Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-08-23
CATS ONLY A MENACE.

I have been asked as to the advis-
ability of killing off the cats as a part
Of the campaign for the conservation OF
health. Although eats have been do.
mesticated for ages they have never
been of any particular service to man
kind. They are hunters instinctively.
and one would think that some one in
the ages, some race, would nave sue
ceeded in developing this instinct to a
useful point. Such a not been the
case. A few cheetahs or hunting Loop
ards are employed in the chase and
that is about the limit of their useful
ness as hunters in the open.
The theory is that cats are MAIN
tanned in houses because they are good
ratters. AS ratters they are without
value. This has been proven scores or
times. The authorities who conquer
plague epidemics place any de-
pendence on cats. No cat ever earns her
keep as q mouser. A simple trap costing
a few cents will catch more mice than
the best mOuSer that lives.
Careful observations around bakeries
where cats are frequently kept because
they are supposed to be good mousers
always results in laws against allowing
cats in bakeries.
They are kept because OF a theory
that they are sQciable. Cats never have
any constancy or unselfish affection.
They are instinctively traitorous and
disloyal.
And this about closes the list Of good
and claimed good for the cat.
On the other side of the ledger we
have the following: They eat milk
and meat foods that may be in demand.
They spread tapeworms and other
forms of parasites. While tapeworms do
not do a great deal Of harm they are
annoying, disturbing and moderately
harmful. And the amount Of worm in
festation, and particularly tapeworm
infestation, is on the increase.
Professor Ward of the University OF
Illinois states that the number of men
in a large and fairly typical group in
tested with tapeworm rose steadily
from 20 per 1000 in 1861-65 to 1880 in
18S6-9O.
Cats are in part responsible for the
spread hy%drophobia. There is consid-
cradle basis for the opinion that cats
spread contagion. The proof is best as
to whooping cough and diphtheria.
Rosenau quotes jain as having proven
efilitely that w%hooping cough is
spread by cats and dogs.
Notter says: Cats unquestionably
suffer from a disease which bears a
close affinity to human diphtheria. Cats
must be considered as capable or COM
municating the infection to human be-
ings."
1t is worm Wulle nOIltiS LHdI tHO
bacillus produces a form Of pneumonia
and no a throat affection in the cat.
Ker says: MANY of us have seen in
stances of diphtheria breaking out in a
house in which the cat was injected.
those members of the family who han
died it most being taken ill first" He
also suggests the possibility that scarlet
fever can be spread by cats.
WEIGH and Schamberg say: lit ls
quite conceivable that dogs. cats and
other domestic animals may carry
small pox." 1t has been claimed. though
the proof is poor. that cats spread in
fantile paralysis.
AS to all these except whooping cough
and diphtheria h proof is not conclu-
sive; in fact, is far from il, but how lit
tile close scientific work has been done
on the subject! How foolish 20 years
ago would have seemed the statement
that ordinary rats convey three import
ant diseases. In our age nothing sur.
wives unless it serves.