Evening star., 1937-04-09
Empty
Should Be
Made Flat
Children Must See
Danger to Pets Is
Eliminated.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

TIN cans are part Of the scheme CT
living. Every household has them.
30 are cats, and almost every house
hold has them, too. Wherever we find
children We find cats because kittens
are such fine playfelloWs. Now kit
tens grow into cats and lose much OF
their kittenish ways but that would
not be a reason for throwing them out
on the street to make their own way
after kittenhood Of family care, now
would it? Decent regard for obllga-
ton incurred would make one take
care of the cat that was the pet kitten.
If there is no room for the cat in the
household, then by all means call the
Animal Rescue people and have the
poor thing given a home.
But what I started to say was
something about cats and cans. When
a cat grows up she, and he, often have
to be ScaVengers, eating where they
can. Often this is the garbage pile
or container And that is where the
tin cans come into the picture.
There is canned salmon for lunch.
The cans are thrown out. The smell
of the delicacy. loved by all cats,
coaXes the hungry creature to the can.
She sticks her head inside to lick the
platter clean and finds she cannot get
rid of the can 1t is fixed tightly about
her head. In fear and beWilderment
she rusheS madly into the street, strik-
ing herself against the buildings, the
fence posts, whatever happens to be in
y cIo o;t fo1e Il
from exhaustion or is freed.
1t is not easy to free q frantic cat
of a can fixed about its head The
creature does not understand what
has happened. 1t knows only that it
cannot rid itself of this awful thing
that has fastened upon its head. 1t
wants to fight it off, and fights any
thing and anybody that touches it.
Nobody with heart or sense would want
such a fate to overtake a helpless lit
tie animal.
The remedy is simple A child can
attend to it. and should. 1t is a fine
household chore for the boy or girl
who likes animals. Every can should
be Dashed fiat before it is thrown into
the garbage container. That's all. A
sturdily shod foot does the business.
Or the fiat side of a hatchet works
very we'll A stick of kindling wood
held in a firm grip and used with a
good swing is quite effective. Just
f1atten the cans so that no animal can
thrust its head inside. 1t will be a
kindly deed and save not only the
cats feelings, but those of the COM
munity who are harried by such suf-
ferings.
Cats are not the only animals that
clean out tin cans. Dogs are just as
fond Of doing this as they are. Wood
ehucks have gotten into trouble in the
same way, whether in search of food
or Of information, I don't know. So
have skunks. 1t is never safe, in town
or country, to throw out tin can
without baShing it fiat
This little chore is suggested to ami
ral-loVing children, and to grown
people as well. The grown people use
the cans and throw them out. If they
will think about the matter them
selves, and tell the children about it,
host of hungry little creatures are
going to feel much better.
Mr.. Patri will give personal atten-
ton to inquiries from parents and
school teachers on the care and de-
velopment of children. Write him in
care Of this paper, inclosing a 3-cent,
stamped, self-addressed envelope for
reply.