Evening star., 1950-01-16
This and That
By Charles E. TraceweH

@ STREET.
Dear Sir:
you are such a faithful friend of the
animals that I know you can answer the
following question:
Am I too doubtful, or something, when
I begin to feel that half a dozen cats are
too many?
II had lived long life, without ever being
able to satisfy my liking to have a number
OF cats around, when fate made it possible
for me to do so.
II got two cats, then third, a fourth.
and fifth, and now sixth.
Much to my amazement. I am finding
that they are more trouble than they are
worth.
This rather horrifies me. as waited so
long to have them, and always pictured how
happy would be with several of them.
Now find caring for them literally
boring.
us there something the matter with me?
Am I one OF these odd personalities the
science, so-called, Of psychology. has sue
ceeded in clubbing as neurotic? Or is there
something about number of cats that is
different from just one or two cats?
Il am sincerely desirous of having your
opinion. Very truly. v. D."
Our correspondent should not worry
about this.
1t Is common situation One loves cats,
maybe has one, loses it, gets another. Then
comes time Of life when no cats are in
order, perhaps Then arrives period when
one seems able to house more than one or
two.
It is somewhat surprising to such friend
Of animals to discover that all may not be
plain sailing. And always one blames ones
self.
We believe there is more to it, however.
than the self. Modern advances, as they
are called, in mental science seem deter
mined to make us all In the wrong Many
persons would do well to forget all they
have ever read about psychology and psy-
chiatry in magazines and newspapers It
almost seems, at times, as if there has been
a terrible sort of conspiracy in some back
room, smoke filled, If you will, to put all
normal people in the wrong by clubbing
them "neurotics If they do not agree with
a drawn up code of thinking and acting.
The truth remains that most of the really
great work done in advancing humanity has
been done and is being done by persons
who are plainly "neurotic," If we accept the
standards Of these self-appointed critics of
humanity. 1t is bad enough for them to
prey upon the minds of adults, but for them
to impose their awful code upon children,
and brand them from the earliest days as
having this 10 or that 10 will strike many
persons as terrible. indeed. Sensitive per-
sons who love music, for instance, and yet
who resent being forced to listen to the
twiddle-twaddle on the public transit are
sneered at and Smeared with the word
"neurotic." It would be better for the transit
officers to realize that Ill will is Ill will,
however made. The good people who do not
like to have music rammed down their ears,
whether or no, deserve better handling
than they so far have received in Washing
ton, D. C. In New York City they handled
the matter better.
AS for hundreds and thousands and mil
lions Of cats"
Every cat lover has dreamed of having
them, all colors, all types, rooms full, fields
full. mountains full
Very few ever get their wish. Some do,
and do not suffer.
Others, equally friends Of cats, cannot
stand the pressure.
This pressure is simply that of the animal
world.
If we live with animals, in time we feel it.
1t is the great underlying surge of life, life
that is different from our own.
In time 1t becomes trying to the human
spirit. We are products of centuries of
trying our best to be above animals, Of
attempting to add something else to life
besides muscles
The animal world, If we take 1t too close
to our bosoms. seems to cloy We can do
our best for them when we love and admire
them. but we should not have too many Of
them too close.
/ Two nice cats, in our Judgment, are
enough at one e'time. (How many do we have?
Fivs' You see we tfow''