The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-27
TRAINED CATS IN FAVOR
IN CITY HOMES THEY ARE TAKING
THE PLACE OF DOGS AS PETS.
Are CIeverer and More Anectionate
than Dogs, a Professional Cat
man Says-CIean of Habit, Too.

New York Sun.
In the show window of a bright little es-
Establishment in Sixth avenue, Just on the
border of one of the busiest shopping dis
tricts, there is usually to be found doing
IN the rays Of Indian summers distant sun
lazy Brazilian monkey in whose long,
motionless arms is affectionately squeezed
or cuddled a slumbering tabby cat. The
floor of the show window, being covered
with sawdust affords an excellent surface
for the gymnastic antics of dozen kittens,
foolish, absurd little clowns of all sorts and
conditions in the feline social scale and a
part of the stock in trade of the bright little
establishment, which, as designated by
golden sign above the door, is a Cat KIM
porium."
Once inside the visitor is real lilly con-
WINGED of the signs sincerity and appropri-
ateness. for the walls are lined from floor
to ceiling with small cages, through the
bars Of which peer blinking, yellow Sits of
eyes, surveying one with that disdainful
and altogether supercilious air which only
cats Of high degree or assured position in
the feline world can assume. Surging over
the floor, the old-fashioned counter and the
proprietors narrow desk in the one shad-
owy corner Of the shop is a flood of furry
juveniles. and the welkin rings from morn
ing to night with a pandemonium of spit
ting, walls, yowls, meows, love means and
the stentorian bowls Of belligerent chal-
lenge. Three or four monkeys brothers and
sisters, perhaps, of the sleepy chap in the
show window, from larger cage gaze out
upon the turbulent felines and exert them
selves desperately to capture the disporting
kittens as they fly past the bars.
The visitors entrance is usually the signal
for mad, concentrated kitten charge Pell-
nell they rush upon him, investing him from
every strategic point. They assault his
boots. They Chamber up his trousers legs.
They catapult him from the counter, hurl-
ing themselves upon his neck and shoulders
with frantic energy which soft purrs con-
vince the visitor is meant as a friendly well
come. But it is the work of some moments
for the proprietor of the emporium to divesr
brances.
Scat, little pests!i he orders, switching
here and there with his hands among the
clinging kittens. will you never learn
good manners in spite of your training?"
so you train cats, do your"
The proprietor answers the question with
a stare of mingled surprise and reproach.
of course" says he, "else why should L
call this place a cat emporium. cat is
the easiest thing in the world to teach
parlor manners. tricks and odd things in
general. he continues. sweeping the kit
tens out of the shop with broom and into
an adjoining room, the privacy of which is
guarded by faded tapestry hanging. Talk
of dogs-they haven't one-tenth the sense
of cats when rightfully taught and devel-
oped. And it's too bad folks have neglected
and despised the poor cat so long. He or
she's an intellectual creature, and when
cat learns anything it is never forgotten.
People are gradually waking up to the fact
of cats being SO smart, and as house
hold pet it bids fair to GUST the dog in short
order"
DEMAND FOR CATS.
els there a demand for cats at PRESENT."
asked the visitor.
Course, otherwise the emporium would
be failure returns the proprietor.
Everybody is buying cats nowadays, and
you might think it's odd folks would spend
money for such things when they are to be
had for the asking, but it is the high-class
well-bred and trained animal they want and
are willing to pay good price for. Com
mon cats are just like mongrel dogs. You
can get bunch of them for nothing at any
time But cats of superior breeds cost
money and some of them scrape close to
the $50 and even the 800 mark.
Here IS beauty the like Of which you
probably never saw before" says the pro-
prietor, unlocking one of the cages and
stepping to the middle of the shop. Just
you watch him when call his name. Come,
Instantly the unboted door flies back,
there is the swift shadow of a body in
transit, soft thud, and a singular looking
cat rests upon one shoulder of the proprietor
and rubs its head against his elevated chin.
The cat has large body and short legs,
but its most distinguishing characteristics
friil - '''---'~''o wy ''''~ 'N '''eO
the proprietor placing the animal on the
counter and running his fingers through it's
name, land there are very few like him
in this country. He is a most affectiOnate
fellow, too, despite the common story that
such cats never show any affection for peo-
pie. It's all nonsense, anyway, to say that
carts are not as affectionate as dogs. They
seldom exhibit as much love for a person,
because 1t is just as seldom they receive
any petting or attention.
But just to show you some more of the
things this Russian cat can do, species,
mind you, which people who profess to know
all sorts of scientific things about them, say
dignantly Just keep an eye on him as 1
speak. Ivan, what do you do when you want
milk?"
The big cat pricks up its ears as the pro-
prietor addresses it and replies by vigor-
ously licking its chops .
antly what do you think OF that for stu
pid cat. eh?,, He gives the Russian a small nal
then returns to its cage.
Never neglect to reward cats for the
proper performance of tricks, says the pro-
prietor, didactically 1T makes them eager
to learn and insures their constant willing
ness and obedience.
"a cat soon learns to answer to its name
and to come only when spoken to. I'll give
you a satisfactory proof of this, if you will
help unfasten a few of these cages" The
takes his position again in the center of the
shop.
"As call the PUSHES they will answer
one by one-Bess!' A sleek, well-cared-for
Maltese pushes open the door of its cage,
bounds upon the proprietors shoulders, and
then leaps agilely to the floor to disperse
q pair of rebelious kittens which have made
their way back TO the snop. He calls sec
ond third, fourth, and all of them jump
upon the cat man before dropping to the
floor for a seamper and frolic. That they
know their names is fully demonstrated and
the proprietor is delighted at the visitors
exclamations of wonder.
GAINING THEIR CONFIDENCE.
''ru tell you why I teach cats to jump
upon me from their cages" he says conf
dentially 'It impresses them at once with
the idea of perfect familiarity with me, for
as you have noticed. cats like to rub around
persons they like and who are pleased with
such attentions, but if they are repulsed it
Is hard to rid them of suspicion and fear
of the persons who cast them off. Even the
kittens, which are just as initiative as young
monkeys and take leaf out of the old cats
hook as / train them to do, when they are
too obstreperous for the shop and / want
TO get rid of them, ] never think or picking
them up in my hands and putting them out.
That would make them afraid of me, so
far as personal contact goes. So | keep a