The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-27

sible animals would. But in a short time
they became used to them, and when held
them up by the scruff of the necA, and faced
them up so they would have to knock
against each other, it was no time before
they were striking and punching at each
other as hard as they could. Soon they were
willing to go 1t alone and within TWO
months | had as good pair OF boxers as
ever held MILL
THE Angora cats are very difficult to
train, although they are now in demand and
bringing excellent prices The white An
CORA Is especially stupid, and there Is not a
brlndle running about the back fences ana
singing to the moon which hasn't more
sense in a minute than it has in year.
But, then, it is beautiful to look at and
makes a fir parlor ornament, so | suppose
IL VIII always be popular with those per-
sons who go in more for feline show than
they do for feline intellectual gifts.
Now, here is a cat whose character IS at
present the subject of some scientific dis
pute, so / understand says the proprietor
as he produces peculiar looking ANIMAL
from topmost cage 1t is unusually large,
with coat of varying light gray and dark
gray stripes, has long black nose and a
thick, bushy tail, which is marked with al
ternating black and gray rings.
THE COON CAT
''This is the coon cat" continues the pro-
prietor, land there are very few of his kind
in New York. In West Virginia and some
parts of Pennsylvania there are plenty of
them, and, in fact, any place where rae
coons and common cats abound there should
be a great many coon cats. But several
scientific cat men have come out and
claimed that the coon cat is not a cross be-
tween the raccoon and the cat, but is a dis
tinct species in itself. Besides this, one fell
low has gone up the State somewhere to
start farm for the raising of coon IS,
which he says are not coon cats. he
father OF this beauty was raccoon, and l
owned him. His mother was a cat and she
belonged / nave the d0cu-
mentS to prove my case.
Coon cats are worth from $25 to $50 on
account of their rarity They can be taught
many tricks, for there is nothing in the ami
NAL kingdom with more brains than coon,
and the cross between the coon and cat
seems to scoop in all the mental attributes
of both progenitors.
Are people willing to pay for trained
cats? Certainly. Many a person who comes
mere to get medium priced cat for his
home becomes interested in the antics and
tricks Of my expert stock and goes away
with high-priced puss in his basket Not
only that, many persons have called in to
price my monkeys (Which l keep more be-
cause they are initiative and unconsciously
inspire such traits in the kttens), but have
become more impressed by the cats and
have bought them instead.
Some of my Maltese stock I have trained
as ratters, and they can give cards and
spades to terrier dogs and beat them at the
game. / sell great many of them every
month to big mercantile houses which the
vermln have infested. Our prices? Any
cats trained 10 do tricks and parlor things
come much higher.
Cats are the cleanest animals in the
world. can keep one hundred of them in
the emporium without their becoming a
public nuisance, such as one-tenth as many
dogs would be- They are clean about their
eating, which certainly cannot be said OF
any dog that breatheS and, under no cir
cumstances, will permit their coats to be-
come soiled. Twice month wash my
cats in lukewarm water-that is, 1 have
them washed. for it would not do for a
trainer or handler who wants to retain
their affections to put such punishment
upon them as is water in any shape. We
have fat, shallow tubs in which they are
placed and secured by straps Their coats
are rubbed with carbohc soap and water
to prevent the accumulation of parasitical
insects. Wash day is a period of tribulation
around here. The cats know just as we'll as
| do when it comes, and then you ought &c
anticipation of the dreaded Wetting,
Underneath the emporium l have a
spacious cellar. In this the cats are allowed
to exercise twice a day in small parties
They do not like TO travel about in packs
like dogs, but select one or two felloW-crea-
! When they are turned into the cellar in full
force there is apt to be good deal OF
fighting, not to mention caterwauling
which can be heard half "a mile away.
It's remarkable to see the affection
which seems to exist between the cats and
monkeys" concludes the proprietor as the
visitor rises to depart. 1.-The old simians are
constantly nursing the kittens, and never
do them the slightest harm, except that
they cannot resist the temptation al times
an innocent fashion. The old monkey and
the cat in the show window are INSOFAR
able frit nds, and generally take their after
noon siesta in each others arms