Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-08-30
UNDERTAKING THE CAT
IN THE YEAR BOOK
Department u Agriculture Outlaws
Tahby.

Department % Agriculture Outlaws
Tabbg.
j WASHINGTON, d. G., Aug. sos-
Sleek highwayman," "maurander. =
and alleged mouse killer" are just
a few Of the low-dowh, mean. oppro-
brious epithets which learned scIen-
tiic expert is now calling that pet OF
childhood and sOlace to the splnster
the cat.
Tabby comes In for an awful muck
raking in the new year book OF the
department OF agriculture. Prof. A.
X Fisher. OF the biological survey. is
the man who destroys those early
idols as to the lovely character OF the
cat. He says the animal is a degen-
eratea thief-a scoundrel ~ and
oughtn't to be tolerated in a respecta-
BILE household at least not al
lowed the same liberty as at present.
1T Is safe to say that this mau-
rauder" (the professor is referring to
the cat when he uses this mean
world. which enjoys all the COM
forts and protection OF a home. de-
stoys in the aggregate more wild
birds and young poultry than all the
native natural enemies combined. Al
cat has been known to kill whole
brood OF chickens IN day. feat un-
equaled by any predaceous animal,
with the possible exception or the
mink. Many an innocent hawk,
skunk. owl and weasel. has been shot
for the deeds Of that sleek highway
man. the house cat.
weil-known naturalist estimates
that in the New England states alone
100000 birds are destroyed annu-
ally by cats.
The principal reasons given for
keeping cats are their attractiveness
as house pets. their usefulness as
companions for children and their al
legged value as rat and mouse killers. "
Alleged mouse killeFs"--think Of
that insinuation! But the professor
does more than sneer at Tabby's ro-
dent killing proclivities. He says fur
Their:
1t is safe to say that few persons
during normal lifetime run across
more than half dozen cats that hab-
itualIy attack rats. 1t has been the
common experience Of the writer to
find premises that were well supplied
with cats overrun with rats and mice.
In certain ranch house in the west
he trapped in his bedroom twelve
mice a week, although eight cats had
access to the place
Lovers OF the cat should be con-
tent with one. or at the most two, OF
these pets. and should see to It that
outcasts do not run at large on their
premises. Now that cats are known
to carry in their fur the germs not
only OF ringworm. but also OF such
dreaded diseases as tuberculosis,
diphtheria. scarlet fever and small
pOx, the presence In the household OF
Tabby Is not without It's dangers"
Isn't that a picture OF malignant
pestiferousness? And then, too, think |
Of these things Prof. Fisher says
about the cat. while reading the
pleasant words. the little conEratula-
lions. the pats Of encouragement. and
the appreeiatiye praise he gives to
that fragrant animal. the skunk. |
Here's what the professor thinks
about that smelly beast:
The skunk Is another chicken
THIEF which renders important serg-
Ice in destroying immense numbers OF
mice. grubs. grasshoppers and other
noxiOus forms. Although IL prefers
this kind OF food. like the opossum
Il VIII eat almost any animal matter
and also at times certain wild fruits
and berries. II Is said to be fond OF
eggs and young chickens; but the
writer has known another skunk to
make her nest and rear her young in |
the inner walls Of 3 chicken yard and
neither egg nor fowl was moIested :.
Probably n uncle Tama Jim
Wilson, who Is secretary OF agricul-
ture. hadn't been watching closely
Prof. Fisher would have added to this
euiogy fthe skunk the recommenda-
ton that that animal be adopted a. a