The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-07
WOMAN'S LATEST LOVE.
The Cat Taking the Dogs Place as g
Pampered Pet.
From the Baltimore Americon

From the Baltimore Ansericon.
Yes, sir, said dealer in birds and ami.
mails to reporter, "the nose of the dog. as
a pet among women, is out of joint. 1t is
the cat now upon which they are lavishing
their care and surfeit of affection. You
know the fellow. l suppose, who wrote
| Every dog has his dayp Well, it is true
this time, if never before. Dogs are back
numbers now with the fair sex. Review
tle past few years. First, they were French
poodles made the objects of tender atten-
ton; then came the black and tan, next
the Sptz, after him the pug, followed by
big breeds like the mastiff. But where are
/ they nows Excuse me if l.drop into poetry.
| Like Silas Wegg, l enjoy occasionally
letting my feelings flow in verse; So when
l ask you, Where are they now3 an
swer:
| Ask of the winds that far around with frag-
ments strewed the sea.
| Just what connection existed between de-
posed canine and CasSabianca did not
| clearly appear to the listener but he main
tanned discreet silence upon the subject,
and delicately led the conversation in the
direction of felines.
As to the probable length of time the cat
craze would last, nothing cou be told.
| The passion was just in lis infancy, and
DrlnR
| up. Quite often beautiful Cat could be-
seen taking an airing with its mistress in a
| carriage, and uptown ladies were getting
more and more in the way of leading their
| pets out by silver chain for a little con-
| stltutlonal. The worst of this was that
when the. 9 was q meeting of two cats it
called for some dexterity and celebrity to
prevent what might prove costly collision
The sight of dog would also start kitty
| pell-mell for the nearest tree
Another thing affirmed as now notice
able was the frequent debut of some
pampered cat with an expensive blanket
over MS royal back, the late decline in tenn
perature bringing out such accessories
The result of 1t all is that the value of
dogs is going down and that of cats coming
up.
Later inquiry revealed that the fad for
cats had reached stage with many ladies
| where nothing would do but to have a
| photographer picture their four-footsd pos
Sc sions in different positions. At one
| gallery there was found an extensive col
| lection of magnificent photographs of the
cats of half a dozen ladies who were friends
| "They came in party" said tie operator,
| 'ann | will give tine cats credit for acting
| like thoroughbreds. They made no tr uble
and posed perfectly. One of the ladies was
| SO carried away with hers that she had abso-
| lutely written poem about him, and read
| it to the Others The jingle of one verse has
been running through my head ever since,
and from it you ca get an idea of the rest
1t goes like this:
Pussy went a-walkng,
And came to Eager street;
He heard funny numming
Below his little feet;
He began to Scamper,
| began to sing! Al
Bless ME did you ever
Hear OF such a thing?
"When heard it said to myself that
never did hear of such thing as the poetry,
but the others thought that it was lovely
or said so, at least"
| TIE second dip into a suggestion of verse
while investigating the cat question, seemed
| an almost positive conveyance that there
was an affinity between the two, and some
| serious reflections succeeded as to what
| would be the consequences II the cultivator
of every cat was moved by the lyric muse to
| action.
| One of the conundrums coming up as the
matter of cats and kittens was further con-
| sidered, was as to the best method of cor
recting a refractory pet and bringing it to
a realization of the error of its ways No
satisfactory solution of the problem offered
| itself, and the amiable owner of digni-
fed tiger" was asked to settle it. Her cats
name is Richard, and if one-half of the
| meritorious qualifications told of him are
| true, he and the "musca domestica" have
nothing in common together. His MEM
DRY in particular was dilated on as remark
| able.
Zone day. said the lady, Richard
| Jumped on a marble top table and slipped
| off the other side into dish of water. We
never have been able to get HIM near that
| table since. No matter ii moved into an
| other room, it is identified in his mind with
his unpleasant experience. and he shuns 1T.
| Then in one of the chambers there is a fox
| skin with the head, used as a rug. We put
| Richard down cefore it one day, and it
pretty nearly frightened him out of his
senses. He gave one look at the fox's
| face, and then rushed frantically down
| stairs Nothing can tempt him near that
room since"
docs he ever need punishment"
"Once IN a while, although be is pretty
good When he persists in being naughty
just take him across my knee, and, with
little stick, let him know, in the old-fash-
toned way, that the course of the trangressor
is hard
1t could not be learned among the physi-
clans that the services of any of the medical
fraternity had yet been called upon on ac-
count of indispositions among pet cats, and
none of them questioned seemed prepared
to say positively whether they would go or
not, if summoned.
would come from overlooking" said one,
Keep it hungry, and the health almost in
variably will be all right. There is nothing
| like dieting for both man and beast. 1t
would save taking a lot of physic if mo- of
| it were done"
1T is really astonishing" went on the
informant, "how the demand for cats has
increased since the weather began to get
cool The ladies say they are better be-
haved around the house than dogs, and,
when educated, are just as intelligent. The
tiger cot and Maltese are the favorites, al
though there are calls for other breeds
and colors,"
Leading the way to the back Of the store,
there was large cage in which there we're a
number of handsome, contented-looking
"tabbies"
When Intercepted about the prices for
choice cats, the pure-blooded Maltese were
said to be the most expensive. The real
article, it was claimed, was hard to get A
number of years ago they were quite
plenty, but through neglect to maintain its
purity, the breed had almost disappeared.
For fine one SIS would be readily given
by almost any lady wishing to buy. In
Northern Wisconsin is a town where but
few cats, except the Maltese, are owned,
and dealers are beginning to send there for
kittens. One lady was mentioned who,
personally went there to find just such cat
as she wanted.
GAS to the sex preferred" was the an