Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-12
GOTHAM'S CAT SHOW.
A Former Buriingtonjan Tells OF Feline
Fnncies and Feminine Eccentritics.
New York March g. 1896.

New York, March, 6, 1896.
To the Editor of the Free Press.
The writer, having been lured into Madl-
son Square Garden, by an enthusiastic ad-
mirer of the much despised and neglected
cat few notes gathered during an after
Moons visit to the cat show may be of in
| terest to your readers.
| When Mr.. James r. Hyde announced,
year ago, his intention of placing the cat
on exhibition along with the noble horse,
the knowing dog and the proud feathered
kind II excited u good deal of derision, and
naturally raised howl of Indignation
from the dogs But Tabby was permitted
to make her debut and has succeeded in
overcoming much of the public, If not dog
geral, prejudice.
| A visitor, on entering the building, nat
uraly expects to hear sounds that have so
often disturbed his slumbers and rufiied
his temper; but instead of the catawauling
of the Gagged felines one hears (only from
the ladies. of course,) such ordinations
as: BLESSED little Tootsy Wootsy"
Sweet precious pussy!" You darling
fuzzy wuZzy!' etc.
A large 3O-page catalogue of entries con-
tains II rules and regulations, a few of
which read as follows:
| Competition Is open to ALL" "A charge
of $500 will be made on every cat enter
cd" IAN address label, with a metal
number, must be attached to the neck or
ribbon of each cat Exhibitors of cats
may If they wish, take them home each
day, after the close of the show, on the de-
post Of $500 with the manager, which de-
post will be forfeited If the cat be not re-
turned by o'clock each morning" 'Ex-
hibitors wishing to remove their cats for
the night, will bring basket for that pur-
pose"
numbers of each cat are given, and in
some cases the pedigree Is noted. They
are classed under the general divisions
Short haired cats and Long haired
cats" and further classified according to
color.
Glass reads:
Color to be rich brown or dark grey,
striped or spotted with black--no white.
First prize $500 Second prize si.00.No 1,
Nicodemus years, I months Price $500.
This is the highest priced cat shown, the
next in value being black and white An
CORA Matilda" with Ave kittens. Price
marked $500 Kittens 500 each.
Another handsome Tortolseshell was
valued at 5000. Fifty dollars was consid-
cred a very low price for a pedigree cat,
though large number whose ancestors
were unknown to fame were marked as
low as $500.
The exhibit comprises about 200 cats and
kittens, of every conceivable color; many
really beautiful animals that are worth
going blocks. II not miles. to see.
Some Of the exhibitors have chosen odd,
not particularly appropriate names for
their cats. Here are few:
"Bsmark." Victoria" Moses" "Grov-
or Cleveland" "Trilby." "Svengali,"
"Chlmmy Fadden." Purity Parkhurst."
"Razzle Dazzle" odd Man" ELLEN Ter
ry," and Rider HaEgards she" Two
Manx cats with long hind legs like a rab-
bitt. and tailless, are appropriately named:
THE Manx Man" and The Dcemster."
IL iron cnpps are DroVi1p1 wit
home comforts" and some are extra
vagantly furnished with plush cushions,
silk rugs and lace curtains. A largo num-
Der OF exhibitors are women, and they
know the good points of a cat as well as
an expert horseman knows his favorite
animal
One Elizabeth. y. j.. exhibitor remark
ed in our hearing that short haired cats
were the "best for utility" while another
Informed us that she had the only silver
grey pedigree cat in this country, claim
no one venturcd to dispute.
middle asyel spinster, who had appar-
entity lavished all her love upon a hand
some white Angora, remarked boastfully
that 1.-THE strong point about her boy was
his whiskers." which were indeed long and
POINTED, giving a ferocious aspect to this
rare speciman.
A sallow dyspeptic looking matron who
styled herself a Homeopathic doctor
wandered around with a medicine case
containing as she expressed 1t, different
kinds OF medicine for different things"
ard when asked If she had many cases OF
sickness replied quite seriously that few
of the cats had colds. ana some were rest
less on account of the music and confu
sion, requiring only a few quoting pow
ders.
One cage had placard attached. read
ing: Detained at home by ilness' which
was the only serious case reported
The cage attracting the most attention
contained large tiger cat four guinea
pigs, a half dozen rats, canaries. doves
and other birds, all hudded together and
carressing each other, with perfect fear
lessness.
That the cat has more intelligence than
is generally supposed was shown by tho
exhibition of trained cats given by Madam
Sansoni. advertised as the only cat train
er in the world" Nearly all the tricks
PERFORMED by trained dogs were executed
with neatness and despatch" The ex-
hbiton which lasted through the week was
well patronized and the cat show will,
without doubt. become an annual attrac-
ton in the metropolis.
Truly the world moves and the cat is
coming to the front.
c. A KIMBALL.