Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-19
CAf AND pOG LIFE.

A writer In the Spectator, on Scat
and Dog Life,'' gays:
The dog sconscience takes a some
what higher rank than the cats, for
the chief part of his moral code he nc
cepts as law given by higher being.
He shows q desire for moral approba
tion when he has behaved we'll; he is
doprossed by mural disapprobation quite
apart from the fear Of the whip. But
cat defies the external code If it dare,
and covets admiration rather than M ora
Appreciation.
Fsthetic sensitiveness seems more
developed in the cat than in the dog.
The keenness Of dogs intelligence
combined With the infer iority of nature
that lies behind it makes the employ
mpnt OF the senses almost entirely utili-
| tari8n. Among aesthetic sensihilities
| the enjoyment of music Is the keenest
and most common, and the perception
| OF color perhaps the ratest. Nsither the
| cat nor the dog can compare of course
| Ia musical susceptibility with the par
rot, who is shaken by storms of emo
! tion but We have known cat show
very marked pleasure in whistled
tune 1t 10 common to find dogs who
"sina, y following, to some rough ca
| tent, high VI low notes of music, but
one doubts If such imitation is con-
scious, or based at all On enjoyment.
The dog appears depressed with low
cred head and tail, or uncomfortably
excited, and d kind Of thrill precedes
the sounds. On the other hand, both
oats and dogs appear TO be unconscious
OF the sounds they utter until expert
ence or definite teaching has shown
them the result. To make dog utter
sounds voluntarily is often very diff
cult, and those who can "sing" to
order seem to exercise painful tension
Of will Again, excitement will stran:
gulate the voice Of dog, like that of
q shy girlat a singing lesson. SO that
his strongest impulse to appeal is
mute. So, too, cats often silently open
their mouths when they demand food.
Such facts seem to point to the conclu-
sion that the voices is not purposely
produced. and that though sounds may
give wal ming or guidance to other ami
mails, the utterance Is depepdent on
physical impulse. When the impulse
is imitativeit may depend ultimately
on suob sensation as is felt ny some
people In the throat when bourbon
stop is on the organ, and by most reo-
pie when they hear, for instance, the
cheering OF o large crowd. Ii this IL
so We are on the wrong tack in com.
pairing tho sounds of animals, varied
and specified though they are, to Ian
guage; and should rather compare
! them to weeping and laughter. which
provoke an initiative response, or ever
to the sounds OF man who has early
become dumb through deafness. For II
: such icases 1t is not purpose bu
efficient cause that must be the subiec
of inquiry.
With regard to color both cats AM
dogs appear to have little aesthetic per
. ception. We have heard of a dog ap
nearing to ri efer scarlet to blue, but
8 ID difficult to eliminate the effect o
4 association ir dealing with a single in
P stance. Cats, however, seem to show
$ definite aesthetic perception of texture
d aesthetic, for itfis not ordinary bodil
q comfort which rules. They may lik
Q to sleep on velvet, but they revel
It waking, In the feeling Of oraokin
q paper, or texture of stiff silks; an
g there is wsll.authenticated story of
It cat which goes into the garden to lie
o the under sides Of fox glove leaves, an
o cannot be kept, from trying with hi
G tongue the texture OF fannelette. BIZ
d the keenest aesthetic pleasure for u cs
l lies In the region Of smell. The dc
~ uses smell merely as a medium of IL
10 formation, hut the cat revels in ]
y She will linger near tree-trunl
smelling each separate aromatic lea
'e for the pure pleasure of 1t, not, like
10 dog, to trace friend, foe, or prey. If ii
y window Of close room Is opened ii
- cat leans out, smelling the air; ne
Or dresses are smelt, partly perhaps +
a future recognition, but also apparent
g. for pleasure. A strong smell, above q
IS o spirituous smell, is not only dis
- greeable. hut absolutely painful. Lave
ok der water may please q tiger, but
,g will put cat to flight.
~ This apparent power of aesthetic 9
I'D joyment Id the cat is counterbalanc
in the dog by quality we are wont
nd rank highly, yet not without haur
be ing misgiving. The cog has rue
OF mHntHry sense of huinor. 1t is [
es commonest thing in the world to see
IL petted dog try to laugh off a scol
Ite ing. II ,bs is encouraged, if bis fooli
m. is successful, he will repeat it aga
by and again with growing eyaggeratie
will rollswith wide mouth and absu
ne oontortlonS,l or ny at ones race TO IL
it. On the other hand, he will reco
of nize that teasing is humorous pl
rio ceeding, and when he hegins to /
un bored Will try to stop it hunorously.
he Now the cat is solemnity incarna
The to punish ii 10 to cause instant often
ed to tease 1t is to outrage it's digni
The The better bred a cat is the mi
his easily is it offended. But the 'sel
lad of the ridioulous' is, after all, or
ery quality, and the humor of one ,
the seems yulgarity :, 70 the next. A ca,
to never vulgar. The old Egyptians ST
lad that catreasoned like man, and
in. root Of the matter is there In the {
on there Is quicker intelligence,
hes greater adaptability, and more facil
ok. In, planning. But a dog cannot, a
ny, cat can, determine its own end {
ire purpose, and live its own life. He
. after all. the kinsman of Brer Fox,
was the cat is scion of royalty.
he'd 49, - -
,ast Death of Mrs. Mary Day.
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