Evening star., 1949-04-26
This and That
BY Charles Z. Trucetrell
"TAKOMA PARK,

"TAKoMA PARK.
Dear Sir:
Recently you had an article about the
intelligence Of the Persian cat.
i thought you would like to hear Of m
instance. We have . 5-year-old specimen,
named Sam.
Sam is beautiful yellow, but his mind
Is what Is interesting.
His pride In his own home is immense,
and lowered recently when we put our
placer, Sans place-up for sale
Prospects there were galore-and each
one was met at the door by Sam personally.
The big cat not only greeted all visitors,
but ran ahead of them up the stairs.
He followed them from room to room,
purring and showing off.
He ran before them down the steps.
and onto the porch. where he sat watching
the visitors go back to their cars.
This is not usual with him at all. Nor
mally. he pays little attention to callers.
1T was exactly as If he knew the impor-
tance of putting his best foot forward!
Sincerely. G. r."
= 4
Reaction Of house cats to visitors is an in
teresting thing.
There are. in the main, two types, the
friendly and the scary cat, or "fraidy-cat ("
Some cats seem to be born afraid.
In some instances. Ill treatment may have
been responsible, but many persons who
can vouch for the facts say this happens to
some animals without cause.
Loud and sudden knocks at the door will
cause such cats to jump out of a chair and
stink across the room. usually to the stair
case. up which they fee
One alley cat friend will hide under the
bedspread, burrowing down beneath the
blanket.
1t is noticeable in some homes that thun-
derstorms cause fear among the pets.
Usually these are cats
Dogs do not often show this type of reac-
ton, but it is common with some cats There
seems to be no explanation Undoubtedly
it was this type Of animal that caused so
much concern In London during the air
blitz.
1t was customary. in such cases, to give
each easily frightened animal an aspirin
tablet The effect Of a single tablet Is
enough. as 1t Is more potent with animals:
the effects Of bombardments, thunder and
the noise OF planes is not so drastic then.
. .
Hiding under the bed
That is an old remedy for thunderstorms
which small animals stick to thoroughly.
Every home where cats are honored guests
has had at the least one animal which has
Refuge under bed or diyan Is standard ac-
ton. Just what the creature thinks It is
doing Is not known.
It is Just the old animal instinct to crawl
under something. and to be where 1t Is dark
This same action, alas, was also standard
for humans in Europe during the air bonn
bardments.
Let US not forget how subways and tubes"
were lived In night after night. during the
air raids.
This Is . reaction which ties us all, the
world around. to the animal kingdom, and
causes one to be more kindly to the beasts
Not all cats are as brave as our corTe-
spondent's Sam.
Some of them, like some human children,
are tinid In the face Of strangers
In all such cases. IL feasible. the animal
should be shut up in basement or spare room
until later
This makes the situation better all around
II Is q plain fact that not all animals are
alike. any more than all human beings are
alike. An effort to treat them as II they were
automatons causes . great deal Of injustice.
Some may smile at the idea Of injustice to
animals. but when We stop TO think Of all
the terrible injustices committed against
four legged things. we can see how necessary
It = to ny TO BE- iptr IN small matters.