The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-04
CATS IN CLOVER.
Ninety Animals Cared for by N
wealthy Woman.
Milwaukee Sentinel.

Milwaukee Sentinel.
The story Of how a family of cats is keep
ing house in a fiat right here In town
sounds like one of Hans Andersen's fairy
tales where royal princes and Processes
are turned into cats by a wicked fairy, and
are destined TO so remain until delivered by
some person OF kind, unselhsh heart, low
ing them for themselves alone. But there
is just such a cats home in Milwaukee,
where the inmates live like feline kings and
queens, under the protecting care OF a bene-
factress sufficiently kind and unselhsh to
wish To change them back to their original
states, If they ever had any.
siiss Sarah Hathaway is the kind friend
of these cats. which number about ninety.
and for several years she has rented the
first nat Of the house at No. 02 Jefferson
street as the home for her pets. They are.
perhaps, the most fortunate felines in the
country, and live on the fat of the land.
There are black. white, maltese and yellow
cats. For a while Miss Hathaway had a
room in the same building with the cats,
but she now lives elsewhere, and Oniy goes
to the house several times a day to feed
them.
She adds TO her collection any poor stray
cat she may find on the street, and Is con-
black bag which she always carries with
her for bundles and packages has trans
ported many a sick pussy to the cat home,
To be nursed and cared for until well, and
finally 10 become a fixture OF the place.
Miss Hathaway pays SIC a month for the
Dussies' fiat. and there are three fine, large
stoves, which burn day and night I'm 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 by the dOz-
en- are ordered from the wholesale grocers.
Another item which counts up in the ex-
penses is the cologne and perfume which is
used 10 Kill the strong Door inevitably at
tached TO cats. The rooms are kept scrup-
ulously neat and clean and there are trans
SONS which = kant oman all the time ar
the top OF every window except the front
ones. The cats have not only a house to
themselves but a yard TO play in as We'll,
and they go and come as they please
through a hole I'm the door, such as Ben
Jamin Franklin was said TO have had for
his cat. Miss Hathaway has the grass left
10 grow at its will in the yard. as her fe-
line friends prefer il that way. and some
times in the evening they all stroll out to-
gether 10 get the fresh air. The cats are
very fond of their mistress 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
threaten 10 outgrOw their quarters. a doc
tor is called in 10 chloroform the new
arrivals.
As a crowd they are not especially friend
ly and care for no one but their mistress.
Most of the animals are OF ordinary COM
mon breed, but there are among them some
fine Angoras and other high-bred animals
~ NhlCu SIG pau a Spou price. tdlS are
often brought TO her and offered for sale.
and she sometimes buys, but none of her
pets is ever disposed OF.
The cats are usually quite peaceably dis
posed, but accidents are liable 10 happen
even in the best of families. and the whole
family sometimes engages IN a wrestling
match. which Ounds like the Cataract COM
ing up the river.
The pussies are quite accomplished in the
musical line and in the summer time are
noted for their al fresco concerts, with Il
chorus OF forty or fifty voices. Their eff
forts, though, are not always appreciated
by the ne.ghbOrs.
There are catterys, cat hospitals and cat
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 10 every one but
the cats and their mistress. 1t is not Only
to poor animals that Miss Hathaway ex-
tends 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 10 indulge. and which she enjoys as
others enjoy foreign travel or fine raiment.