The Red Cloud chief., 1897-03-19
THE CATS OF THE sIENA.
A Paradise Of Feiincs IL Thls Old Itaiias
city,


city.
Strangers in Siena often speak OF ths
great quantities Of pet cats seen there.
At each doorway opening directly ON
the street sits "A pct cat, staid and ro-
spectacle, with u ribbon or some piece
Of color tied about her neck To show
that she belongs to a human family.
Workmcn in their little shops have a
eat to keep them company. sometimes
sitting on n low counter nj the window.
All are In reach Of any teasing hand.
but | never saw a cat chased or leased
In any way, and IL Is plain that they
felt perfectly secure and did not expect
any injury. Personally. | found them
unsociable. and that when | spoke to
them they took no notice and made
no reply, even when | learned an ltai-
ian word or two to say to them. They
were happy nj home, and did not need
to make new friends. In Naples there
are men whose business It ia 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
out from tho shops In all those crowd
cd streets to watch for dinner. I could
not imagine what was the excitement
among them that first day I was out
at that hour. Presently ! saw a part
OF the daily distribution on bustlins
Chiaja. There were cats there who
seemed to watch what was dealt out
to them critically. as II they intended
to make a complaint II their dinner
was not as good as II 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 " uncertain where to run to, I
remember a cat ! used to pass neal the
old Medici Church Of San Spirito. She
seemed to live On ono 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
tinued to look up as II watching her
friends or perhaps signaling to thou
that she was ready to go home. There
Is u special cat church In Florence, San
Lorenzo. the church I'm which so many
Medici are buried. ] don't know wheth-
er that family was particularly fond OF
cats or how It happened. but the clois-
ters Of San Lorenzo are reserved for
homeless eats, 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
animals are fed every day at noon
from scraps brought In by people In
the neighborhood, 30 l was particular
to time my visit ut noon. and was dis
appointed to hear that for some reason
the breakfast hour had been changed
to 9 n. 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 Enclosed
the green were IA dozen or two of thu
charity cats. Legend says they ar,
witches, who have consented to TAX,
this harmless shape. and to keep on
OF mischief. They were rather a dilap
dated looking lot. but still interesting
because all cats have a great deal Of in
d~ividuality, and. when possible, OF in
dependence also. | cannot envy thu
horses and dogs of italy. and c~ertainl!
not the birds: but II | had to b,
changed into an animal, / might choos'
to be an Italian cat.