Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-19

1871 HE cat can shift for 70.
- self" That Is the YER
dict OF most persons. even
loving cat owners. con-
corning the feline race
Cats can shift for themselves. Witness
the thousands who maraud In other per-
sons back yards when their fond own
ers have gone away for the summer and
heartlessly turned them. the cats. out Of
doors for a few pleasant months. The
cats do shift for themselves. and some
how find food and somewhere find q
place to sleep.
But cats ought not to be made to care
for themselves. II you care enough for
a cat TO keep one. you ought to take care
Of II. Do not let II get wild and un-
couth. dirty and hungry. This is not an
admonition to cat owners to line dainty
baskets with pink silk and sachet for cat
sleeping quarters and to buy broilers
and chops for pussy's dinner. and to tie
silken bow about her purring throat.
There Is big difference between paying
enough attention to a pet to keep IL happy
and healthy and making yourself foolish
about one.
To begin with. feed II properly. Al
most any animal can take care OF itself
II 1t is properly fed. That Is to say. Il
will stay well and normal II it has the
right food. OF course. there is an ex-
ception in the case Of some cats OF fancy
breed. who are a trouble to their owners
from kittenhood to old catdom. But most
well fed animals are well. happy and.
therefore, little trouble.
ha n
should not be made up of all sorts OF
odds and ends. Plenty OF fresh milk
should be given. Every day a little
fresh. raw meat. without fat, should
form part of the cats dinner. Cats have
a natural liking for raw meat. and there
Is no reason why 1t should be withheld
from them. The reason II sometimes
hurts them Is because II Is sometimes
stale. and II is also given them In too
large quantities.
Every day, or at least every other day.
give them little fresh, lean beef or
mutton. and they will be the better for
It. So says a man who raises cats of all
sorts and kinds, and surely he ought to
know.
Give them cooked vegetables. They
will. OF course, prefer meat, but IL meat
Is only Forthcoming once day they will
learn to eat something else for their
other two meals. Cooked vegetables OF
any sort will do them good. Occasion
ally chop lettuce leaf and mix Ii with
chopped raw meat to keep their digest
I've system in good condition.
Regular feeding should be the rule with
cats as with human beings. Three meals
day may be given. Breakfast might
consist OF milk. luncheon of meat and
vegetables and supper of cereals i'm milk.
Between meals there should be no feed
ing. But there should always be a dish
of clean, fresh water accessible. Water
drinking Is as important for cat health
as 1t Is for human health.
"a
Fresh fish should be. substituted occa-
sionally for meat. The old idea, loved
and feared at the same time by many
children. that the fish heads give fits to
cats, Is founded on the fact that fish
heads. generally pifered from somebody's
ash can, are generally stale, and there
fore unfit to eat when they are found by
the cat
Whenever q cat seems to feel Ill. give
1t very little to eat-a little milk, IL II Is
hungry. Give 1t warm water to drink and
do not let II wander about where IL may
find food for itself
So much for fcod-really the most i'm
portant Item In keeping the cat In good
health. Next TO food comes fresh air.
Cats naturally like to cuddle by the fire
in cold weather; they just as naturally
like to stay out Of doors. Cultivate their
liking for open-air exercise. and see that
they stay out of doors for hours every
day.
Give them a clean place TO sleep. Cats
like cushions. but they should be given
bed that can be kept fresh. A cushion
made of burlap-old burlap sacks can he
used-filled with excelsior, is a good bed.
The excelsior can be changed and burned
from time to time and the sacking can
be washed. and SO the bed can be kept
fresh and clean.
A cat cannot be tubbed as a dog can
be. But its fur can be kept silky and
clean X you rub 1t with a damp cloth
every few days. This sort of bath does
not hurt ii. and, in fact, does ii good
Never allow II to go out of doors In cold
weather, until IL has dried itself thor
oughly by fire or radiator.