Evening star., 1945-10-01
This and That
By Charles E. Traceweu.

Thumper, iMmortalized as a rabbit
name, now belongs to big staggering
black cat.
We have had the opportunity of
watching this fellow for two years now,
and believe he is the only cat in the
world with neurosis.
His case of slight mental obsession
revolves around his brother, who looks
almost like him, and who, for that
reason, is called Double, or Dubby, for
short.
People who are unacquainted with the
two are always confusing them, as one
might almost identical brothers, whether
they go on two legs or four.
Both animals are marked with white
nose and chest. and have white paws,
and are coal black all over the rest Of
them.
Both have peculiar habit of an
almost silent meow, with the mouth
opened but with practically no sound
coming forth.
Thumper was sick and mild, when he
first showed up, but a few weeks on
frozen horse meat made an entirely
QiIIeTeHt cat OF MIN.
His coat took on luster, his eyes
opened wide, and from being very
docile he became full of vim and vigor.
BY right of first arrival, which is the
law in catland, he regarded the house
and lawn as his own.
He did not therefore, take the advent
of Double with any too keen enthusiasm.
He did not, however, fight him, and even
slept in the basement with him for
many nights.
The straw that broke Thumper's spirit
was the calm way in which Dubby made
himself at home in the rocking chair
in the dining room.
From that day on, it has been war,
and nothing but war between them.
Two terrific battles at a few days
interval demonstrated that there would
never be any peace between the two of
them again.
1t was diflcult at first to determine
which one was to blame.
Both fought with will, and though
Thumper was pounds heavier, he was
much slower.
Little Dub swung his paws about 10
times as fast. He is a born fighter,
believing in the aggressive every time,
and knowing just where and when to
bite.
Thump is more cautious, evidently
relying on the human saying that
good big man can beat a good little
man every time.
They went at it hammer and tongs,
with Thumper receiving the worst of it
both times.
The third battle was beauty, right
in the middle of the kitchen, thence
through the hall and all over the living
room
Dubby was driven under a chair, as
Thumper began to put his weight into it.
The smaller animal found that his
whirling paws did not save him from
punishment
1t was t lis contest which determined
us to keep the two apart, so since that
day Double has been incarcerated in the
garage all d. y, to permit Thump to have
a turr ou., and Thumper has been kept
in at night, to allow his brother to roam.
The feud between them has grown to
such an extent that Thump spends much
VI iio UiiliC diuOOiS pCCllllS Out VI VIC
window for sight of his enemy.
This Abel-Cain affair goes on night
and day, evidently, in his consciousness.
The few times Double has walked up
to the back screen door when Thumper
was there, has resulted in Thumper be-
coming so angry that he has turned
and leaped at anything In his path.
"You ought to get rid Of him. is the
usual comment by persons who do not
understand cats.
The truth is that Thumper is Of a
good disposition, but the sight OF his
hated brother and rival Is too much for
him.
So the only thing to do. Of course. Is
to keep them from seeing each other.