The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-01
PHILADELPHTA'S Wild CATS.
Progeny Of Pair introduced Into City Hall
Years Ago 70 XIII Rats.
From m, Phlodeiphia Pres,

FROM HAc FNuuuCtpntd fTebB.
Almost aa wild a. were their ancestors
OF the jungle, q pack Of cats roam the cavern
GUS recessea Of the cellar Of city hall.
ForaEtnE for their own prov ender and
scampertnR, marling and splitting at the
approAch Of any Of the employees OF the
municipal building, the cats, which are the
pro geny OF a pair introduced some years
ago to eXterminate rats. have increased TO
such numbers that steps are being considered
to drive them out,
Although their exact number is not known,
it Ia estimated that there are at least twenty
in the pack. and with a few exceptions none
has felt the touch Of human hand. Left
TO themselves ca. they have responded to the
call OF the Mild.
II has been about two yea r. since the first
pair OF cats were put in the city hall cellar.
The stork visited them and the mother cat
hid the litter OF kittens away In one OF the
many unused passag % between the founda-
tons. The kittens were half grown before
any Of the men VII work in the basement
got a glimpse OF any OF them.
While the parent cats still came to the
workmen for food and passed nsiderable
time about the boiler rooms. the young on es.
unaccustome ed to human company. did not
follow their lead. The workman occasionally
in leisure hours organized hunts for the half
grown kittens. There we're four of them
AHu IGN DIAA IAO N"N AiN n NANAA ~
nered, but the little fellows. wild with ter
ror, could not be picked up any more than
q piece OF red hot iron. They few at their
captors With tooth and claw and When sew
eraI Of the men had been badly tom in the
vicious attacks they left the cats to their own
resources.
Since then the cats have increased in num-
bers rapidly and have grown more savage as
they multiplied. In the city hall cellar there
are parts which have never been explored
since the building was erected, dark as pitch
and filled with all manner OF debris. II Is
there that the pack OF wild cats have made
their home. They find their own food In the
rats in the cellar and make no attempt to
venture into any OF the Inhabited portions,
keeping strictly to themselves as long as
left unmolested.
So wild and fsrocieus have they become
that there Is positive danger in any ones
attempting to penetrate their haunts. A
curiosity to see the strange breed of cats has
led wOrkmen at times to pick their way into
the retreats where they have entrenohed
themselves. Nom who mGd the attem pt
went far. The angry caterwaulinEs that
heralded their approach proved too strong for
their nerves and they were glad enough to
beat a reteat. The men say that all they
could see OF the cats were their eyes blazing
like Goals as they reluctantly backed farther
into the gloom. Such an invasion Of their
territory worked the cats into such a state OF
terror that their angry wailinRs could be hear
for half an hour after the men had gone away.
One Of the strange features of the relapse
Of the cats into a wild state Is that they regard
the two domestic cats from whom they sprung
as their enemies. Since the brood waxed
strong the domestic. cats cannot be Induced
10 leave the Inhabited portion OF the cellar and
10 among the savage brood.