Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-05-18
A WARNING.
Germs of Deadly Disease May Be Intro
trodUced by the Cat.

Germs of Deadly Disease May Be Intro
trodUced by the Cat.
Strange as 1t may seem, it is 8 we'll
known fact to medical men that domes-
tic pets often introduce serious ailments
into the house. A pet cat or dog which
mopeg, has hot nose, and in various
ways shows it is out Of health, should
be cared for at once, and should be
avoided By the younger members OF the
family. 1t Is & dangerous and cruel
thing to keep any animal about the
house which is not properly housed and
cared for, especially at night. The
most dangerous of contagious diseases
are known to be introduced into the
households by tramp cats, saws the New
York Tribune. The germs of the con-
tagIon are easily conveyed in the fur of
any animal, and many people be-
heve that these animals are subject to
a majority of the contagious diseases
of the human race. F. A cat has been
known to exhibit all the symptoms of
d1phtheritic sore throat, and ordinary
common sense requires that any cat
that has sore throat should be kept at
distance from the members of the
household. 1t is common thing in
our country to sheer at the domestic
cat, as though it did not have the same
right to protection and care that its an
Gent rival, the dog, has. In England
the case is different. There is an an
nual cat-show there, at which special
breeds are exhibited, and almost as
much attention is paid to the proper
raising Of the cat as to that Of the dog.
The cat-shOws Of this country, like baby
shows, have usually been mere farces
Of q dime museum order, and have sell
u flD0 4 -
an exhibit, for the reason that there
has not been enough attention given to
the care of these animals to furnish
material for such an exhibition.
There is fixed idea in the minds of
many people that a cat is incapable of
becoming attached to any one person,
and will invariably return to the place
whence she is taken. 1t is true that
her affections are harder to gain than
those Of the dog, but when they are
once gained she cannot be won away
by new master. Case after case might
be told where cats have not been moved
from one place to another by families
but have followed them, and after
months of separation have recognized
their old friends at the first call, and
evinced in every way their delight
at seeing them. 1t is a criminal
thing to keep an animal of this
kind to prowl about and get its living
where it may. A cat in the city
should have raw meat once a day.
A piece about the size of an egg will be
sufficient. A sleeps liver and kidney
will give her wholesome and sufficient
food for week. She viii enjoy a piece
of fish now and then in addition, and in
winter little Of any green vegetables
that you may have. In summer when
she can get green grass this is not neces-
sary, but q portion of green food is
essential at all times to the health ofthe
animal; and when deprived of it she is
quite likely to have fits. A cat will eat
asparagus, spinach and green peas in
their season, when they are cooked, as
eagerly as any member of the family,
and will dance around the stove at
tracted by the OdOr, demanding her
share while they are being cooked.
Pussy should also have a saucer of
warm bread and milk at each meal, in
addition to her allowance Of meat, and
should be fed from g clean saucer which
is kept IN the same corner of the kItch-
en- and washed regularly. Pussy is very
dainty if she is cared for, and will not
eat dusty, stale food any sooner than
her human friends. 4 dog will eat car
rion and requires il, but all the feline
race, will refuse any meal that is not
fresh, unless they are in q starving con-
dition. A cat should have soft
cushion IN a box to sleep in at night,
and notwithstanding the reputation the
race has for night-traYeling, she will
after slight training seek her bed at
early and regular hours every night.
It may be added that she will be
Just as happy if she is then locked
I'D.