The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-06

The principal governments of the
world acknowledge the business ability
of cats by placing under their surveil-
lance the unused mail sacks and grain
bags belonging to the different depart
ments.
The maintenance of an army of
eats, who catch the rats that gnaw
the sacks that hold the material that
the governments prize" is duly recorded
by the United States postoffice, the inn
perial printing office of France, the
government office in England and the
municipality of Vienna. The last nam
ed department is more mindful OF
duty toward animals than the others;
for, after years of active service, the
cats are placed on the "rteired list
with a comfortable pension.
However, when a litter of fluffy kit
tens duly arrives at Uncle Sans post
office the local postmaster informs the
district superintendent of the fact ana
an increase is allowed in cat rations.
In France the local staff is fed twice
a day. and a man is employed to look
after these business cats so that milk
and cats meat may be provided to I'LL
any deficiency that may arrive when
rats and mice fail to fill the laruer.
MANY large establishments like the
Midland Railway Company OF England,
dock yards, shipping and storing
houses and public Offices employ cats
for similar service. At one time the
Midland company placed. between three
and four hundred thousand empty
corn sacks under the care or eight cats
during the storage season, and they olu
their work successfully; while an an
Joining storehouse suffered the entire
tt,otr hqpS through the
ravaees of rats. However, 1t can
hardly be maintained that all the
business cats are Toms, nor that the
present cat fad originated through an
angle of utility; or that any OF the
Eastern or Western cities have moor
porated batteries in order to ma en-
ployment for the erstwhile unemployed
cat. For such is not the case; merely
the fashionable world set its seal OF
annroval upon the feline family and
now a well conducted cattery, wherein
are reared idle Tables, is source or
considerable income, with but little
| outlay or trouble. Two rows OF ken
nels. in a sunny rear garden, joined
overhead by wire netting, and thus
enclosing a runway or playground,
which may be furnished with old
trunks of trees, ladders and boxes over
which the cats may climb, constitute
|
are kept in close confinement, for the
peace of the neighborhood, and are
only allowed to exchange courtesies
with each other through wire netting.
While the mothers and kittens enjoy
the runway and are only put In their
kennels at night.
Their natural food is raw meat, but
now and then they require change,
such as boiled asparagus stems, cab
bage, lettuce, or some other vegetables,
either cooked or fresh. Some cats can
be taught to eat almost anything,
whilst others, all their lives, will re-
fuse to eat anything but meat or milk.
Very peculiar prices were paid for
| ordinary cats a thousand years ago, as
shown in Bewick's "Quadrupeds." The
| price of kitten was one penny, until
proof could be had of its having caught
! a mouse; then two pence; after that
| II was rated at four pence, which was
a great sum in those days. 1t was
likewise required to have good hearing
and seeing, have whole claws, and IL
female, be a good nurse. II, after
| being sold. II failed in any OF these
qualities the seller forfeited one-third
Of the price. II any one should steal
or kill a cat that guarded the Kings
| granary (Hoel the Good, King Of
| Wales) he was either TO forfeit a milch
eve, her fleece and lamb. or as much
wheat as when poured on the cat sus-
| pended by It's feet-its head touching
the foor--would form a heap high
\ enough 70 cover the tbs OF its feet.