Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-03
All Glasses and Conditions of Felines
at the Shelter for Animals.
A VISIT TO TEE INSTITUTION
A Wonderful instrument Taken
Along for Experiments.
r EN- AR KABLE RESULTS

the rear of the small frame house at the
junction of 10th street and the Columbia
road was used for The high, implanted
board fence has wire netting extending
from it for several feet on the inside, and
at the back of the Enclosure is a small
building, from which a wire-covered yard
extends. good many people have thought
that some one was raising chickens there
on the incubating plan, but an investiga-
ton, which is well worth making, would
develop that the yard and the equipments
in the rear of it were intended solely for
the protection and safe keeping of cats. A
Star reporter made visit to this unique
but applaudable institution this morning.
His call was suggested by the following
Eotice received at this office:
Those desiring handsome cats or kittens
can apply at the Shelter for Animals Co
lumbia road, corner 18th street northwest.
They have number on hand that must be
chloroformed unless owners or homes are
found for them
lis this the cat hospital?" inquired the
reporter of a bright, pleasant-looking
young woman, who was attending to her
morning household duties in the small
house at the corner.
NO" she said, smilingly; there is not a
sick cat on the premises, but this is the
cats home. Come in
The Collection of Cats.
The reporter entered ana passed OUT iilto
the back yard, where he was received with
inquiring glances by numerous kittens,
whose climbing proclvities had not been
sufficiently developed to admit of their seal
ing the fence in the very small portion
where it was not guarded by wire In
hanging canopy.
There were kittens of al oolors, both sexes
ard all temperaments. While three were
playing in one corner of the fence two were
H. ho mil Ia
of the yard. There were thin kittens and
fat kittens; but with the exception of the
three jolly little fellows most of them wore
Il woebegone expression because they had
just passed through disinfecting treat
Hent for the destruction of the fleas which
had been their steady companions for some
time 1t may be remarked that the treat
ment in question did not eradicate the en-
tire population of fieas, because some of
them followed The Star man all the way
down to The Star office. That. however, is
rot of public interest in connection with
this story. At the back of the yard was
large space inclosed by wire netting, en-
tered through gate made of the same ma
terial, and in this were the older cats. The
little house at the right which opened into
this space was also populated with cats,
several of which in the building were nurs-
ing newly arrived families. These old cats
presented as great variety as the kittens
en- the outside. and there were as many
kittens in the wire-covered space as there
were out of it.
Superintendent Bradley
Mr.. Harry Bradley. the superintendent of
the institution, which is conducted under
the auspices of the Humane Society, talked
with the reporter about the cats, strokine
pretty tortoise shell animal as he con-
versed.
we nave good many calls for kittens
and young cats from persons who ar,
troubled with mice on their premises. or
who want pets for themselves or their
children, said Mr.. Bradley, but We have
a good many more calls from persons who
want US to come and take cats away and
bring them here. We answer all calls Of this
scrt at once. The great number of cats in
washington have cccasioned a good deal
or complaint, but it would be easy to keen
the supply down If the people generally
knew that they could have the kittens that
are so frequently born to household pets
chloroformed Immediately after their birth
bJ senctng us word so We could send an
attendant to do the work They usually
wait until the kittens have grown to a
good size and then send one of the children
cut to drown them, but the more humane
method would be to adopt the course sug-
sested. We do not get, except at long in
tervals. any specimens of the rare breeds
of cats, and only then when the animals
have become very bad tempered Or de-
crep1t. But, as you see, we have some
very pretty cats and kittens, which we are
willing to give to any one who will insure
them good home and proper treatment.
When the colony gets too large We chloro-
form the surplus. taking care to select only
the least attractive and valuable cats for
such disposal.
1.-The eats get along pretty well to-
sether.' he continued, but sometimes
they have lively fights, just like folks do
sometimes who live under the same roof
When old cats first brought here they
are very much frightened but soon become
accustomed to their surroundings We
ford then, sufIlripptly relieve Thorn f,f
great pests of fieas. and lots of them get
a great deal better care mere than they
got in their original home, reckon
a Test of the Vocatiscope.
Mr.. Bradley showed The Star man a very
large black cat with a bobtaH not more
than three inches long, who had been sent
there by it's owner two days ago. 1t was
handsome ANIMAL but was very much
frightened. Next to him was a beautiful
black and white, VINO kept one eye On the
reporter ard the other on ner kittens while
he was present. While the reporter was
examining this part of the premises two
young girls, enc carrying basket, came
out, and after looking over the cats Sc
lected very pretty Maltese kitten, tied
bright red ribbon around her neck, placed
her i'll the basket and departed, showing
every evidence of satisfaction. After The
Star man left Mr.. Bradley, who went to pre-
pare water i'll which to relieve his charges
of the Gisinfecting fluid to which they had
been compelled 10 submit in. company with
the lively objects it was intended for, he
brought into requiSition wonderful new
Invention of Professor Thomas Felinus
which is known the voca tiscope. 1t will
be remembered that Professor Felinus was
very much interested in the investigation
pursued by Professor Garner into the study
of the language of Sinians, more popularity
known as monkey talk, and Professor Fee
linus accordingly proceeded to undertake
to discover some means of translating the
meaning Of the language of cats, naturally
thinking it would be of more Importance
and of benefit to more people than the trans
lation of the monkey language would, for
the simple reason that almost every house
hold in Washington has one or more cats.
while monkeys arc confined largely to the
Zoe and the residences of certain music
makers who reside in Purdy's court The
vccatiscope worked to a charm. 1t is
needless to enter into a technical descrjp-
ton of the invention, as 1t would be TOO
scientifically abstruSe for the general read
er to understand. But it showed when
the cats began to talk that they possessed
vast amount of discernment and a high
degree of intelligence.
Sage Advice to a Young Cat,
One old cat, whose visage bore the crisis
cross scars of many midnight encounter.
and whose eyes had that blase expression
l..k