Evening star., 1932-03-25

When they IOrSdke Ine shy, tnel
natural element, they run added risks,
as man does when he leaves his Mother
Earth for the air.
A pretty picture was presented about
dusk one evening when large white
cat happened to spot cardinal feeding
on the ground.
Here was drama in red and white on
the surface of the earth, close at hand,
easy on the eye.
The beautiful bird had descended to
pick up the invisible something's which
birds find in the grass at this time OF
the year.
He was so intent on his great life
task of eating that he did not have an
eye open for the cat, which crept nearer
and nearer.
But hold!
He not only had one eye on the cat;
he had both eyes on him evidently.
Just as the creeper came within q
distance from which he might have
made a great leap had he been as large
as lion the pretty bird gracefully new
away. as If he had finished his meal
on purpose.
There was no hurry or furry about
his movements he simply arose in the
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the cats head
The white fellow. after giving one
glance upward decided that there was
no use stalking such an astute bird. He
prowled off into the cleaning.
~
Some people seem to feel that there
Is great cruelty in the act OF the do
mestic cat in stalking birds and some
times catching them.
No doubt the act is cruel. but nature
made it. 1t Is not as cruel as many
people would have others believe. In
the first place. q great MANY less birds
are caught by cats than these people
would have you think.
To declare that huge numbers OF
birds are caught is to make two mis-
takeS-to give the birds less credit than
they deserve, and the cats more than
their prowess rates. Few people who
so loudly berate cats have ever taken
the trouble to check up on this matter
The writer here has done so, and can
say with some assurance that the bird
catching abilities Of cats are vastly
oVerrated.
The birds, on the other wing, have
everything in their favor, including an
ability which simply leaves the cat
stumped, as We say. The birds wings
literally lift him out Of harms way in
the tWlnking Of an eye. Moreover, birds
mostly live above the cat; that is, they
spend most Of their time in the air,
where even the boldest cat cannot fol-
low them. Even during the time they
do spend on the ground they have not
given over their instincts Of protection.
We would not say that cats never catch
nlrds. but only that they do not catch
them any way near as frequently aS
cat-baiters say they do.
The person who likes both cats and
birds is surely In a better position to
know the relative truth about such
matters than he or she who is fond of
one OF these creatures only.
just as human being must have a
faith in the healing power of nature"
as HippocrateS called 1t. II he wishes
TO keep reasonably well. so the true
friends OF animals must be able to un-
derstand and appreciate all created
things II they aim to be the best tyne
OF animal friends.
Nature Is wide. She does not offer
the cat to us with covert scorn but as
an integral part Of her economy. in
which she also accords the birds a
place. Nature seemingly is a great
surgeon, conducting endless expert
ments which may seem to our civilized
nerves useless and cruel. The cats
claw may be her knife, no less than
mans bullet. Which of the two has
caused the most sorrow in this world
both among birds and men, there car
be no reasonable doubt.