The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-03-26
THE CATS CT THE slENA.
A Paradise of relines Is This Old Italian

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Strangers in Siena often speak OF the
great quantities of pet cats seen there.
AT each doorway opening directly ON
the street sits a pet cat, staid and re-
spectacle, with a ribbon or some piece
OF color tied about her neck to show
that she belongs to a human family.
Wcrkmen in their little shops have a
cat to keep them company, sometimes
sitting on a low counter at the window.
All are in reach of any teasing hand,
but V saw a cat chased or teased
IN any way, and it is plain that they
1elt perfectly secure and did not expect
any injury. Personally, l found them
unsociable, and that when I. spoke to
them they took no notice and made
no reply, even when I learned an Ital-
Ian word or two to say to them. They
were happy at home, and did not need
TO make new friends. In Naples there
are men whose business it is to feed
cats every day at noon. People with
economical tables subscribe a small
sum to have their cats provided for by
the cats food men. The cats begin to
feel quite hungry about noon, and stroll
u from the shops in all those crowd
ed streets to watch for dinner. I could
not imagine what was the excitement
among them that first day 1 was out
at that hour. Presently l saw a part
OF the daily distribution on bustling
ChlaJa. There were cats there who
seemed to watch what was dealt out
TO them critically, as if they intended
TO make a complaint if their dinner
was no as good as it ought to be. In
florence the cats enjoy the freedom
they love; and never did I see one
chased, or looking timid and anxious
as II uncertain where to run to. l
remember a cat I used to pass near the
Old Medici Church of San Spirito, She
seemed to live on one of the upper
Hoors OF a tall house, and she could
only look up to her window by sitting
in the middle of the street. She would
never answer my greeting, but con-
tlnue to look up as if watching her
friends or perhaps signaling to them
that she was ready to go home. There
is a special cat church in Florence, San
Lorenzo, the church in which so many
Medlci are buried. I don't know Nheth-
er that family was particularly fond of
cats or how it happened, but the clois-
tiers OF San Lorenzo are reserved for
homeless cats, whether they come
there by themselves or are brought by
people who want to dispose of them.
| had read in my guide book that these
are fed every day at noon
from scraps brought in by people in
the neighborhood, SO I was particular
20 time my visit at noon, and was dis
appointed to hear that for some reason
the breakfast hour had been changed
to 9 a. m. There is a large, raised
green center in the cloisters, on which
grow some shrubs and trees: and.
asleep under the bushes or lettering
around the stone ledge that inclosed
the green were a dozen or two of the
charity cats. Legend says they are
witches, who have consented to take
this harmless shape, and to keep out
Of mischief. They we're rather T.. dilap-
idated-looking lot, but still interesting,
because all cats have a great deal of in
dividuality, and, when possible. of in
dependence also. I cannot envy the
horses and dogs of Italy, and certainly
not the birds; but if 1 had to be
changed into an animal, / might choose
to be an Italian cat.