattered through the collection are many
fine tortoiseshell cats, their popularity being
that, so far as known, there is no male cat
of the variety in existence. At recent
show in the Crystal Palace, it is said, prize
of S500was offered for male tortoise-shell,
but none offered. lilly, very white and
not particularly good-natured Angora, is
60 hxy -.
puss in the catalogue. In the next cage to
her is Persian cat, imported six months
ago. natural curiosity, few cages dis
tant, is cat born with three legs.
Midway on the left-hand side is cage con
tanning male and female litter of kittens,
not one of them with blemish and all as
are the Calico cat, the zebra cat, and large
cat, originally singed in the
Pittsburg riots of 1874 and brought back by
the First Pennsylvania Regiment There is
also in the collection cat born in the Cen
tennial building in 1876. The nomencla-
ture is very curious. Two demure cats, both
large, one of which purrs and news contin-
ually, are called 'Moody and Sankeyn A
big, ferocious Boston Tom cat is named
''John L. Sullivan and cock-eyed, shrewd
old back-alley veteran answers to the name
of ben Butler A self-contained Maltese
with an arched neck and curl and general
ly "killing'' get up, answers to the name of
''Roscoe Conkling." In the same box in
which they were shipped, which occupies
prominent place on the stage, a Canadian
wild cat, partially tanned, and her litter of
kittens, are exhibited. 1t will be several
days before the collection will be complete,
but already an hour can be easily occupied
in making casual inspection