Evening star., 1927-03-13
This and That
BY Charles E. TracetUeH.

A series Of perfect purrs from the
throat of Jack Spratt. tiger cat. ex'
pressed his intense satisfaction at the
continued absence of Nipper from the
| household.
No sooner did Jack comprehend
that Nip was really gone than he
climbed upon our lap Of his own free
will, for the first time in a month.
Settling down there, with a look Of
wholesome regard for US mating
his white whiskers. Jack began his
own brand of purring.
Perhaps no other cat in the world
purrs in the same rusty-pump fashion.
Ordinary cats-such as Nipper-purr
continuously, irrespective of their
breathing, but Jack Spratt sings only
with his inhalations and exhalations.
His purring is rather series OF
means and groans, which grow louder
and louder as his head Is petted.
Jack particularly likes to be stroked
| Just above and between the eyes.
His purring on this occasion was
| tremendous. He was saying, In the
| best way he knew, that he was glad
we had given Nipper away, and that
| he hoped the kitten would be allowed
| in his house no more.
X e **
| From this experience, we feel
! qualified TO say that an older tomcat
| will not gracefully accede to the intro
duction OF another tomcat into his
| house.
cats seek out their own homes, and
stay where they are treated best.
Each cat really regards his home as
his own. II will not do to say, as
| some do, that they have an anection
only for the place. The treatment
they receive is an integral part OF the
home, and the cat remembers. Ine
cat came back" is not said for moth
ing Every householder whose cat
stravs away and comes back again,
after many days, may rightly feel tnat
the cat came back TO him as we'll as to
its house.
1t will be two years this Summer
that Jack Spratt strayed away, re-
mained for exactly two weeks, ana
| then returned, reduced to third his
weight, his head bloody but
| unbowed."
AS we look at him now. 1t seems
almost past belief that such a small
| furry thing could have been gone so
| long. and vet have returned. This is
the noiracle of the cat came back. !"
Dogs do not rturn as a general rule,
although there have been some start
| ling exceptions, of course. Dogs stray
away more, too, II one may believe
the ''lost ad' column. Every day
between six and q dozen lost dogs are
advertised.
The dangers confronted by straying
cats include automobiles, street cars,
dogs and cruel human beings. to say
nothing of natural hazards into which
their curiosity intrigues them.
When all these factors are taken
into consideration, 1t must remain
marvel that a cat can leave its home,
roam a great city for days, and hnally
come back home again.
After our experience with Nipper,
we are willing to grant something
to the cat haters. They nave repeat
edlv declared that they could see no
affection in a cat. We must admit.
n their cat acquaintances have all
been like Nipper, that we don't blame
them.
Jacks expressive countenance, in
happiness or anger, tells one plainly
enough what he thinks. He genuine
ly likes to be near you.
Nipper. on the other hand, rather
regards one as mere bit of atmos-
phere, which. for the time being, is
petting him or holding him.
His inscrutable mask of a face, IL
Il says anything at all, declares, "I
suppose 1 must submit to this, but
I will pretend that / do not know he
is around"
Inasmuch as perhaps the majority
of cats possess this sphinxlike face,
there Is some reason for persons de-
claring that cats have no affection" +"