Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-16
PUSHES THAT ARE HOMELESS.
Where Cats Find Refuge and Safety
From Boys and Dogs.

From Boys and Dogs.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
POTTSTOwN, PA. September 6, 1888.
In this town, where PREDETERMINED the
ology still casts a benevolent shade a
refuge for cats is one of the charitable in
situations. In this establishment all sorts
and conditions Of pussies are nursed and
cared for. irrespective Of age. sex or re-
ligion. A comfortable middle-aged woman
is the matron and physician in charge,
while a small girl is employed as assistant.
Boys are not allowed; they excite the cats.
So sympathetic is the matron's nature. so
tender and skillful her hands. that she has
a large outside practice in addition to her
hospital work. The worst MANNED cat Is
carried In a basket softly lined; little
kittens are conveyed to the institution In
the pockets of the superintendent, while
the wounded are bound UP with a magic
salve spread on rags. Broken legs are set
in splints while the animals. whose backs
are broken, are put out of their agony with
chlorofoTm and decently inferred.
Shy kittens are held by the nape Of the
neck while a dab OF butter Is put upon
each of their feet Then they are set down
in a corner to lick their paws and reflect.
By the time the butter and cheerful refiec-
tions are absorbed the little ones show re-
newed confidence in human nature by tro:-
ting up to the matron and demanding more
butter.
One room is entirely given up to the
hospital ward. Ingenious little hammocks
rest the broken bones and suffering bodies,
while a strong odor Of catnip fills the air.
But catnip is by no means the only medi-
cine employed. In fact, the matron as
ssrts that 1t serves rather as a tonic than
as an absolute cure. She processes TO know
much OF herbs and decoctions Of myster-
ious properties. Tiny kittens, too young to
lap milk, are fed by means of a glass eye
dropper. In the same manner catnip tea
g a rad IN ham fs ralara 10
be recommended for use by persons who are
Obliged to bring up motherless cats by
hand from extreme infancy. Convalescents
In the institution described are cared for
on a sunny porch, a wire netting prevent
Ing exciting visits from strange and healthy
cats in neighboring yards.
Through all this kind treatment the cat
nature seems to remain unchanged, not
withstanding the matron's assertion that
her patients are very ''huming in their feel
ings.' From time to time they make their
escape into the outside world through a
hole in the back fence. Sometimes such
adventurers are returned In the hospital
basket, one-eyed. no-tailed, and in one in
stance lacking paw. With tears in her
eyes the matron told of the tragic end Of
one handsome Maltese. which she had
brought up from kittenhood. Said she:
1T were a beautiful cat, but bad When
he got big enough he would squeeze out
under the gate and stay away nights There
We're a sick lady about a block away and
Tom would go and yell under her window
One night her husband got mad and threy
rock at him. 1t knocked him off the
fence, and he died"
The institution takes in boarders, though
with some reluctance, because as the
matron says. the boarding pussies gives
themselves airs and stirs w the other
cats" But the boarders pay well, and good
mousers are rented out, while manv cat
lovers relieve the home of pretty kittenY
The establishment was originally endowed
by an Old lady with a sum of money sufti-
Gent for its support, and IL receives occa-
sional donations. Small sums are con-
tributed by little girls who have been be-
reaved of beloved pussies, but the small
boys seem to send their pennies further on.