Evening star., 1949-11-04
This and That
By Charles E. TraceueU


What is the funniest thing you ever saw
q cat do?
Well, the most comical recently. anyhow,
was young Possie on the dining room table.
This 6-month-old cat. whose fur pat
tern makes him much resemble an opossum,
tried to leap up on the table, which had q
pad and cloth at the time, but no dishes.
Possie is one Of those odd, clownlike
fellows. to begin with.
That always helps in the fun business.
People with popeyes cannot say anything,
for instance. without making other people
smile.
Some of the country's greatest comics
have done nothing more than capitalize on
their eyes. live up to their eyes. as one
might say.
Possie hit the edge of the table with both
forepaws.
Ordinarily this would have been good
enough but this time the pad beneath the
cloth started to slip.
As the cloth began to slide, young Possie
realized that something was wrong, so he
started to make clawing motions, first with
the front paws. and then with all four.
This treadmill action made the cloth move
faster and faster.
The faster 1t went, the quicker became
the clawing movements Of the cat.
- -
Soon there was a veritable furry whirl-
wind in motion.
The white cloth and underpad slid slowly
off the table, with Possie holding on man
fully-or. rather, felinely-to the edge.
It was not until the cloth started to fall
completely off the table that the cat let 60
its hold and went off with it.
This little drama of the everyday lasted
only about seconds, probably, but while it
lasted 1t was as full Of action as any comic
film.
The laughter that greeted this "ride for
life" on table edge seemed to be resented
by the cat.
It stalked off few PAGES, then lay down,
and looked around.
Many cats resent being laughed at, Just
as some OF them do not like to be yawned
at. Yet as among human beings, they some-
times Will yawn right back. in few seconds.
1t Is impossible, however, to pull this trick
on cat more than once at time; that is,
II ne yawns once, you may yawn your head
Oft, he will not do 1t again.
Yet the cats yawn self-instigated, is the
feline equivalent Of hearty greeting.
They almost always do 50 when spoken to
by their friends.
They also greet one by sticking out their
front claws.
Once upon q time little Nipper q tiger cat.
made hit in his family by lying on his
back and pulling himself along beneath the
davenport.
Many cats have done this, before and
since. but perhaps none ever succeeded in
making such q swift journey upside down.
causing so much laughter.
For Nipper, too, was a clown-cat Such an
an animal can cause laughter merely by 4
cock Of the head.
It Is something inbred, and surely his
friends would not say that he does not enjoy
the sensation he causes.
There was that time big black and white
Thumper played summersaulting with 4
squirrel.
He chased a squirrel, caught it, released
1t, and then turned complete summersault
over 1t.
Not to be outdone, the squirrel ran at
Thumper, and sprang right over him.
This is fact, one Of the oddities of ami
NAL play.
Little Gray has evolved a method Of jump
ing on the end Of the davenport. then push
ing off with all four feet.
It is q perfect "bank" in the best speedway
sense.
Old yellow Quincy once went to the head
OF the stairs and fell over. There is q sort
Of chute there. and Quincy shot down the
chute and landed on thu flcnr with i piop.
He seemed very indignant when everybody
laughed.