The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-26
QUEER ANIMAL FRIENDSHIP.
Cat and Parrot Are Boon Compan-
ions and Stanch Allies.

From the Philadelphia Times.
Fur and feathers do not agree very
well as a rule. even in a woman's toilet
In real life, of course. you know they
are deadly enemies. If you have bird
do not keep a cat, and if you have a
cat do not keep a bird. Above all
things. do not keep a parrot and a cat,
for the two can stir up more trouble
than anything else known outside of d
Kansas cyclone.
parrot has no greater delight in
the world than to simulate the barking
of a dog. The bark will terrify the cat
until she finds out she is being fooled.
Then look out for her. Her rage knows
no bounds, and if she can wreak a dire
vengeance on the bird she will go to
any lengths of cunning to do so. But
the parrot is not always the aggressor.
The cat occasionally offends. If Poll,
in an absent-mindcd moment. happens
to be seated near the side of the cage.
Pussy will spring up with vicious eye
and extended claw and scare the bird
out Of its four or five senses. if it does
not succeed in doing the bird more sub
stantial injury.
If the two ever get near enough to
most serious time within the peaceful
household that you ever saw. PauGe-
monium reigns, and both combatants' g
are literally torn to pieces. Nothing
can present SOrrier spectacle than n
cat that has had an encounter with a
parrots beak, and Woeful, indeed, is
the sight of the unfortunate bird who
has met the cat in deadly combat and
/ escaped with his life.
/ 1t is rarely, indeed. that the two can
he found living in peaceful amity Al
/ bert English. of Waterford. Conn.
maintains that he possesses in his pair
the most remarkable couple he has ever
heard of.
/ The parrot is never Gagged The door
/ stands wide open for it to enter its
| house when it pleases. but it rarely. Il
/ ever, goes inside. II sleeps at night
perched on the back of great rocking
chair, in which the cat takes its nans
Never during the day does the cat liz
down that the bird does not sit beside
it and keep watch as guardian angel
for the approach of danger in tic
shape Of stray dogs that may haopen
along. Should one approach. pussy has
timely warning i'm the pollys simula-
tinn of dogs barking. When the cat
has made its position safe Poll pro-
cecds to herato the offending canine
which has disturbed the domestic falic-
ity of the pair in the strongest English
that tongue can command.
Strangely enough, the parrot never
uses profanity on any other occasion
The instant the cat is disturbed, how
ever, he let's loose the flOodgates of his
pent-up wrath in the choicest billings
gate, and will not be coaxed from his
rage for hours al a time.
The friendship grew out of the cat
saving the birds life when the latter
was very young. Before that time Poll
had no use for Puss. In an unguarded
moment he allowed a strange cat to
approach near enough to seize him and
pinion him beneath paw. But before
the eat could fasten his teeth in the
bird Pussy had attacked the strange.
The latter got the worst licking it had
ever experienced, and ever after that
gave the bird and eat a wide berth.
From that day the friendship between
the two began, and it has since been
sealed by continual manifestations Of
good feeling