Wichita eagle., 1889-02-12
PARADISE FOR CATS.
Pussy an Object of Great Respect In NJ
hammedan Countries.

Pussy an Object of Great Respect In Mo-
hammedan Countries.
All cats, says the New York Sun, are not
the wanton and rosterous animals that
nightly sit and MARBLE on your neighbours
fence. In Mohammedaa countries the cat
is an object of consideration and respect,
amounting in some parts of Islam to vener-
alton. For this worshipful regard among
the faithful tho cat is indebted to Moham-
med. Rather than disturb a sleeping cat
which had curled itself upon his coat one
DAY, Mohammed deliberately cut away that
portion of the garment on which the cat was
reposing. From that day to this the Mus
sulman world has regarded the cat with
veneration.
The Persians, particularly, are deferen-
tial in their treatment of the cat. / have
seen cats in Persia treated with an exalted
consideration that would have made the
famous Sun Office cat spit with envy
One day was the guest of Ali Khan, the
Hoil1im of Khoi, large city in Western
Persia. Soon after my arrival the noontide
meal was announced. "Bsmillah Sahib."
said the Ho;kim, and followed by several
counsellors in long gowns and snowy tur-
bans. he led the way INTO the dining-room.
of the floor. The Hoillim and his venerable
associates seated themselves, Oriental fash
ion, on the floor; l was provided with lit
tie stand table at one end.
So far there was nothing remarkable; it
was merely an ideal Asiatic dining-room
scene. The remarkable part was yet to
come; and come it did, very promptly, too.
1t came in the shape of five times as many
cats as there were human guests. In the
room were many open doors and windows,
as is usual in a Persian house As we en-
tered | noticed that several of the famous
long haired cats of the country were hover
ing eXpectantly at these entrances. Al
ready the number was sufficient to arrest
my interest Nobody took any particular
notice Of them, however but me.
Every moment another cat or two Jumped
airly upon one of the window shls. and
walked right in. IN less time than il takes
TO tell 1t the number had swoolen to twenty
or more, and before we were half through
eating should think the number was at least
doubled. The room. outside the dining
space, was literally alive with cats When
ever a servitor brought in new dish. or
took any thing away, he was followed across
the room by a swarm Of cats that trotted in
noiseless confusion at his heels Not meow
was heard, however, nor q quarrelsone
sound during the meal time. Every cat
held its tail aloft, and they passed the time
in silently moving about. They were the
most orderly and decorous lot of cats imag-
Unable. There was little or 10 disposition 70
overstep the bounds of propr;eties They
seemed to have acquired the stateiness and
politeness of the people with whom they
were essociating.
Neither the ''Hoikiu'' nor the counseliors
seemed to regard this remarkable scene as
any thing unusual. Whenever one Of the
cats ventured to invade the edge Of the din
ner cloth he would be gently. almost apollo
getically showed back The cats were fear
less and familiar Some Of them stroked
aud purrod against the venerable diners
backs. II was very evident that they had
never known what il was 70 receive blow
or rude rebuff at the hands OF man.
After dinner the servitors promptly re-
moved the remnants. The intruders prom
enaced the apartments awhile after the
feed was removed, and then gradually dis
persed as silently as they had collected
This was more cats than had ever seen to-
gether outside of cat show Owing 70
linguistic shortcomings, l could never make
ont whether they were eli pensioners Of the
konak or merely aeighborhood
cats. attracted to the official repast in this
manner every day
After this extraordinary introduction to