The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-31
ALL ABOUT Tables.
ANENGLIsH ARTISTS LONG STUDY
OF THE FELINE WORLD.

freaks, Proverbs, Prize Taking
Points, Shows, Anecdotes, Etc.
From the st. Louis Republic
Many years ago Mr.. Harrison Weir, an
English artist whose special work is the
daineation of animals, induced the manag-
ors of the Crystal Palace to hold cat show
IN London. The exhibition was popular
srccsss. and has resulted in many similar
shows and the formation of an English cat
club. Mr.. Weir has observed many cats of
his own, and has large collection of cat
literature, including numerous scrap-books.
His volume, "Our Cats and All About Them,
Their Varieties, Habits and Management;
and for Show the Standard Of Excellence
and Beauty Described and Pictured" is
unique and exceedingly entertaining.
In Mr.. Weir's opinion cats are extremely
beautiful and graceful, and quite as domes-
tic as dogs. Their work in keeping down
vermin is probably far more important
than is generally realized. Their temper is
likely to be gentle and loving, unless they
have been abused; and that they are often
abused simply for being cats, is well known.
Their powers of observation are remark
shle and they often show more intelligence
than dogs-as, for example, in manipulating
lstches and locks of doors, and in pulling a
door when pushing does not answer. Mr..
Weir noticed hite cat at the last CRYSTAL
Palace show that repeatedly tried to pull
hack the bolt Of its cage with its paw, yet
pretended to be asleep the moment it found
il was observed,
Cats will sometimes share with other cats
the love of master or miss.1ess, but as a
rule they are Jealous, and show this feeling
bv leaving the room. They often go to
meet their master at his regular hour of
returning home, yet omit this on Sunday,
even if the master is absent. ''And again,
how well cat knows when it is luncheon
time He or she may be apparently asleep
on the tiles or snugly lying under bush
basking in the SUMS warm rays, when it will
look up, yawn, stretch itself, get up and
move lesurely toward the house, and as the
luncheon bell rings in walks the cat, as
ready for food as any there" Cats seldom
bite. If cat uses its claws on a persons
hand-which it will scarcely do, unless it
has been teased or ill-treated- hand
should be pushed forward, not drawn back
ward, the foot thus being closed and the
claws rendered harmless. 1t is well known
that cats will travel long distances to re-
turn home. They sometimes form attach
ments for other animals. and have been
huONl w AOehA AdODlloy puppies,
hedgehogs and even rats, and they can be
trained to respect the lives of pet birds.
Once Mr.. Weir built house in the coun-
try, and for the sake of the birds decided
to keep no cats. Soon the premises were
overrun with rats and mice, and sleep was
banished. The rats killed the chicks aud
ducklings, and even spoiled the grapes.
Three cats used to farm life were procured,
and then, as Mr.. Weir relates: "My chick
ems and ducklings were safe, and soon the
cats allowed the birds to be fed il front of
the window, though could not break them
OF destroying many of the nests. l never
noticed more fully the very great use of
the domestic cat than on that occasion. All
day my cats were indoors, dozy, sociable
and contented. All night they were on
guard outside, and doubtless saved me the
lives of dozens of my young things"
the long-haired cats, artistocratic pets,
once called French cats, are of several vari-
eties-the Russian, Augora, Persian and
Indian. 1t is a curious fact that white
cats, especially those with blue eyes, are
make are unregulated and very disagree
able. The only thing to do with such cat
is to give it to a deaf person. A fine
Angora cat is worth from 45 to 410 in
London. The Angoras are great pets in
Asia, their native region. A beauti-
full specimen shown in Brighton was
white with black tips to the hair
As the white could not be seen
until the hair was parted, the effect was
marvellous. The Persian resembles the
Angora, though the hair is coarser aud tail
longer. The favorite color for a Persian is
rich. deep black, with orange-colored
eyes; and next in value is the light slate or
blue color, sometimes verging on light
purple or lilac. The long-haired cats, as
rule, are more attached to places than
persons, and seem less gentle, observing
and intelligent than the short-haired varie-
ties.
What is known as the royal cat of Siam
is one of the most admired at the exhibit
tons The author says in form, color, text
ure and shortness of coat, it is widely
different from other short-haired varieties,
yet its mode and habit are about the same.
1t is fond of the woods, and does not suffer
much from damp or cold weather. 1t is
docile and domestic, but delicate in Eng
land, being subject to disease like trich-
lnosis. The pure breed is found only
at the court of Siam, and a specimen is
extremely hard to obtain. 1t is said
the king of Siam will not part with one of
the male cats under any circumstances.
1he Manx cats, peculiar to the Isle of Man,
are tailless, or nearly so. They have gait
like that of the rabbit, and run and turn
awkwardly. The Manx crossed with other
varieties often has tailless progeny. There
is a tallless breed of cats in the Crimea, and
tne Madagascar cat has a tail only half the
ordinary length. and So contorted that it
cannot be Strengthened.
- Inc wild cat is not yet extinct in Great
britain One was shot in May last in
!iaVerness-shire, on the Ben Nevis range.
!ts dimensions were: From nose to base of
tall, foot IL inches; length of tail, 1 foot !;
night at shoulder, foot 2 inches. One
rom Sutherlandshire was shown alive at
t inc. first Crystal Palace cat show, in
IIod. by the Duke of Sutherland.
y was fierce and powerful animal,
olack and white fur, white breast and
yeliow-green eyes, rugged in build, with
png, curved claws. In 1871 and 1872
another British wild cat was exhibited by
, sae young Earl of Hopetoun, also some
iSittens descended from q wild cat and a
iSong-haired tabby, proving that wild cats,
HHyOrlds and the domestic cat can inter
Sleeu' But the intestines Of the domestic
saI are nine times the length of its body,
, wule those of the wild cat are but
Suiee times as long as the body. The
t nalslsh wild cat lives on animals, fish and
elios' eggs. When cats in England return
va ~ Wild life their offspring IN time show a
TSStuuency TO revert to the wild cat type.
IS IS great increase in the size Of offspring
y escaped domestic cats is attributed to
UNANIMOUSLY living on freshly killed, warm
s-ooued animals. Ireland has no wild cats,
40 .i narten cat being very different ami
,,,a,' IN spite Of all the crossing of tame
s, LII wlid cats in Great Britain, the wild cat