Evening star., 1924-03-30
Heard and Seen

President Coolidge's cat Tige has
drawn the attention of the entire
nation TO that humble but faithful
friend of man, Felis donaesticus, the
domestic house cat
Cats. like the poor. we have with
us always, so that commonly they
are not topics for conversation, but
are accepted as a matter of course.
1t is only when a man of recog-
nized position dares to admit solicit
tude about his cat that the average
mon pops up with words of praise
for Tom and Tabby.
Yet, next to the dog. there is no
animal that more deserves attention.
praise and patting than the cat.
Those interested will find encomiums
upon him in encyclopedias and an
astonishingly long list of books re-
lating to him.
great monthly magazines gave over
more than eight pages to tribute
by a professor of a great university.
So, it may be seen, President Cool
| merely pointed out again his worth
to the nation at large.
Six years ago, in these columns,
| the writer gave a column to praise
of the dog. This lively, affectionate
fellow is readily appreciated. The
whole world knows and loves him.
The mysterious cat, on the other
hand. is more discreet in bestoving
: - Il
quieter and more knowing. He comes
down from far time. bearing
strange habits all his own; he trails,
| il not clouds of glory" a tre-
mendously long tail. expressive sym
| Dol of his nervous makeup.
The world gets excited over King
Tut, yet every household may have,
+! IL it wishes, a royal Egyptian, de-
/ scendant from the famous cat of
Bubastes. a living testimonial of old
and strange things.
When King Tut was a pup mem
bers of the house cat tribe we're old.
He was the "caffre," or gloved, cat
and his descendants may be seen to
| this day all over the world in every
cat that has white paws.
I doubt if there is a person in the
| world, from President Coolidge down.
who, taken into the confidence of
some cat. does not feel as If the an
imal knows a great deal more than
he lets on.
| There are few cat owners who have
not, at some time or other. wished
the animal might talk, that he might
| let them in on the stories of his
/ nocturnal prowlings.
Probably. too. they have felt that
! fol ha fad
| there is something so knowing about
his wise eyes and placid demeanor.
He has arrived at that state of mind
which distinguishes the calm, poised
soul.
No Chinese philosopher. not even
were he Confucius, could sit more
| at philosophic ease than your house
cat, full of cream. before an open
| fire. He takes the softest cushions
as a matter Of right. He knows the
| warmest places and the exact spot
| where the sun hits.
| Even when ''treed" by a dog on
| some window sill, the cat is calm.
though alert He looks with scorn,
seemingly. upon the frantic dog. as
"why so hot. my little dog? II
| you had any brain at all you would
| be able to calculate the distance from
| you to me and know that you might
jump there a thousand years and yet
1
| The cat is an honest animal There
is no pretense to him. He is not a
! hypocrite. II he does not relish your
petting he will scratch you. And
| what claws they are, to be sure.
Deadly weapons in q fight, yet capa-
BILE Of being retracted so that the
paw Is soft as satin.
| You cannot fool a cat very long.
Our old friend, the dog. may be de-
frauded time after time by the Same
method, yet he always fails for it.
Not so your cat He knows that a
paper bag means meat when you
have just come from the store and
| for q time he will come running
every time you rattle a bag.
| But soon he sees through that. He
| only bestirs himself when the paper
contains meat. He Is hard to teach
tricks because he scorns such silly
business. If he cares to stand on his
hind legs he can do 1t better than
any dog that ever lived.
| The grace of the cat, his curiosity,
his cleanly ways. his purring, have
/ a "A a An ~Ad him ~ yoonLtra LIE sea