Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-10
This and That


Often have we watched Jack Spratt
in the effort to determine just why he
does what he does when he does; or,
to put IL another way, who he does
one thing in preference to another.
So far we have been unable to see
any rhyme or reason in what he does.
He Just does 1t. that is all. and 1t sat.
isfies him, and us, too.
His method of washing his face
seems to have great thought behind
1t. He will be sleeping away soundly,
as far as can be seen.
Suddenly his eyes Will open, he will
give most solemn look into general
space, and then begin wettinx his
right paw. This he viii apply indus
trtously to his left ear. turning that
member inside out. giving his head
the most comical aspect. Just why
he selected the left ear to begin on
was mystery, get he did it with
such an air Of understanding that one
could scarcely doubt he knew what
he was doing
II might be supposed. by those who
nave never watched cat at his toilet,
That next he would attend to the right
ear. Upon occasion, of course, ne
does so, sometimes even mana aging
TO turn it wrong side out at the same
time the left one remains in that DO
Sition. A movement of the head will
mop them both back into position.
Usually, however, If he has begun
on an ear he will transfer his wash
Ing to some other portion of his anat-
omy. perhaps licking his white shirt
front with great vigor, an act requir.
ing tremendous bobbing of his
mead up and down, with extreme ex.
tension OF his bright red tongue.
Jack will be sitting contentedlv On
the rug. his paws folded beneath him.
seemingly at peace with the world.
There would seem to be no reason. as
human beings know reasons" for re-
moving himself.
Yet suddenly he will arise, stretch
out his forelegs, sink his back, stretch
his hind legs vigorously.
In most determined manner he
will then walk over to the manteI
and tread cautiously between II and
the davenport, where there is Just
room enough for him to get through.
1t Is. in this instance, no case of
being hot, and thus seeking a cooler
nook for slumber of feline medita-
ton. Wait a moment and the OBJ.
server sees the coat closet door begin
to open bit by bit. Jack has inserted
a deft right paw in the opening and
has forced 1t wider. He disappears in.
side, only to come out again shortly.
AS this is only the 1,001th time he
has made this particular inyestiea.
ton. he finds nothing new. So he
starts on his return trip. stopping
only long enough to whet his claws
on the rug He comes back to his
starting point. sinks down. paws be-
meath him, and looks solemn.
Are cats right-pawed?
It will be noted that we said Jack
opened the closet door with his right
paw. AS we recall, almost always he
used this paw In opening doors, but
we would not wish to go to the extent
of declaring that he always does SO.
Nor have we noted just his posi-
ton. No doubt a cat would use the
paw that came easiest, since they are
great conservers Of energy. not be.
ing believers in wasted motion, as are
dogs.
Another puzzIer Is why does q cat
begin to eat on the particular piece OF
meat that he does choose?
If handful Of cut-up meat, In mod
erately small pieces, Is placed before
Jack, he will look at 1t solemnly for a
split-second, then select one particular
morsei and go for it.
The piece Is not always the largast
as one might suppose. Sometimes he
will browse around over the pile before
selecting one particular bit. Why he
at last makes his selection must re-
main mystery. 1t may seem a very
small and inconsequential one. per-
haps, but life is made up OF just such
mysteries.