Evening star., 1948-12-08
This and That
y Charles Z. TrGcetDeil
KENDALL GREEN NE.

Dear Sir:
when opened the door leading into the
back vestibule to feed Cat, found not only
the wrong cat, but also a large opossum
'The cat made a fast getaway, but the
possum was sleeping. The floor was Uttered
with gardening tools that he had knocked
of the shelf.
'The possum woke up, and went back and
forth through the vestibule many times during
the day, as did other people too, and although
I took up'a trowel that was practically under
him, he arched his back and opened his
mouth wide.
Then, probably feeling he had sufficiently
impressed me, he went back to sleep. He was
still there at o o'clock at night, and remem-
bering that you wrote that possums eat every
thing, politely offered him small bunch Of
white grapes, but he sneered at them. Well,
my offerings have been sneered at by better
things than possums, so didn't feel too bad.
Sunday morning the possum was gone, and
Cat was back Cat Is black with little white
shirt front and magnificent white whiskers, but
an insignificant tail. He is handsome fellow
as long as he sits on his tail. Cat is not ours;
we are Cats. He cased the joint and decided
to move in. The fact that we do not like cats
makes no difference to Cat. We don't even
give him q name, hoping the ignominy Of this
will drive him to other fields, but he blandly
ignores our feeble attempts to wound his
pride. He now wants to move into the house,
for which he is sternly reproved. After all,
we have to put our foot down someplace-
first looking to see that Cat Is not under 1t.
Very truly yours r. O. H."
-
The opossum might have been i'll. Often
they act this way after having eaten foods
poisoned with sprays. There comes time in
the life of every oposs,,m, OF course, when he
must go back to his Maker. We once watched
iy, $k,o rl nvf
now and then he had a convulsion, and opened
his mouth as our correspondent cited. 1t was
at this time that we were able to see the real
beauty in the creatures sad eyes, and admire
the delicate hands"
Opossums are not very much afraid, how
ever, of humans. They will come to bird feed
ing stations at night, and have been known to
eat suet offered them by hand.
We hope this correspondent will give Cat
an accredited name, and keep the creature,
since a black and white cat always Is in a
class by himself.
Much has been said about the intelligence
of the tiger cat, once most prevalent In Wash
ington Today 1t has been replaced by the
black-and white, usually all black except for
white feet and chest and maybe some white on
the face.
These are peculiar fellows.
They have will of their own, and many en-
dearing habits
friends, but always in spirit which invariably
earns their forgiveness. This may be hard for
professional cat haterS to understand, but 1t
Is easy enough for the friends of cats.
The black and white cat is moody.
1t may or may not be conventional, but
usually is
One day it will be very friendly, leaping
lightly into the lap.
The next, it will perch on the window sill
without glancing at its friends.
There is no telling, with black and white
cat. All-black ones have been held up in
legend song and story as companions OF
witches, etc. The truth is that the all-black cat
usually is sedate old gentleman, as compared
with his black and white relative. The latter
makes one think of strange doings, the witching
hour of night, and all the high tales one has
heard of cat pranks the world around. The
black and white cat that comes to your door,
seeking aid in an unfriendly world, is an inter-
esting and strange emissary from ancient
Egypt, where his ancestors were honored as
gods. The ages have rolled on, but this little
fellow at the door Is much the same as those
old inscrutable ones slant eyed beneath the
pyramids. Take him in, and great Bubastes
will bring blessings on your head.