Evening star., 1949-08-30

lowing poem from Capper's Weekly:
COUNTRY CATS.
Country cats all smell Of clover.
Walk by brooks that tumble over
Golden stones and silver fish.
Country cats scorn food in dish.
Catch their own in tangled brambles;
Rural cats on rural rambles,
Wearing guileless pansy faces.
Propagate in sylvan places,
Sowing kittens by the dozens.
Country cats have country cousins,
Brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts,
Wild from haunting catnip haunts,
Sweetly smelling. roaming over
Fields Of rye and mint and clover
BLANCA BRADBURY.
Even night out will give a cat fresh
air, ozony sort Of smell.
Which reminds one:
What has become Of ozone?
Years ago one heard q lot about It, Peo-
pie always spoke of the ozone in the air.
Now ozone has little, If any, standing.
Well, it makes no difference. There 10
something in fresh air that speaks for itself.
and every one recognizes it. OF course, it
has become increasingly evident that some
of the oldtimers rather overdid their en-
phasis on fresh air. Actually many per-
sons today have found out that fresh air,
especially in winter. tends to give one colds.
Persistently sleeping in fresh air is not too
good for many. These. If sensible. keep
their windows down In winter. sleep better.
save fuel, and catch fewer colds.
II y 4
There can be little question that the out
door cat has q fresher, cleaner smell than
the one kept indoors all or most of the time.
This is not only q matter Of air, but also
of brushing against leaves, branches, and
walking in grass.
The cat body has It's own problems. just
as the human body has. The creature has
no access to deodorants. bathtubs, sweet
smelling perfumes or powders.
Nature is supposed to take care Of him
in this regard. and generally does = good
job. The cat does not sweat, In the ordi-
nary sense.
Fleas are the bane of his existence, not
only in themselves. but in the dirt they
make These, as well as the fleas. are best
kept down with a fine comb, and the use
of flea powder.
No powder containing DDT should ever
be used on q cat.
Those with rotenone are the best, and
even these should be used carefully. The
powder is best placed in spot back of the
shoulder Even this amount. we'll rubbed
down the fur, may cause sickness, but it is
soon over, bringing up fur balls, the interior
bane of the housecat
No perfume of any kind should ever be
used on q cat, not even mint.
II cat rolls In q catnip bed, 1t is not
likely to pick up much of the smell, despite
our poet.
It is rather the brushing action of the
leaves, maybe wet with dew.
Some of this action may be secured in
doors by the use of comb and brush The
comb takes out fieas and loose fur. and the
brush polishes, especially the all-black spec
linen.
Brushing is best for the black cat. as 1t
makes the coat shine, and this has q special
appeal in this one type.
Cats should never be bathed. There are,
of course many violations OF this rule. often
without seeming harm, but as general
proposition the cat does best when dry, just
as the dog does.
The strictly indoor cat may be more dirty
than q tidy householder would like to think,
and since the animal can have no benefit
of rural rambles and brambles, it Is up to
the owner to keep its sleeping place clean
at all times. and to see that wherever 1t
sleeps is covered with q cloth, and this
cloth renewed often.
Even . vacuum cleaner may be used on
a cat Not all specimens enjoy it! The
combing is enjoyed by most CATS but each
one has some particular spot. the stomach
or other. it does not care to have combed,
and this wish should be respected. If you
cannot respect a cats wish you should not
have cat. That is plain enough. These
are affectionate. clean animals. and q little
proper care will keep them 30. The only
bad cats. their friends are inclined to think.
are those which hay been teassd as Kittens