New-York tribune., 1910-01-16
HIGH-BRED FELlNES
Cat Fancier Tells HO1U to
Groom and Feed Them.

'If you cannot keep an animal properly
do not keep it at ALL" says Miss NJ. G..
Decies, an English cat fancer who has
kept cats since she was a child Of seven
years. And since her cats have carried
off any number of prizes. one of them,
Fulmer Champion Zaida, having won over
five hundred first prizes. cups and medals.
1t must be that she knows what they need
Cleanliness. Miss Decies says is one OF
the chief requisites for cats, and If they
get a fair chance they will be always
sweet and attractive, for cats are neat
animals by nature. Wood wool makes the
best bedding, and their beds should be
changed once week at least. and busted
frequently with antiseptic powder to guard
against fleas. Long haired cats require a
lot of grooming They ought to be brushed
once day-and twice a day when they
are changing their coats. fairly stiff
brush with long bristles is best for grown
up cats, but for kittens a soft baby-brush
must be used, as their delicate fur is very
easily injured.
Miss Decies has sleeping boxes for her
cats, square boxes with a lid at the top
to open when the boxes are cleaned, and
side entrance for the occupant, A box
must be scrubbed at least once a week.
In 1t. for few things are so bad for cats
as dampness is. If they sleep out of doors.
the boxes must be raised at least two
feet from the ground.
Never, says Miss Decies. leave a cats
food about after it has eaten what 1t
wishes for the food gets stale; and then,
too, just like person, the cat gets tired OF
seeing 1t. Never give cats rich food. Keep
them on raw meat. cooked meat, fish, rice
pudding, little milk and plain scraps from
the table. Once a week they may have
some boiled liver. which they love Every
particle of fat must be removed from the
meat that is given them. and every bone
from the fish. lest they choke.
Every one has seen cats eating grass in
the garden. Nature teaches them that they
need it to bring up the fur they swallow
In licking themselves. Cats that haven't
access to gardens ought to be supplied with
fresh grass every day, If possible.
OF the long haired cats. the blues, blacks
and browns are the hardest. Chinchillas
are the most delicate. People who attend
cat shows know that there is always the
largest competition IN blues. A really fine
blue, long haired cat. one with no tinge of
rust, but a pure slate blue down to the
roots of the hair, is a beautiful creature.
To be quite right, the blue cat must have
eyes of deep orange. and, Of course, the
ears must be very small. the nose short
and the face round and full.
A perfect chinchilla is beautiful. too
pale silver with big. round green eyes.
Perfect chnchillas. however, are very rare.
for it is difficult to breed one that Is pure
of any mark or shading.
Some breeders going in for the short
haired Siamese cats, though 1t is a task to
rear them. for they are delicate. They
are affectionate creatures. and very pretty
of pale biscuit color just pointed with
chocolate the ears, paws and tail, with
deep blue eyes, and a rather long face.
Abyssinians are another unique variety.
They are brown, looking So much like
rabbits that some people call them bum
nies There are just q few silver Abys-
sinians. bred in the last few years. Manx
cats are interesting. Their deficiency in
the matter of a tail makes them appear a
trifle abbreviated but at least they have
distinction. Short haired cats are the
easiest to keep. of course. for they don't
require a quarter of the grooming but
there's a charm about a fluffy Persian that
no short haired cat possesses.
All cats need liberty aad fresh air. Cod
ding, confinement and overheated kennels
are bad for them They should be allowed
to romp around in the open whenever pos
Sible.