The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-06-09
A TAME WILDCAT.
AnArizona Sheep Raneher Has Chosen a
Dangerous Pet

dangerous ret
A sheep rancher near Ash Fork,
Ariz., j II. Abshire, has discovered
that wild cats can be domesticated, and
are then as nice pets as any purring
Maltese or tortoise-shell tabby. He
has one that follows him everywhere,
acting as both protector and compan-
ion. 1t is a big, striped and spotted
animal, with glazing yellow eyes, whis-
kers like porcupine quilts and a tail
as glossy and sinuous in its windings
as any jungle tigers.
yellow did | happen to take wildcat
for a household pussy?' repeated Mr..
Abshire during recent interview.
TN tell you abodt it. | was herding
sheep one day. and was standing on
the top Of cliff. Looking down GA
ledge of rocks projecting from the
cliffs below, l saw a very large, fero-
cious-looking wildcat. She had tas-
sells on her ears, and was flashing her
tail from side to side and glazing at
me and growing angrily. I stood star
tied for minute, and not having a
gun was at a loss to know what to
do. I spied a huge Dowlder on the
edge of a ledge right over this cat,
and using all my strength l pushed it
over. She was too quick for it and
lodged. When l looked down again
she had disappeared.
Il concluded there must be a cave,
and perhaps a nest of kittens, so I lay
| in wait few minutes to see if the cat
would make her appearance again. l
was ready for her at this time. as |
had secured a lot of rocks and intended
! to shower them upon her. | did not
have very long to wait, for out she
came looking fiercer than before. l
let the rocks go, and that time there
were too many of them for her to
| dodge. One struck her on the back
and broke it, and after that l easily
| put an end to her. l then crawled
down the cliff a short distance and
| peered over as far as | could and dis
| covered there were two very small kit
| tens in the cavern. Their eyes were
not yet open. l made up my mind l
]
time to plan how to get them, as the
cliff was almost perpendicular. 1t
was with great difficulty that l finally
| captured my prizes. | took off my
coat and wrapped it around them and
started for home. When l reached there
laid them down at the base of a big
juniper tree. My large hound, Adam,
came bounding up, and, to my sur
| prise, seemed as pleased over my kits
as | was. He at once began to lick
them, and lay down beside them. The
kittens craWled over him and seemed
to think he was a good substitute for
their mother. | gave them sleeps
milk, which they seemed to thrive on.
They would lie all day under the trees
with the hound, and he would never
let my shepherd dog come near them.
They grew very fast, and we all be-
came very much attached to my strange
pets.
Sat strengthening time we drove
the sheep into Ash Fork, l packed the
burros and made a box for the wild
cats and dashed them on top. When
we reached town that evening l let
them out to run around the sheep
shed. While Adam was eating his
supper large dog came in and killed
one of the cats. Next morning as we
were passing down the street, with
Adam and the wild cat following we
created quite a sensation. Some peo-
pie were afraid of the, cat-others were
anxious to pet him, seeing me caress
him, but he objected to strangers and
| would arch his back and spit furiously.
while we were at a saloon near the
depot the passenger train came in.
Several of the Eastern tourists came
rushing over to the saloon for drink.
They just poured out whisky all
around when they turned and saw the
wild cat sitting there looking at them.
They started for the train on a run,
their whisky standing and not get
ting their change. l shall try to keep
him out of sight of tenderfeet after
this. l don't want to scare them to
death, but the cat is all right and the
finest net l have ever had. l wouldn't
part with him at any price. He is
death on coyotes, and keeps all those
sheep-killing rascals away from our
ranch. San Francisco Examiner.