Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-09
This and That
BIZ Charles z. TrGce1oell :.

While you are at the National Geological
Park seeing the bears, or other animals. DO
not overlook the cats.
Our Zoo has been famous since Its foun-
dalton for It's feline inmates L
Great cats such as lions and tigers. little
cats. including many from South America
These are well worth noting.
They will particularly appeal to friends OF
the common house cat, because there Is no
closer knit family than that Of Felis.
pigs Is pigs" said the old short story.
Equally, cats are cats to be o bit more
grammatical.
The resemblance, barring size, between q
royal tiger and loyal house cat Is amazing.
Every one has seen small tiger cat that
reminded every one Of the jungle beast.
Often the tiger striped common cat Is
affectionate beyond measure.
We know big tiger one which Is so fond
ring his door bell and inquire. Can Leggy
come out to play?"
Standing in front of the tiger cage, the
cat friend will feel inclined to wish that the
tigers might come out to play. too.
Something in the eye. however. tells one
to beware.
It speaks Of the savage side Of nature.
The cats exemplify this. Those who dis
like cats, large or small. like to make out as
II others of the natural kingdoms had no
savagery. or at least not as much. In them.
Alas, man Gas the last two wars showeO.
has far more Of the savage In him than all
the tigers, snakes and insects put together.
And his Is infinitely worse, cruelty Tor
cruelty, since he knows better.
The animals know no better. They are,
as the poet put it, "Only one times one"
They have no conception Of right and
wrong, no knowledge, indeed, Of themselves
as living creatures.
They are just bundle Of actions and re-
actions. They are. In one sense, happily
freed from mental pressures. Despite his
raw-meat diet, the tiger or lion has no ulcers
Of the stomach.
Another way Of saying that all cats are
alike. despite their sizes and colors. Is Is
follows:
"The family Of cats Is one Of the most
sharply defined Of all the carnivores, or
fiesh-eating animals"
Those old family traits!
All cats, regardless Of size, wash their
faces with their paws. sharpen their claws
on tree trunks, contract the pupils OF their
eyes.
The skulls are short and broad. with g
very short face.
All of them, when they have done eating,
like to rake leaves over the food.
Their natural habits are cleanly.
They all purr, even tigers and lions and
cougars. X
If you could catch up with q slinky
lynx some day (maybe In dreams) and he
(for some unknown reason) decided to let
you alone. he would purr nightly II you
tickled his Jaws.
The last time we were at the Zoo we spent
a long time standing in front Of the cage OF
the jungle cat, tawny fellow which once had
been a pet in q home In Rangoon. He was
1.-the, graceful. unperturbed He spent many
minutes polishing his right hind foot. just
as Leggy Tor Licky, as he Is sometimes
called would do at home.
The wildcat or bobcat. Is typical Ameri-
can, with short. busiiy tail. 1t La beau
tiful creature but could never be tanned.
One is well advised to give 1t . wide berth.
Domestic cats should satisfy any friend Of
these animals, since they are 20 much like
the big ones. In 20 many ways. but fully
tractable and affectionate. easily adapted to
human living conditions. and possessed OF
many endearing traits known only TO their
real friends.