Daily Republican., 1889-10-03
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CATS.

A cats love for home is freely ad-
mitted by all who understand the ami
NAL. Cats, as rule, are not fond OF
fitting; but that they are fonder OF the
house In which they dwell than Of kind
owner cannot be admitted. A cats liking
to its home Ia not to be wondered a. when
we consider that, as rule, she lives
when out of doors under social ban;
all who meet her want to kill her--the
breeder OF pigeons, the man who Keeps
rabbits or chickens, the individual who
owns a garden, the boy and the butchers
dog. But she has mastered ali the outs
aud ins Of her home, and, like good
general, has studied all the arts of de
fence and retreat so that the latter, at
least, 10 never cut of. She may be sun
ming herself IN neighbor's aeranium
bed, apparently at his mercy as he ap-
proaches with stick behind her back.
Yes but there 10 wall quite handy, and
pussy can get over 1t like lightning. The
bit of brick the school boy throws at her
as she walks along q parapet misses, and
size is off before he can aim again.
The butchers terrier flies at her, she
springs through hedge and into tree;
the terrier makes sure OF her now, and
barks for master; but branch OF that
tree laugs near drain, and the drain
brings her out into field, and In fail
race the dog is nowhere. But on going
to a new abode she has 10 make all hel
plans afrtsl, so 1t is little wonder shs
loves the old one where she lived in qule
aud safety.
once had q cat which was my con
staut travelling COMPANION, and has jour
ncyed with me many Thousands OF mile
by land and sea. She always had bel
freedom, but never lost herself, even In |
strange town.
Perhaps In no way is cats true natur
better exemplided than in what | ma.
term her OWE private domestic arrange
ments. Tom is a most devoted husband
and Kitty Is the best OF mothers. AS TIL
cock pigeon takes charge of the mes
when the hen is abroad Tor exercise, s.
the female cat will often leave the lathe
In charge OF her young for hours ut
time, and most faithful guard h
makes.
Here is "a curious illustration OF this:
had two very beautiful pure whte Al
CORA cats some years ago. The female
not uncommon case with white cat
was stone deaf, and was killed ore nigh
by u Newfoundland. After q while Wild
owed Tom cOnsoled himself with tn
compauionship of = cat owned by
neIghbor. A most estimable person wa
this neigbbor, but did not understan
cats, SO she always turned them out
night. When pussy was TO have kitteI
she disappeared entirely, and was M
seen Tor couple of weeks. But som
thing SO began to disappear also-tf
lady's little ohickens-till out of twent.
two nineteen had gone, and the culpr
was my Persian Tom. Passing along b
the bottom of my kitchen garden or
day,I was surprised to hear kittens mev
and found between the two rows {
blackthorn q nest OF leaves with thre
wee kits in 1t. and close by Tom and th
neIRhbor's cat. There was ample ev
deuce that Tom had stolen the chicken
TO iced his wife, and stolen from b
wiie's mistress, too, sly puss that he wal
A curious thing occurred in Jerse
some few years ago. Two cats had xii
ten, at the same time, and one was spare
to each mother, the rest being drowned
In few days one of these died, and th
mother forthwith exchanged II for Ii
living one. She stole the living one ov'
and over again, aud finding at last tn;
there WAS an objection to her dong 81
Q, capped with 1t out OF the house, and rear,
it at the back oil hay-lolt.
Cat-and-dog life is an expression v
often here as illustrative of conjug
infeliclty. Yet it ia a fact well known
breeders of cats that they often becon
much attached to the household do
= I've seen q Newfoundland nursing
} kitten placed In his charge by the moth
till she should return IIom the fields.
= had black Persian cat and We
game Diehard terrier, who used co
!, Btsntly 10 go hunting in couple, al
, always returned cheek by jowl.
| Some years ago gentleman living ne
me had two office guards-one a roui
Scotch terrier, the other a fine lar
black cat. The latter was lost, or prot
bly, killed In the street; anu months we
r by, when one dreary, wet night the off
| keeper heard the terrier scratching
admittance. On the door being open
the little dog didn't come in at once, b
ran back, and presently appeared
company with q miserable, bedragglt
= half grown aud starved looking bla
kitten. Kindness and good feeding d
4 veloptd the creature into a splend
, fellow, and the terrier seemed quite
II | fond nj him a he had hppn of his form