The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-11
CATS, RATS AND SCIENTISTS.
GeIight of Helping Animals on Back
Fences

tIteS.
one of the experts Of the depart
incrt Of agriculture shies a metaphor
lcal brick at the common house cat
by declaring that the virtues Of that
predatory animal as an annihilator OF
rats anu mice are greatly exaggerated.
The expert adds that millions of wild
birds are destroyed annually by cats.
Really. if the cat is TO lose his rep
utatiOn as rat catcher he is likely
TO be left without any very good eX-
cuse for his existence Feature arti-
cles in the newspapers have told at
interval for many years Of numbers
Of cats carried on the government pay
roll, their duties being to rid Federal
buildings OF rats and mice. It is some
thing OF a revelation to be Informed
that Thomas and Maria have been
loafing on the job and putting IL
their time slaughterng wild birds
when they should have been search
ing diligently for rats. The people,
money" most assurcdly can be put to
better use thar in buying food and
rainent for raScaliy cats that neglect
their duties TO rambie through high
ways, by ways and hedges in pursuit
Of birds, wild or otherwise. Uncle
Sam will be ito Fastening ills a prey"
If through such Sinking of duty rata
shall increase in the Federal cellars
ana rear large families to feed on Of
fetal paste, messages and documents
and public property in general
The cat has been accused of q good
many things. All OF us who know him
are aware that he has his faults. All
birds look alike to him. and, except
they be Of the proportions of eagle or
condor are regarded by him as lawful
prey. He VIII eat the family canary
with rs little remorse as he will pick
Ip an Erglish sparrow on the lawn.
He has been known 60 gather in
young chickens. geese and ducks. re
lives by the Robin Hood rule THAI
he shall take who has the power and
he shall keep who can" He knows
little Of gratitude or affection. Cen
turies Of domestication have not elm
mated from his blood and being the
fierce traits Of his remote ancestry o.
deafened his ears to the persuasive
''call Of the wild" He is given TO
thieVing and trespass He is blood
thirsty and cruel and finds pleasure
in the torture Of MS unfortunate
prey. He is addicted to nocturnal
prowlings and is noisy and conten-
tious With his kind.
All these and many other feline
foibies and vices undeniably are his
and all Of them have been condoned
and endured by suffering humanity
because OF the house cats recognized
ability as Il rat destroyer. Some
there are who would tolerate him for
his personal appearance, which, un-
der favorable circumstances, is pleas
ing. The vast majority of humanity
however, would rise IN rebellion
against him and wipe him off the
race Of the earth, but for the savina
grace of his eternal antipathy to
rats.
after all, the scientific men don't
know everything, and it may be that
the case Of the house cat is not so bad
rs theorst of the agricultural depart
ment would have us believe. 1t is
seriously to be doubted if his useful.
ness as a rat eXterminator is wanine.
! ne departments expert may have an
.rJorn Prejudice against the feline
;rihe. 0r he may be Il trine bilious OF
'grouchy' on general principles
what is more likely still, he may
have written his condemnatory bro
chure on the morning after night
mace sleepless by serenade of tom
eats on the back fence.
cast on the back fcnce.-Couricr-