The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-14
CATS THAT LIVE IN CLOVER.
Ninety Felines who Have a Flat 10
Themselves.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

Themselves.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel.
The story of how family OF cats is
Keeping house in fiat right here In town
sounds like one of Hans Andersen's
fairy tales where royal princes and prln-
cesses are turned into cats by a wicked
fairy. and are destined to so remain I'M
til delivered by some person OF kind, un-
selfish heart, loving them for themselves
alone. But there is Just such a cats
nome In Milwaukee, where the inmates
live like feline kings and queens, under
the protecting care of benefactress
sufficiently kind and unselfsh to wish
TO change them back to their original
states, If they ever had any.
Miss Sarah Hathaway Is the kind friend
of these cats, which number about nine
ty. and for several years she has rented
the first fiat of the house at No. 552 JEFF
ferson street as the home for her pets
they are, perhaps the most fortunate
felines in the country, and live on the
rat of the land There are black. white,
maltese, and yellow cats. big cats and
little cats, but no thin cats. For while
Miss Hathaway had a room In the same
building with the cats but she now lives
elsewhere, and only goes to the house
several times a day to feed them.
stray cat she may find on the street, and
is constantly on the watch for Them and
the black bag which she always carries
with ner for bundles and packages has
transported many sick pussy to the cat
home, to be nursed and cared for until
well. and finally to become a fixture of
the place. Miss Hathaway pays $40 a
month for the pussies fiat, and there are
three fine, large stoves, which burn day
and night in the winter time
The cats breakfast, dine and sup most
sumptuously and six pounds of chopped
beef and a fine round steak with milk
and dessert form their ordinary meals.
Boxes of sardines and cans of oysters ty
the dozen are ordered from the wholesale
grocers Another item which counts up
10 the expenses is the cologne and per-
fume which is used to kill the strong
odor inevitably attached to cats. The
rooms are keut scrupulousy neat and
clean and there are transsoms, which are
kept open all the time, at the top of
every window except the front ones. The
cats have not only a house to themselves
but yard to play in as well, and they
go and come as they please through a
hole In the door, such as Benjamin Frank
lin was said to have had for his cat. Miss
Hathaway has the grass left to grow
at It's will in the yard, as her feline
friends prefer it that way, and sometimes
in the evening they all stroll out together
TO get the fresh air.
The cats are very fond of their mis-
tress and show their love by rubbing up
against her and purring or even clinging
on her shoulder. Just at present there
are some young kittens in the home that
opened their eyes but a few days ago.
Sometimes when there is an increase in
the family and the number threatens to
outgrow their quarters doctor is called
in to chloroform the new arrivals.
AS a crowd they are not especially
| friendly and care for no one but their
mistress. Most of the animals are of or
| binary common breed but there are
among them some fine Angoras and other
| high-bred animals for which she paid a
| good price. Cats are often brought to
| her and offered for sale, and she some
| times buys, but none of her pets Is ever
| disposed of.
The cats are usually quite peaceably
| disposed but accidents are liable to hap
pen even in the best Of families. and the
whole family sometimes engages In
wrestling match, which sounds like the
Cataract coming up the river.
The pussies are quite accomplished in
| the musical line, and In the summer time
| are noted for their alfresco concerts with
| a chorus of forty or fifty voices. Their
| efforts, though, are not always appre-
ciated by the neighbors.
There are catterys, cat hospitals and
eat Clubs throughout the country, but
Miss Hathaway's cat home is the only
one of its kind known. Visitors are not
welcome, and the doors are barred to
every one but the cats and their mis-
tress. II is not only to poor animals that
Miss Hathaway extends her charity, but
| many a poor child has been benefited by
her kindness. Cats with her are a hobby
in which she is well able to indulge,
and which she enjoys as other enjoy for
eign travel or fine raiment.