Illustration: The Tammany Tiger Cat By Louis Wain

PLEASE understand that what I don't know about cats, American or otherwise, would fill the British Museum. I am merely a human gramophone recording Mr. Louis Wain, who lately returned from a long engagement on the staff of the New York American, Mr. W. R. Hearst's famous newspaper. If this article leads to war between us and the United States, on Mr. Main's head be it.

The American cat, it appears, is apt, like the American man, to run to physical extremes, and is usually either colossally fat or indecently thin. Mr. Wain reminds me, however, that it is rather misleading to speak of the “American cat." With the exception of the Maine cat a puss of cerulean hue and the tiger or wild cat, there are no breeds peculiar to the United States. On the other hand, distinct types of puss are to be found there, which, in an amusing manner, often reproduce the characteristics of the humans among whom they live.

The cat of the east side of New York, for example, is a thin, big-boned, herring gutted, slab sided, long-nosed, lantern-jawed creature, possessed of a demon of restlessness. It is, in short, a "cat on hot bricks," never still, always rushing up and down the stairs of the huge tenement-houses, where it leads a chequered, feverish existence. It eats incredibly, and suffers much from dyspepsia. Its end usually is not peaceful, for after it has ceased to amuse as a kitten it is kicked to death or flung out of the window. Dead cats are common adornments of the eastern side-walk, and no dust-bin is complete without one.

The down town or business cat is a night-bird if the metaphor may pass. He is thinner than the east-sider and block-headed. He is never seen by day, but when night falls and the restaurants and eating-houses put out their refuse he appears and gorges on offal. He also devours other cats. A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles and a marauder is the down-town cat. He often runs to fat, and then has his human prototype in those huge, soft, silky men with enormous paunches and thin legs who haunt hotel lounges and other public places. They never seem to do anything or to have any ostensible business, but Heaven help the human mouse who comes within reach of their paws. Scratch these men of Turanian type and you h will quickly discover the Tartar that is in them.

The prototype oi the female down-town cat is the American fakir business woman, who is nothing; if not sly, treacherous, predatory, and merciless. While strictly moral (in the limited sense of the term) she encourages her employer to think that she is otherwise, lures him into disclosing valuable business secrets, and then sells him to the enemy. She is quite conscienceless, her only love is cupboard love, and she is the natural antidote to the man-sneak who preys on women, and she runs him to earth.

SIAMESE CATS
The Scotsman, 14th January 1911
Sir – About one and a half years ago I purchased a “Royal Siamese” kitten from the secretary of the Siamese Cat Club in London. He was a beautiful specimen, but came with a slight cold, and slowly died in spite of every care. I was then given a female of about a year old. She did splendidly, until one day she was startled, when sitting in a chair by the fire, by some men coming into the room. She flew straight up the chimney with the fire alight. I found her with eyes bunged up and coat covered in soot. Her eyes were bathed and proved uninjured, and there was no external injury beyond very slight singeing of coat. However, two days after she died from shock. My third attempt appears more likely to be successful. “Sancho” is champion bred, saved from the show pen by having a suspicion of white on his toes. He is four months old, and I’ve had him since early November. He will come from anywhere at my call and follow me about. His activity is tremendous; he plays at lightning speed. He will bring back a paper to me time after time to throw for him; loves my Chow dog; is most interested in everything, and “talks” a good deal; he is a fascinating pet, and seems possessed of far more intelligence than the ordinary cat, for whom up to now I have always had a great affection. – L. Lyons, S Andrews, January 13, 1911.

THE CAT CAME BACK
Alton Evening Telegraph, March 6 1911
A year ago this month E. W. Schmidt concluded he had one too many cats at his residence on Eighth street so he took one cat to his office and kept her in the cellar. The office is on Henry street, between First and Second streets. The cat stayed there about a week and finally disappeared and Mr. Smith thought he had seen the last of her. This morning the cat was back having taken a whole year to get home. She was sitting on a window ledge and ready and anxious to be given her breakfast. Mr. Schmidt would like to know where the cat has been and how she found her way back home.

SLAUGHTERED CATS. Lyttelton Times (NZ), 31st March 1911
A claim for damages arising out of the slaughter of valuable cats was heard at the Magistrate's Court yesterday by Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., James Patterson (Mr Alpers) suing R. B. Clarke (Mr Weston) for the recovery of £8 8s. James Patterson said that Clarke was his neighbour at Page's Road, New Brighton. Witness kept three cats in a specially constructed cat-house with a run enclosed by bird-wire netting. On February 8 he went to the cat-house as a result of a call from his wife, and saw two cats lying dead, disembowelled. He went to Clarke's house and saw a bull-terrier, which Mrs. Patterson identified as the dog that had slaughtered the cats. Clarke had offered to replace the cats, but had not done so. Later he had made an offer of £2 2s, which was declined. One cat was a year-old Chinchilla, and was worth £5, and other, a blue Persian kitten, £3.

To Mr. Weston: When he saw the cat-house the wire-netting had been torn away, leaving an opening about eighteen inches by twenty-four inches. The dog had probably obtained an entrance the opening. Alice Patterson, wife of the plaintiff said that she saw two doge, one a bull terrier, inside the cat-house. The bull terrier burst through the door in the house and the two went to Clarke's place. She knew the dogs were Clarke's property. The dog must have attempted to pull head off the Chinchilla cat. The blue Persian kitten had been a gift, and had taken a first and special prize in a cat show when three months old.
To Mr Weston: She would not have accepted £2O for her cats. She was fond of them, and would not have sold thou.
Mrs Nixon gave evidence as to the value of the cats, for which she said £8 8s was a reasonable claim.
Percival Pirani. secretary of the Christchurch Cat Club, and Frederick Biggs, judge at the last show held by the Christchurch Cat Club, gave evidence as to the value of the cats.
The defendant in evidence stated that he had seen the cat-house and could see no opening where the dog had broken through, but he had been told by plaintiff and by the plaintiff's wife that the dog had got in through the door at the back. The appearance of the cats was not consistent with dog-worrying, but seemed to suggest that they had been hit with a heavy stick. Minnie Clarke also said that Mrs Patterson had told her that the dog had entered through the door of the house, and that the dog showed no signs of injury. F. Papps and Hamilton McHaffey also gave evidence.
Judgment was given for the plaintiff for the amount claimed, with costs.

RURAL LIFE. BY A SON OF THE SOIL - A BEAUTIFUL AND FASHIONABLE CAT Luton Reporter, 4th May 1911
Of all fancy cats those classified as Persians are most popular, and of these I believe that the Chinchilla is first favourite. It was a Chinchilla which was adjudged best cat in the show at the last Crystal Palace Cat Show. A reason for this popularly, apart from the real beauty of the breed, is the great difficulty of breeding a perfect specimen. At out time all silver Persians were called Chinchillas; later they were classified as Shaded Silvers and Self Silvers. But there is no such cat as a complete self, and so the latter term was soon abandoned in favour of the older one.

There is a society which looks after the interests of all silver cats, including Silver Tabbies and Smokes, and this society has laid it down that Chinchillas should be as pale and unmarked silver as its possible to breed them. Any brown or cream tinge is considered a great drawback. The colour of the eyes should be green, but this is so rare that orange is also permitted. Apart from these features great importance is attached to the head, which, as in all Persians, should be round and broad, and to the tail, which should be moderately short and very bushy.

Chinchillas are so named after the little animals found in Chili, Bolivia, and Peru, and in enormous demand for their dense soft slate-grey fur. They are similar in size to a common squirrel, and have the same pretty way of sitting on their haunches when eating and holding their food in their forepaws. It may be of interest to know that I have seen a pair of these dainty creatures kept in captivity. They made excellent pets, being of very cleanly habits and displaying a good deal of Intelligence and docility. But it is to be admitted that their resemblance to the Chinchilla cat is not very marked.

CATS AND THE BIRDS
Our Dumb Animals, June 1911

When the household cat, properly trained, does not have to depend upon her hunting skill for a living, she should not be classed as bird murderer. Could any creature be more justified in taking bird life than the cat, wild with hunger, once a pet but cruelly and unlwfully abandoned? A writer in the Cat Journal thus defends his client in the cat vs. bird case:-

"Let me say that my cat, Dick, early learned to carry home all the game he caught but during his many years of hunting was known to have killed only two birds - a jay and a quali. How many boys haveshot so few? Hundreds of martins, swallows, wrens and bluebirds have reared their young around Dick's home, but he never molested them. The birds spoken of have little box houses built for them all about the farm and they gather materials around in the yards for their nests. The continually war with each other and often fall to the earth in fierce combat which is very tempting to the cats. No-one admires the feathered songsters mor than the writer, for what would the wildwood be without them? Certainly dreary. Now here is a fact: More birds die by the 22-caliber rifle during cherry season in California than be all the cats during all the seasons of the year. And what a multitude of our winged friends are poisoned by grains and grass seed charged with vitriol or strychnine and sown in the fields for their destruction! You can train your cat to leave the birds alone if he is a good one like Dick. Don't pick up a renegade and expect him to behave. Only the untrained, unfed, homeless cats kill birds, and they do so only when they want something to eat. Is this worse than the sportsman shooting birds just for the sport?

SUBTLETIES OF THE LANGUAGE Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 5th July 1911
A nice discrimination is shown just now by bills at all the railway stations which announce a “Great dog show and exhibition of cats.” I suppose the sentiment underlying the distinction is that cats are distant, lordly, inscrutable creatures, for whom a pompous Latin phrase is apposite, while a dog is a kindly best, whom we show, but do not exhibit.

NEW CAT CEMETERY OPENED
The New York Times, July 11th, 1911

Bide-a-Wee Pets Moved to New Home Bought by Mrs. Orme Wilson.

WANTAGH, L.I. Workers connected with the Bide-a-Wee Home at 410 East Thirty-eighth street, new York, are completing the work of removing their cat and dog charges from the place they have rented at Freeport for the Summer domicile for a number of years to their new Summer home at this place, the purchase of which has been made possible by a gift of $3,000 from Mrs. Orme Wilson.

There are fifteen acres of the new property, five of which will be devoted to an animal cemetery similar to the one in Hyde Park, London. Twenty-five dollars buys a permanent plot in the cemetery.

The gift of Mrs. Wilson was made as a living memorial to Pansy, a little griffon bruxellois of whom she was very fond. Among those who have taken plots in the animal cemetery are:

Miss Florence Ferguson, Mrs E K Robinson. Dr. Richard T. Bang, Mrs Julia F. Rogers. Dr. R. Ottolengui, Mrs. A. V. T. Billington, Mrs. George H. Gould, Mrs. H. U. Kibbe, Mrs. W. Orr Barclay, Miss Eleanor Hartshorne, Mrs. E. L Ludlow, Miss Mary Latimer, Frank K Sturgis, Miss Margaret H. Garrard, Miss Emily Stevens, Mrs. Winfield Scott, Mrs. H. K. Pomroy, Miss Louise Castree, Jefferson Seligman, Mrs F. M. Wilson, Mrs. J B. Dickson, Mrs. Jasper Lynch, Miss Vera Cravath, Mrs. H. M. Day, Mrs. Phillips A. Clark, Miss Ellen Glasgow.

CATS [MUNICH CAT TAX] Kirkintilloch Herald, 2nd August 1911
The domestic cat has often been threatened with taxation, but as threatened men live long, so the cat, with her proverbial nine lives, should not be much disturbed at the, prospect. At the same time it is announced trial the Munich City Council has decided to tax cats, partly with a view to lessening their numbers. This seems a little strange, because cats are, and always have been, comparatively scarce in the German States. It is said that there are not quite half a million cats in the whole German empire, whilst it is estimated that there are four millions in France, and nearly eight millions in the United Kingdom, clearly the land of four legged cats, and since the first cat show was held at the Crystal Palace in London in 1871, there have been formed several cat clubs, which hold annual exhibitions in the leading cities of the country.

MILLIONAIRE’S CAT BURIED
Warren Times, August 15, 1911

Feline Cemetery Overcrowded With Friends of Tiger's Owner.

Philadelphia, Aug. 15. — Lying in a silk-lined mahogany coffin, its head resting on a satin embroidered pillow,

Tiger, the pet Angora cat of William Gray Brooks, a Philadelphia millionaire, was buried in the cat cemetery at Radnor. The attaches at the Morris refuge for cats sent out invitations to the neighbors of Mr. Brooks to attend the funeral and so many of them responded that the cat cemetery was overcrowded A headstone will be erected above Tiger.

PRINCESS VICTORIA Dalkeith Advertiser, 17th August 1911
Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, whose cats arc the admiration of feline lovers at the various cat shows of the season, is the most practical Princess in England. Unconventional and decidedly original, she follows her own bent. She was one of the first women at this side to start a "cattery" with the object of making money. In the advertisement columns of certain newspapers may he found from time to time announcements in her own name stating that she has blue Persians, or scions of some equally aristocratic breed, for sale. She has pets which are literally worth their weight in gold. At the same time she has been known to pick up a starving kitten in the fields around Cumberland Lodge and to bring it home and treasure it. One of her favourites is jet black and of the most plebeian order. This she rescued from some boys in the streets of Windsor who were about to drown it.

PROFITABLE HOBBIES, BY “UTILITY.” CATS FOB PROFIT. St. Andrews Citizen, 2nd September 1911
A lady who signs herself Catlover asks whether there any chance of making a profit by keeping Cats. If she is prepared to risk a certain amount of disappointment and failure, I do not see why she should not add to her income by breeding high-class Cats and selling through the medium of Cat shows, which since Persian Cats were brought to this country have become very popular. Although Persian Cats are more delicate than their short-haired relatives, they are the chief favourites. The best way to start Cat breeding for profit is to buy a well-bred female kitten, and when it is twelve months old to have it mated with a fashionable prize-winning male, of course, taking great care to keep it away from mongrel Toms. The kitten will require a good deal of attention and care, particularly when it about six months old. It should be allowed plenty of exercise, without being out in the wet, and the food must include some finely-minced underdone, or raw, lean meat often. It ought then to get through its kittenhood, and grow into healthy animal well able endure the risks of motherhood, and produce litters of saleable pedigree kittens.

CATS AS RATTERS. Another chance of making a little profit from cat-breeding is by evolving a good strain of ratters and mousers. Frankly, I have never heard of anyone obtaining even a fraction of his livelihood in this fashion, but it is by no means a fanciful or far fetched idea. A strain of ratting cats can easily be created on any farm, the instinct being deeply rooted and showing itself in a certain number of the kittens, so that all that is needed is to keep the whole litter until they are old enough be watched in their willingness or the reverse to tackle a rat. They must be well fed, the cat killing the rats for pure pleasure, and also for praise or some little tit-bit. Where trouble has been taken in selecting ratting kittens for some generations, a remarkable degree of skill and pluck has been obtained, the kittens of the fourth generation of such selection tackling rats larger than themselves, and scarcely ever coming to grief. They kill differently from other cats, lifting the rat well off the ground, and holding it until it is past struggling. Probably they develop exceptional strength in the muscles of the neck and throat.

If the trouble of breeding a ratting strain found too much, almost any fine young neuter tom, if fed well and encouraged, will “go for’’ rats and enjoy the sport; they are much better and more certain than either toms or she cats, the pleasure or sporting instinct appearing more developed. So far as experience goes, the ratting cat is invariably a gentle creature in the house, and absolutely safe with children, just as is good sporting dog.

EVERY CAT’S DAY By Harold Owen
Westminster Gazette, 21st October 1911
Yet one more day has been added to the growing calendar of what may he termed minor and secular hagiolatry. For somebody or other has appointed a day in October as Every Cat's Day, and you are requested to celebrate the arbitrarily appointed festival by " sending a donation to the nearest cat's home." I shall comply with pleasure. For the nearest cat's home in my case is not next door, or opposite, or anywhere else but chez moi. My charity, in fact, will begin at home - and end there. Not that I do not love cats - or, at least, a cat. I do. Could he but speak, I could call a witness who would prove that, though I do not dub myself "humanitarian," I am kindness itself to the species, as represented by himself. But my charity will end at home for the excellent reason (excellent, that is, because it satisfies my Reason) that the cats who have no home of their own but who are eleemosynarily received in a home for cats are merely. so many superfluities. A cat should have his own domestic hearth - it is the only raison d'etre for Felis Domesticus. If he has not one, he ceases to be a domestic cat, and if a cat is not Felis Domesticus, he may be Felis Catus, or any other member of the family; but he has no claim upon my sympathy. Certainly, he has no chance of obtaining my charitable contributions to keep him blinking in otiose content in such a place as an "institution," where no doubt his only stimulus to any sort of grateful activity is provided when the secretary shows visitors round. I dare say that then he makes an effort and rouses himself from his feline lethargy, and cuts his capers and smiles for the visitor, and really pretends that he appreciates the public charity that keeps him there. But all the pretence would only make him more odious to me.

For I know how ungrateful the cat can be who even reigns undisturbed on a hearth of his own, de jure as well as de facto. I know his cupboard-loving tricks. his well-fed indolence - his well fed insolence, too, after his plaintive humility before being repleted and I know his purr that is only a lively sense of favours to come. And so, knowing what a cat can be like when he does not live on charity, but exists by the indefeasible right that somehow he manages to acquire, I shudder to think of the insincerity and hypocrisy of the cat who is a sleek pauper, living on sufferance. I am sure he can distinguish between those of his "supporters” who give coin and those who run to "paper." I know that he performs perfunctorily for the merely curious, and is sulkily indifferent to the Life Member, all of whose subscriptions are paid up, and that when the ordeal is over he curls himself up and says, in the spirit of the unemployed banners, "Curse your charity - we want mice!" - and the freedom of the roof.

And I am even unmoved by the pathetic statement that "in one year alone upwards of 10,000 cats were received into one institution alone from the streets, almost all of whom were homeless and deserted." Ten thousand homeless cats are merely ten thousand cats for whom there is no place in the scheme of things. Put them in a Home if you will, nourish them by public charity, build another "forty Homes in London and the provinces " for them; but, when all is said and done, you are merely making unnecessary provision for the unwanted. If ten thousand cats are received in one year in one institution, then there may be a million cats, for aught I know, eligible for indoor relief up and down the country. But if catophilism is to be so thorough and is to go rampant to the extent of catering for the million, so to speak, then we shall almost need a separate department of the Local Government Board to deal with the vast problem, and Heaven knows where we shall end. It will be discovered that cats have no representative in Parliament “to watch over their interests," the living-in system may he condemned by the experts, and "justice to cats" may even become a party question, and that would really be too much. I will cheerfully subscribe to the cry "One hearth one cat" - but that is the limit of my catophilism beyond pampering one of my own. I would not, however, enforce that cry by Act of Parliament. To those people who might answer that they have an invincible repugnance to cats. I would not say, "That can't he helped - the majority is against you! Next week the Inspector will he round, and if you don't produce your cat you will be fined under the provisions of the Feline Encouragement Act!" No, I would leave full liberty of conscience in the matter of whether you kept a cat or not; but, all the same, I would use all legitimate and peaceful persuasion to induce every hearth to have its cat, if only that we might then say, " All the available accommodation is now allotted. Every home has its cat, so that every cat without a home is now a surplusage, and simply the cat that nobody wants," and then Homes for Cats would have to base their appeal for voluntary subscriptions upon the only ground that would justify their continuance - the merciful provision of euthanasia by well-appointed lethal chambers.

But, even as things are, with many catless hearths and hearthless cats, I cannot turn my charitable impulses into the channel of Homes for Cats. Consider how we treat our own species if they be found wandering about without visible means of subsistence. Why, they go to prison as vagabonds! - but is the vagabondage of cats not merely not to be penalised, but to be rewarded? Then, again, I cannot disperse my sympathies over the whole genus of Felis. The fact is, I don't love cats, but a cat, just as one loves not wives, but a wife - sometimes Felis Domesticus of another order. Or if I love the genus, it is in, by, and through the personality of one cat, and he my own. Rut there is no esprit de corps about him. He does not want me to love his kind - that is his business. and not mine - but only to feed and lodge and pamper him. If he did me the barest justice, however, what a testimonial could he not give me were my catophilism or my humanity called into question because I have no enthusiasm for supporting Homes for less fortunate members of his species! Indeed, in the circles of his kind he must many times have boasted of me, if only to make his midnight cronies envious. I stroke him till he even rebels; I make myself ridiculous by trying to coax from him some emotion in response to mine. I bury my nose in his furry warmth, and call him endearing names, and yet well I know that though a Sultan of his kind he is but a selfish beast, a cupboard-lover of the most cynical type, a sleek but sullen ingrate, an animal so pampered by human kindness as to have a contempt for humankind. And yet:

Sphinx my quiet hearth! who deignst to dwell,
Friend of my toil, companion of mine ease,
Thine is the lore of Ra and Rameses;
That men forget dost thou remember well,
Beholden still in blinking reveries,
With sombre sea-green gaze inscrutable.

Let it, then, he counted to me for righteousness by the catophilists that I, too, love a cat, for there are those who do not even go so far. When two such famous men, divided by so many centuries, as Julius Caesar and Napoleon detested cats - not passively, but with an active and hostile detestation - there must be some inherent and objective quality in them to account for the prejudice; and Lord Roberts, as is well known, carries on the military tradition down to our own day. Cats' clubs and Cat shows have done something to rehabilitate him from the ancient disrepute that he shared with witches, and Mr. Louis Wain has done even more. But he deals with the cat in its most favourable aspect, which is that of the kitten. He has not tried to idealise or sympathetically to present the mature serenader of the night, but has evaded the sinister problem of the cat by presenting him as a fluffy and gambolsome kitten, all innocence and wonder - and the cat is all craft and sophistication and disdain. And the kitten, please note, never lacks a home - it is the developed and revealed cat that is the wanderer forlorn, and though Homes may be opened for him, how can it be known whether he has not justly forfeited his claim to the hearth-rug and does not deserve (or does deserve) to be mewed up, so to speak, in a charitable institution "supported entirely by voluntary subscriptions"? And Homes for Cats - distinguished from hearths and homes - have been founded for him elsewhere and before; but even in Egypt, where he was worshipped as sacred to Isis, and where people shaved off their eyebrows in mourning when he died, the Home for Cats established by a famous Sultan has fallen on days of neglect and probably by now has purchased mousetraps. And if even in Egypt. . . But here comes my cat - "kneading on my paper too. And he likes his milk warmed, if you please! The sybarite.

CATS DE LUXE. By William North. Sheffield Weekly Telegraph, 21st October 1911
Although, in the point of varieties, cats lag very far behind their canine rivals, there are a good many more different kinds than most people have any idea of. To the average mind there are only two sorts of cats — long and short-haired. This division is quite natural, and is followed the Cat Club, yet that is not to say that there are only common, smooth-haired cats and the so-called Persians. A visit to a representative cat show would open the eyes of even those wise people who always have a cat in the house.

The Siamese, for example, is not half as widely known as he deserves to be. His charm rests on the quaint, and he certainly has a curiously striking appearance. Unlike most cats, he never varies in colour, save that, as the years roll on, his coat grows a darker shade. The mature Siamese cat in colour resembles a fawn pug dog, only his ears, muzzle, tail and legs are a rich shade of chocolate. An odd thing about this breed is that, when born, the kittens are nearly white, and many an inexperienced fancier has had a shock when first peeping at a nest of young ones. The colour soon deepens, however, and at a year is very beautiful. After that the contrast between the fawn body colour and the chocolate points becomes less distinct. This cat is supposed to come straight from the Royal palace of Siam, and, like the Pekinese spaniel or the pug, he has obtained a good deal of kudos from his aristocratic descent. A disputed point in connection with the breed is as to whether the tail should have a kink in it or not, but those who affirm the latter declare that they have the authority of the King of Siam for saying that the tail should be kink-less.

Writing of tails reminds one that the Manx cat has its ardent supporters. The fur of a Manx is somewhat longer and softer than that of the ordinary puss. Like the Siamese, this cat is uncommonly long in the hind legs, which resemble those of a rabbit. Both have enormous propelling power behind, a fact that enables them to jump an extraordinary distance. It also gives them a curious gait when walking. The Blue Russian has obtained good deal of notoriety of late years, its plush-like coat of slatey blue being much admired, but the name is a misnomer. There is a common idea that this cat first came from Archangel, but the authorities have more recently determined that this is wrong, and that the cat is simply a blue edition of the ordinary smooth-haired breed. There is also the Abyssinian, or “bunny” cat, which is very uncommon, chiefly noticeable for a coat of reddish brown, ticked with darker markings of the same colour. As in dogs, there is a curious hairless variety, said to come from Mexico, but this undesirable feline is practically unknown in England.

Generally speaking, show cats are classified according to colour, and here again there are far more varieties than most people have any idea of. In the long-haired division alone there are black, white, blue, cream, sable, smoke, tabby, spotted, chinchilla, bi-colour, tri-colour and tortoiseshell. There is a curious fact about this last class, for though tortoiseshell females are by no means uncommon, a tortoise-shell male is practically unknown.

NOTES ON CATS Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 28th October 1911
Apart from their usefulness in keeping the house free from rats and mice, cats make cleanly, domestic pets. In country districts they require only the most ordinary care; but town cats do not share many of the advantages of their country brethren. A little clean straw in a box or basket makes the best sort of bed for a cat, as the straw can so easily and cheaply renewed. Where there is no garden, a pan of earth should be provided and renewed constantly. Sawdust will doas well as dry earth for the pan.

Cats cannot regarded as hardy animals, neither are they able to provide for themselves. They must have reasonable shelter and proper food. Kittens may be fed four times daily, and adult cats twice. Over-feeding is decidedly harmful and is the direct cause of many highly bred kittens being lost. Ordinary table scraps, containing abundance of vegetable and cereal foods, such as bread, rice, etc., constitute the best food for cats, which must, of course, get meat and fish if they are to keep in good health. Scalded milk is also desirable. The liver often fed to cats is quite unsuitable food, usually causing digestive disturbances. Its richness seems to constitute it an alimentary irritant rather than a food.

Many long-haired cats show signs of sickness during the moulting season; and this is generally due to their licking off and swallowing the falling hairs. The daily brushing of the animals with a soft brush during this period to a great extent obviates this trouble; but it is best to give with the food daily a dessertspoonful of olive-oil until the old hair has all fallen. On no account should the hair become matted as clots of hair form natural breeding places for vermin. Cats object strongly to washing; and when cleansing their coats is necessary, it is best to rub in sanitary sawdust or dry boracic acid powder, both of which can brushed out later in dry condition. Yet another method is to fill the fur with warm, damp bran, and then brush the application out. The presence of a powdery substance on the fur is an indication of fleas. The best remedy is to saturate the fur with olive-oil, which brings the fleas to the surface, where they can be rapidly killed. Do not use any of the tar disinfectant or carbolic washes, carbolic acid kills cats. It may be mentioned that cat fleas do not harbour on human beings.

When the cat is out of order and the owner is not positively certain what is wrong, just keep her quite quiet and warm, feed her a light ration, and leave nature to effect a cure. Sick dogs often gratefully appreciate a little fussing over; but sick cats are not like that - they want to be left quite alone and undisturbed. It is a serious mistake fill them up with drugs. During bowel complaints feed nothing but liquid foods.
E. KEMP TOOGOOD, F.L.S., F.R.Met.S., pro Toogood and Sons, The Royal Seed Establishment, Southampton.

NEWPORT HAS HISTORIC FELINE
Corvallis Gazette Times, 23rd January, 1912

Cats occupy a very conspicuous place in the life of Newport. They may be seen by day and heard by night. This is not a tail of fancy cats. Maine coon and blue, longhaired Angora, or the tailless Manx cats do not live here. It is a common tale of common cats. The Cheshire cat, Dick Whittington’s cat, and Poe’s black cat are all famous, but Newport has one named Malty that bids fair to rival all three.

Malty got badly squeezed in the swinging doors of a Newport hotel and his mistress, wishing to heal his wounds, bathed him a number of times in peroxide of hydrogen. Imagine Malty’s surprise when he found himself turning into a blonde! When he sported a new color in cat’s fur he aroused the jealous envy of all the felines in Newport, including Swede, a large yellow cat, for 15 years the acknowledged Don Jaun of all the local members of the tiger family.

But Uncle Charlie Williams had a cat that was not slouch. He had the plain name of Tom, and though not a prizewineer, he was a prizefighter of considerable class. Tom whipped every dog that came to town, and Uncle Charlie said that Tom could “lick” (beat) a wildcat with one eye shut. The boys couldn’t catch any wildcats, so couldn’t dispute Uncle Charlie, but they caught a young bear and thereby hangs a tale.

Bruin wore a fancy collar and was kept chained to a pole. He had nothing to do but eat and grow conceited. Pretty soon the boys thought it was time to find out if he or Tom were the best scrapper and consequently arranged a fight. Both refused to toe the scratch. Therefore they tied a heavy piece of twine around Tom’s neck, and after passing it through Bruin’s collar, they pulled the string.

The first round was around the pole. Bruin ran so fast that they both got dizzy, and every time he stopped, Tom spit in his eyes and scratched his nose and made him hit it up again. When the chain was wound around the pole, the crowd were betting even. The second round started without a pause for rest. One of the bystanders was particularly interested. It was Uncle Charlie, who had just some. He joined in with the shouts and laughter as he adjusted his glasses carefully.

Just then a magnified view showed him that one of the belligerents was his Tom. His countenance changed like magic. Raising his cane he brought it down with a crash on the head of the fellow who held the tightened string.

“What does this outrage mean?” he asked as he raised his cane once more.

Tom, now loosened, recognized his master’s voice and jumped into his arms before the bear could figure out what had attacked him. The crowd dispersed quickly, and Uncle Charlie picked up three parts of his can and walked off home, holding Tom fondly in his arms.

CAT WEARS $15,000 CROWN OF DIAMONDS ‘King Edward VII,' Royal Persian, Owned by Clubwoman. Has Real Maid, Too
CAT WEARS $15,000 CROWN OF DIAMONDS
‘KING EDWARD VII,' ROYAL PERSIAN, OWNED BY CLUBWOMAN. HAS REAL MAID, TOO
Los Angeles Herald, 7 March 1912
NEW YORK, March 7. –The story is about King Edward VII, Mrs. Anita Comfort Brooks’ royal Persian cat. Without any doubt King Edward is the most remarkable rat in New York. It was owned by the late King Edward and spent its kitten days at Windsor castle. During King Edward's reign Mrs. Brooks, who Is president of the Gotham club and a prominent clubwoman, was introduced at court and saw the cat. She was greatly Impressed with it and the king gave it to her. Since then it has lived in royal style in Mrs. Brooks’ home in the St. James hotel. King Edward is a great entertainer. It plays the piano and Is expert at catching a baseball. When an Evening Journal reporter rang the bell of Mrs. Brooks’ apartment, King Edward ran through the hallway and scratched at the door until it was opened. Mrs. Brooks was sitting at the piano and the cat jumped into her lap. With one hand she played the little selection about the three blind mice, and King Edward watched her Intelligently. At the finish the cat with its paw played the same piece without striking a false note.

King Edward has a maid whose only duty is to look after its comfort. Its meals are carefully prepared and when King Edward shows any signs of illness a doctor is quickly summoned. For breakfast it is fed sterilized milk. There is a light meal at noontime and in the evening King Edward enjoys a regular course dinner, consisting of soup, fish, meat and on rare occasions dessert. King Edward on state occasions wears a crown which Is valued at $15,000. It is studded with three diamonds, weighing ten carats each, three pale Koh-i-noor emeralds as large as ten cent pieces, and three rubies the size of quarters. An ermine robe Is worn with the crown. On less formal occasions the cat wears a necklace studded with fourteen diamonds.

CAT HATCHING CHICKENS
The Globe, 18th March 1912
Mr Peter Donlin, of 15 Winter-street, Pittsfield, Mass., placed 15 eggs under a Plymouth Rock hen, which became ill and died after sitting for a fortnight. Close by the sitting hen was a motherly old Maltese cat which assumed charge of the nest of eggs just as soon as the hen died. As a result of her care 15 chickens burst forth from the shells and in the same nest were five new kittens to keep them company. Tabby, the dispatch adds, has taken a blue ribbon at several cat shows.

[PERSIAN CAT DRIVES OFF FOX]
Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 22nd June 1912
A large black Persian cat fought and put to flight a fox which made an early-morning chicken raiding expedition into a garden at Stoke Gifford, near Bristol.

WARNING TO LOVERS OF ANIMALS.
Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 6th July 1912
To the Editor, Sir.—Will you permit me, through the columns of your paper, sound a note of warning to lovers of dumb animals, particularly those who reside in the vicinity of Bradstone-avenue. Shortly after midnight on a recent Sunday I was aroused by a noise in the rear of my premises, which sounded as though workmen were engaged in repairing a galvanised roof. On raising my bedroom window I saw, not a hundred yards away, a man disappear in the darkness, but was unable to recognise him. On going into my garden shortly after seven on Monday morning, I heard a cat crying piteously, and evidently in great pain. On looking around I found it was my own animal, which was lying on the ground in a helpless and half dead condition. An examination of the cat showed at once that it had been trapped, for one of its legs was very much lacerated. It had evidently, too, been terribly knocked about, for large pieces of fur were missing from its body. I carried it indoors, where it remained in a state of semi-insensibility for two days, notwithstanding every attention. Now, placing side by side the condition of the animal and the noise to which I have referred, I can only come to one conclusion, namely, that the noise was caused during the time the animal was being maltreated, and while it was in captivity. It is unfortunate that I failed to recognise the inhuman brute who vented his spite on a harmless dumb animal, although I am convinced that he is not altogether unknown to me. This fact, of course, prevents me taking steps to prevent, if possible, a recurrence the cruelty; but I offer this warning to others in the hope that owners of dumb animals will be on their guard. Yours, truly, HY. W. PARHAM. 30, Bradstone-avenue, Folkestone.

LIABILITY OF A CAT’S OWNER- IMPORTANT JUDGMENT.
Falkirk Herald, 20th July 1912
Yesterday Sheriff Moffat issued his decision in an important case at the instance of George Turner, foreman fitter, Sunnyside House, Camelon, against Chas. Simpson, warehouseman and timekeeper, Sunnyside Foundry Cottage, Camelon, in which the pursuer sued for the sum of £2 7s 6d, being the loss he alleged he sustained through a cat belonging to the defender having killed, on various dates, valuable exhibition chickens belonging to him. Sheriff Moffatt recently heard proof in the action. After two witnesses had been examined for the pursuer, the defender’s agent intimated that he was willing to admit that his client’s cat killed the chickens in question, and that therefore the only two points at issue were whether defender knew that his cat killed the chickens belonging the pursuer previous the dates libelled, and whether, supposing that he did, he was liable.

The defender went into the witness-box and admitted having been told by the pursuer three years ago that his cat had killed some chickens belonging to the pursuer, but that he had heard nothing further since then until May 28th, 1912. The agent for the pursuer contended that his client, having kept the chickens in an enclosed place, the defender was liable in respect that it was the duty of the defender to look after his cat and see that it did not commit any depredations. The defender’s agent, the other hand., maintained that the cat was a domesticated animal and was not used or subject to being kept under restraint. He further contended that a cat was entirely different from a dog. A dog could be kept under restraint, while a cat, being kept for the purpose of being allowed to roam about and destroy vermin, was in an entirely different position. The agent also contended that at the very worst his client was not liable for any chickens killed with the exception of one killed on 8th June, 1912, because it was not proved that until 28th May defender knew of his cat doing any damage for three years previous to that.

The Sheriff, in his judgment, finds the defender liable in reparation to the pursuer in the sum sued for, and he also awards expenses. His Lordship states that there has been a marked difference of opinion in the Sheriff Court in Scotland on the question of the liability of the owner of a cat for its depredations. There had been three cases, in two of which the Sheriff had held that the owner was not liable, and in one of which judgment in favour of the liability of the owner was given. His Lordship entirely agreed with the judgment in the last-mentioned case. “The cat is never more than semi-domesticated,” the Sheriff states. “He is not like the dog. the ’first friend’ of man: he is always the cat, who never forgets that he is the cat ’who walks by himself, and all places are alike to him.’ In law, however, he must be regarded when he is kept, housed, and fed by an owner an animal for whose noxious acts the owner is responsible, if the owner has knowledge of such noxious habits.” Accordingly the Sheriff finds the defender liable in reparation to the pursuer.

Agents:—For the pursuer, Mr D. Kennedy, W.S., Falkirk; for the defender, Mr Wm. Stevenson, solicitor, Falkirk.

CRUELTY TO A CAT
Lincolnshire Echo, 26th July 1912
At Epworth, on Thursday, Robert Mayes, and employe at the Chemical Works, Keadby, was charged with cruelty to a cat. The defendant was at the house of Ernest Wood, a fellow workman, having dinner, when, picking up a Persian kitten, he bit its tail off. Mayes said he had no intention of being cruel; they had one Manx cat at the shop, and he took it into his head to have another. He was fined 10s and costs.

[CARE OF DOMESTIC CATS]
Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, 28th July 1912
A great change has come over the lives of most of our domestic cats during the last fifty years. From being habitually neglected, and in many instances cruelly ill treated, they are now objects of interest and admiration. The introduction of the Persian cat and the institution of cat shows are largely responsible for the attention paid to our feline friends. The long coat, the small ears, the frill, and the bushy tail are certainly very handsome. Cats with a strong infusion of Persian blood in their pedigree may be seen in all parts of the kingdom.

Large sums have been expended by some people in the erection of catteries. High prices are given for prize stock. The demand for Persian kittens is considerable, so that the rearing of a few of these charming pets may be made a profitable, as well as a most pleasing, hobby. In their youth, Persian cats are not possessed of the nine lives usually allotted to the family. Up to the age of six months they require special care. To some extent this is due to the artificial manner in which they have been reared and kept. The majority of Persian cats of high lineage dwell either in rooms indoors, specially fitted up for them, or in catteries warmed to a certain temperature.

Many Persian cats are excellent mothers, feeding their young well. The females should not be mated until they are over twelve months, otherwise the kittens may be delicate. When a cat is feeding Persian kittens [this alludes to the habit of using a foster mother!] she should have three meals a day. Finely shopped meat mixed with a little bread and some gravy, any of the manufactured infants’ foods, fresh milk that has been boiled, some minced liver once or twice a week, and a small quantity of cooked green vegetables – all these can form part of the diet.

When they are four or five weeks old the kittens are able to feed themselves, but they grow faster and thrive better if allowed to remain with their mother for three months. Some food should be placed for them after they are a month old, as they will then require more than is provided for them by their mother. Milk puddings of all kinds, patent foods made with milk, and boiled and sweetened, are all good for kittens. After they have been removed from their parent they can have a little minced raw beef three of four times a week, boiled fish, vegetables, and oatmeal soaked and mixed with warm milk.

Kittens sometimes suffer from weak and inflamed eyes. This is usually caused by exposure to strong light. The box in which the cat has her kittens should always be placed in a dark or well-shaded spot. The mother attends to them better under such conditions, and there is seldom any trouble with the eyes of the kittens. Bad eyes are in some instances constitutional and incurable. If the eyes are closed, and the eyelids stuck together with matter, a little cotton wool should be moistened with hot water, and the matter removed gently. When the eye is cleaned a few drops of boracic lotion should be dropped into it with an india-rubber syringe ever three hours.

As the Persian kittens grow it is a good plan to weigh them every week. The long coat renders it difficult to notice readily whether a kitten is thin or not. If the weighing machine shows that the youngster is not getting gradually heavier there is probably something not right with it, and then it may be found advantageous to give it some chemical food daily for a fortnight or so; about a teaspoonful in a little milk.

THE CAT AND TRE DUCKS. ACTION AT MELTON COUNTY COURT.
Leicester Chronicle, 3rd August 1912
At Melton Mowbray County Court on Friday, before his Honour Judge Wightman Wood, Eliza Hubbard, wife of John William Hubbard, roadman. Waltham, sued Wilhelmina Hornbuckle, widow, Waltham, for £2 2s, value of a cat alleged to have been killed by the defendant. There was a counter-claim for a similar amount for ducklings alleged to have been killed by plaintiff’s cat. Mr. J. Atter appeared for plaintiff, who said she formerly possessed a cat, which was very valuable as a ratter, and for killing mice and moles. It had been brought up with chickens and ducklings, and had never been known to touch any. On the morning of June 12th, the cat was seen coming from the direction of Mrs. Hornbuckle’s, and it was apparently very ill. The next day plaintiff made a complaint to Mrs. Hornbuckle who admitted that she had put down some poison, because the cats had been fetching her chickens. Her cat died on the 17th June and three others died the same week.

Mr. Atter produced a letter from defendant acknowledging that she had put down poison, but stating that she did not think she could be held responsible for the loss of the cat as the poison was on her premises. His Honour pointed out to defendant that it was a criminal offence to put down poison where cats or dogs could get at it. An Act of Parliament to that effect had been passed, and, whether or not she knew the law, she had no defence. With respect to her counter-claim, Mrs. Hornbuckle said she had lost 16 ducklings between the 25th May and the 11th June. On one occasion she saw plaintiff’s cat going down the yard with one of her ducklings in its mouth. That was the only occasion she had actually caught it with a duck. His Honour found for plaintiff for 15s on the claim and for Mrs. Hornbuckle for 1s 6d, the value of one duckling, on the counter-claim [so Mrs. Hubbard won 13s 6d after the counter-claim was deducted] .

TALE OF A CAT. AMUSING CASE AT TIVERTON. Tiverton Gazette, 13th August 1912

“Who killed your cat?" asked his Honour Judge Lindley at Tiverton County Court on Friday of Mirs. Selina Stevens, a laundress residing at 9, Taylor’s Court, Westexe-south, Tiverton, who claimed £1 from Henry Dicker, haulier, of Birchin-lane, Westexe-south. Defendant filed a counterclaim for £1 15s., value of sixteen chicken and four ducks, which he alleged were all killed by plaintiff’s cat, and damage caused to his garden by the same cat. The parties were not legally represented.

As soon as Mrs. Stevens had stepped into the witness-box and taken the formal oath, the Judge asked her what she wanted.
“I want damages for the loss of my cat,” she replied, amid laughter.
Then ensued an amusing dialogue between the Judge and the plaintiff.
The Judge: Who killed your cat? – Plaintiff: Mr. Dicker’s dog.
And where was your cat at the time? - Going through Mr. Dicker’s garden.
Why was the cat in Mr. Dicker’s garden? - It had not been cut of the house but a few minutes.
What was the cat doing in the garden? - Only walking across it – (laughter).
And what happened? - Mr. Dicker’s dog killed it – (more laughter).
What sort of a dog was it, big or small? - I could not say; I did not see it.
Then you do not know who killed your cat? - Yes, I do: Mrs. Williams saw it killed.
Did you see your cat walking across Mr. Dicker’s garden? - No, sir.
Then you don’t know anything about it - No, only what someone told me.
What sort of a cat was it? - A real “tottershell,” sir - (laughter).
Not a celluloid? – (laughter). Of what value was the cat? - Of great value to me, sir.
How old was it? - I have had it about seven years.
Was it a long-haired or a short-haired cat? - Short-haired.
How did you get it? - It was given to me.
As a kitten? - No, it was grown up; it would be about ten years old now.
I see you are claiming a sovereign as damage? - Yes, but I would not have parted with it for £5.
Oh! that is a sentimental value. Have you interviewed the defendant about this matter? - Yes.
What did he say’?- He was rather impudent to me - (laughter).
In what way? because I see in the counter-claim that he says your cat has been killing his ducks and chicken - (renewed laughter}.
My cat did not kill his chicken; I have not heard a word about that matter.
Has he not complained to you about it? - No.
Nor anyone else? - No.

The Judge (to the defendant): Do you wish to ask the plaintiff questions? - Defendant: Yes, sir. (To plaintiff): Did I not tell you what your cat had done and show you four dead chicken? - Plaintiff: No, you never came to me. It was last year’s chicken you said my cat had killed.
Defendant: Your Honour. I had 62 chicken and out of these I had 32 left in the yard where my dog killed Mrs. Stevens’ cat; but I did not urge him on to do it.

Mrs. Caroline Williams, greengrocer, of St. Andrew-street, said she was residing in Westexe-south, near Mrs. Stevens at the time of the incident in question. I heard a cat cry as if in pain (proceeded witness) and when I looked in the direction of the sound l saw Mr. Dicker’s dog “toss the cat” in the garden. Mr. Dicker was in the garden and he took the cat from the dog. It was then dead. A young man was also present in the garden. I could not see any chicken, because my view was obstructed by a hedge. It was a big, brown dog. On the following day I was asked whether I had seen the cat, and I advised the questioner to go to Mr. Dicker for the information.

His Honour: Are you a friend of Mrs. Stevens? - Witness: Only as a former neighbour. I had previously seen this cat, but did not know it belonged to Mrs. Stevens.

His Honour (to the defendant): Do you say your dog did not kill a cat? - Defendant: No, what I say is that Mrs. Williams could not, from her position, see the dog kill it.

Bert Crocker, a young man, said when he opened Mr. Dicker’s garden gate the dog rushed in behind him, seized the cat, which was among the potato ranks. and killed it.
The Judge: What was the cat doing? - Witness: I could not see.
Did you see any chicken about? - Yes, two; one near the cat and the other near the hedge.
The Judge: How long do you think the chicken had been dead? - Witness: They both locked freshly killed.
How many chicken were there about at the time? - There were several in the field. Those killed were about six weeks old and worth, I should say, a shilling each. Mr. Dicker was not close enough to stop the dog from killing the cat. He did not set the dog at the cat.
The Judge: Did he try to get the cat away? - Witness: Yes, he shouted “Let it go.”
Plaintiff: Crocker told me that Mr. Dicker never attempted to take away the cat.
The Judge (to Crocker): Are you a friend of Dicker’s? - Crocker: Yes.
Plaintiff: I have a witness to say that the cat was not doing anything at the time.
Defendant said he showed Mrs. Stevens some chicken which her cat killed five weeks ago; and he had lost more since then.
The Judge: Do you say that the cat killed a chicken at the time in question? - Defendant: Yes, it had one in its mouth, and was tearing it in pieces; and another dead chicken was near by.
The Judge: What was the first you saw of the affair? - Defendant: My dog ran into the garden and straight for the potatoes, where Mrs. Stevens’ cat had a chicken.
The Judge: How could you see that? - Defendant: The potato stalks are all down; disease is in the potatoes. Altogether I found four dead chicken at that time.
The Judge: But you are claiming for sixteen chicken and four ducks? - Defendant: Yes, the others were killed previously by Mrs. Stevens’ cat.
The Judge: Why didn't you complain to Mrs. Stevens about her cat killing your chicken? - Defendant: I did many times.
Plaintiff (interrupting): You never mentioned it before.
The Judge: Where do you keep your chicken? - Defendant: They run on St. Paul’s glebe land, which I rent.
Answering further questions. Defendant said his dog was not given to killing cats; if he was, he would kill it.
The Judge: Well he has killed this cat, and he seems to be still alive - (laughter).
Plaintiff: Mr. Dicker has said that Mr. Williams’ dog killed his chicken.
The Judge: Who is Mr. Willinams? - Defendant: The husband of Mrs. Williams who has given evidence. It is quite true that two of his dogs did kill two of my ducks last year.
The Judge: It is not right for a man who has a dog to set it at a cat and kill it; but if the cat trespasses, as this one did, in another’s person's garden, and that person’s dog, without being urged on, kills the cat. I do not think the owner of the dog is liable. If the cat trespasses on other people's gardens, it must take the risk of being killed. This cat had no business where it was found, therefore the plaintiff’s case falls to the ground. If the owner of this dog had set the animal at the cat merely out of revenge or cruelty, that world be quite a different matter. As to the counterclaim of £1 15s. for 16 chicken and four ducks. there is no evidence before me to show that the plaintiff's cat killed these except two chicken. That evidence was borne out by Dicker and also by Crocker. If I assess the value of these chicken at a shilling each that will be sufficient. Therefore I give judgement for Dicker on the claim with costs, and also on the counter-claim for 2s. and costs.

THE MATERNAL INSTINCT IN CATS.
Belfast News-Letter, 20th August 1912
The maternal instinct in animals has long since been promoted to the honours of proverbialism. and in the cat, says “W.K.,” in the Scotsman,” it may be said to be found its most supreme form. A few stories will illustrate the trait. The other day a lady of my acquaintance missed a common short-hair cat, which she kept as a foster for any weakly kitten amongst her highly-bred Persians. This cat’s own kittens had been taken from it preparatory to some Persian kittens being given it. Puss, however, did not wait for her aristocratic family, but raided a neighbour's rabbit hutch, and returned from there with a tiny Angora rabbit in her mouth, which she took straight to her nest-box. On one occasion when I was breeding “fancy” rabbits, a valuable litter lost their mother when they were about 10 days old. Seeing no chance of rearing the young rabbits, I put them one by one beside an old cat which was nursing kitten at the time. Instead of devouring the rabbits she first licked them all over, and then began to feed them. The cat brought the rabbits up safely, and there was no more curious sight than that kitten playing with its adopted brothers and sisters. At one of the Crystal Palace cat shows held many years ago, one of the “sights ” was a common domestic tabby peacefully nursing what looked like a young stoat or ferret, but which was said be a hybrid between those two mustelines. Since then I have known of a gamekeeper rearing two litters of ferrets with his household cat as the foster mother. Once when I was on a visit to the Highlands a baby otter was caught by my host's son. How to rear it was the problem, and on my suggestion it was given to the cat, who then had just been deprived of her own family. After a suspicious sniff or two, puss took her unusual child to her heart, and all was going well with the pair when I left. At different times I have reared a brace of fox cubs and many puppies on ”a harmless necessary cat.” It is, of course, a common occurrence for one cat to steal another’s kittens, and if there is a friendly feeling between the two mothers the maternal duties will usually be shared in perfect amity.

[CAT THAT LIKES BATHING]
West Sussex Gazette, 12th December 1912
The repugnance of cat to anything approaching a bath is a commonplace of natural history. But Farnham possesses a half-bred Persian kitten which so far departs from the normal that it seeks every opportunity (water standing in the sink or any kitchen utensil for instance) to immerse itself up to its neck, unmistakeably enjoying these dips.

CATS AND THE SUPERNATURAL. “SCENTING GHOSTS.” Wolverton Express, 20th December 1912
To the Christmas Number of the “Occult Review” Mr. Elliott O’Donnell has contributed a very interesting article on certain “supernatural” peculiarities which tradition associates with “the harmless necessary cat.” The author has apparently no illusions on this subject. “From endless experiments made in haunted houses,” says Mr. O’Donnell, “I have proved, to my own satisfaction at least, that the cat acts as a thoroughly reliable psychic barometer.” Later he says:

Has a cat insight into the future? Can it presage wealth or death? I am inclined to believe that certain cats can, at all events, foresee the advent of the latter; and that they do this in the same manner as the shark, crow, owl, jackal, hyena, &c., namely by their abnormally developed sense of smell. My own and other people’s experience has led me to believe that when a person is about to die, some kind of phantom, maybe the spirit of someone closely associated with the sick person, or maybe a spirit whose special function it is to be present on such occasions, is in close proximity to the sick or injured one, waiting to escort his or her soul into the world of shadows – and that certain cats scent its approach.

Therein, then – in this wonderful property of smell – lies one of the secrets to the cat’s mysterious powers – it has the psychic faculty of scent – of scenting ghosts. Some people, too, have this faculty. In a recent murder case, in the North of England, a rustic witness gave it in her evidence that she was sure a tragedy was about to happen because she “smelt death in the house,” and it made her very uneasy. Cats possessing this peculiarity are affected in a similar manner – they are uneasy. Before a death in a house, I have watched a cat show gradually increasing signs of uneasiness. It has moved from place to place, unable to settle in any one spot for any length of time, had frequent fits of shivering, gone to the door, sniffed the atmosphere, thrown back its head and mewed in a low plaintive key, and shown the greatest reluctance to being alone in the dark.

This faculty possessed by certain cats may in some measure explain certain of the superstitions respecting them. Take, for instance, that of cats crossing one’s path predicting death. The cat is drawn to the spot because it scents the phantom of death, and cannot resist its magnetic attraction. From this it does not follow that the person who sees the cat is going to die, but that death is overtaking someone associated with that person; and it is in connection with the latter that the spirit of the grave is present, employing, as a medium of prognostication, the cat, which has been given the psychic faculty of mell that it might be so used. But though I regard this theory as feasible, I do not attribute to cats, with the same degree of certainty, the power to presage good fortune, simply because I have had no experience of it myself. Yet, adopting the same lines of argument, I see no reason why cats should not prognosticate good as well as evil.

BUYS CASKET FOR CAT; CEMETERY BURIAL DENIED
Atlantic City, Dec 21, 1912

Mrs. Katharine Carter, of New York, a guest of a South Carolina avenue hotel, is incensed over the refusal of trustees of the Atlantic City cemetery, in Pleasantville, to permit Tiger, a pet cat she valued beyond price, to be interred in the burial ground. Mrs. Carter, a member of a wealthy Southern family, prominent in Memphis, and her pet first came into prominence here a year ago when several of the big hotels refused to permit the woman to register unless she made arrangements for the care of Tiger outside the hotel premises. Mrs. Carter insisted the cat should occupy her room and offered any price, but hotel managers were obdurate.

Tiger died Tuesday, and its owner purchased a casket of rosewood, trimmed with German silver, and arranged for an ostentatious funeral. These plans were halted by the attitude of the cemetery officials, who said that cats and dogs equally were barred. Tiger wore a diamond-studded collar and had his nails manicured regularly. Carefully heated baths failed to save the animal from tuberculosis.

THE MYSTERY CAT – HAS IT AN INSIGHT INTO THE FUTURE?
Belfast News-Letter, 26th December 1912
To the Christmas Number of the "Occult Review” Mr. O'Donnell has contributed very interesting article on certain “supernatural” peculiarities which tradition associates with the “harmless, necessary cat.” The author has apparently no illusions on this subject. “From endless experiments made in haunted houses,” says Mr. O’Donnell, “I have proved, to my own satisfaction at least, that the cat acts as a thoroughly reliable psychic barometer.” Later says:—

Has a cat insight into the future? Can it presage wealth or death? I am inclined to believe that certain cats can, at all events, foresee the advent the latter, and that they do this in the same manner as the shark, crow, owl, jackal, hyena, namely - by their abnormally developed sense of smell. My own and other peoples experience has led me to believe that when a person is about die, some kind of phantom, maybe, the spirit someone closely associated with the sick person, or, maybe, a spirit whose special function it is to be present in such occasions, is in close proximity to the sick or injured one, waiting to escort his or her soul into the world of shadows - and that certain cats scent its approach.

Therein then - in this wonderful property of smell - lies one of the secrets in the cat's mysterious powers - it has the psychic faculty of scent - of scenting ghosts; Some people, too, have this faculty. In a recent murder case, in the North of England, a rustic witness gave it in her evidence that she was sure a tragedy was about to happen because she “smelt death in the house,” and it made her very uneasy. Cats possessing this peculiarity are affected in a similar manner - they are uneasy. Before a death in a house, I have watched a cat show gradually increasing signs of uneasiness. It has moved from place to place, unable to settle in any one spot for any length of time, had frequent fits of shivering, gone to the door, sniffed the atmosphere, thrown back its head and mewed in a low, plaintive key, and shown the greatest reluctance to being alone in the dark.

This faculty possessed by certain cats may in some measure explain certain the superstitions respecting them. Take, for instance, that of a cat crossing one’s path predicting death. The cat is drawn to the spot because it scents the phantom of death, and cannot resist its magnetic attraction. From this it does not follow that the person who sees the cat is going die, but that death is overtaking someone associated with that person; and it is in connection with the latter that the spirit of the grave s present, employing, as a medium of prognostication, the cat, which has been given the psychic faculty of smell that it might be so used.

But although regard this theory as feasible I do not attribute to cats, with the same degree of certainty, the power to presage good fortune, simply because I have had no experience of it myself. Yet, adopting the same lines of argument, I see no reason why cats should not prognosticate good well as evil.

[CAT WEARING HANDBILL] Lincolnshire Echo, 25th January 1913
On a Clapham Junction (London) Platform on Friday a cat sat unattended wearing, collar fashion, a handbill advertisement of a cat show, with its head poking through the bill.

BREEDING SPOILS CAT. - AN ENGLISH WOMAN SAYS HER PRIZE WINNERS WON'T LOOK AT A MOUSE.
The Duluth Herald, 15th February 1913

London Mail: The old adage that ‘breeding always tells" does not appear to apply to cats. At the show of the Southern Counties Cat club there were nearly 500 show cats, and each showed every sign of gentility. But the well-bred cat gives the impression that it is careless of mice and disdainful of the plebeian pursuits of the ordinary kitchen species. Miss G. Cheetham, whose blue Persian Oaklands Steadfast was pronounced the best cat in the show, with four firsts and three special awards, said: “I breed exhibition cats simply for the pleasure of producing the most perfect cat, not for any ulterior purpose such as one has in breeding greyhounds or bloodhounds or spaniels. Highly bred cats are no more intelligent or clever than ordinary back garden cats, and certainly many of mine will not so much as look at a mouse.”

GAVE UP NINE LIVES FOR ONE.
Big Gray Cat Made a Cushion for Child Who Fell from. Fifth Floor.
New York Times, February 21st, 1913

Sadie Kantor, 4 years old, dropped out of the fifth floor window at 126 East 103d Street yesterday afternoon. In the fall to the stone paved courtyard in the rear of the building she was bruised from the contact with a network of clothes lines, but she landed comfortably on a big, gray cat, sleeping in the yard, and while she crushed out nine lives, not a bone was broken in her own little body.

It was Sadie's fourth birthday, and with five brothers and sisters and several friends she was enjoying a feast. It was close in the room and some-one asked Sadie to open the window at the rear and let in some fresh air. Sadie got the window up, but in struggling to raise it a little higher her hands slipped and her little body plunged through the opening.
At the fourth floor one of Sadie’s shoes caught in a clothes line and was torn from her foot. At the third floor she held on with one hand for a moment to another line. Her little body struck several cross lines at the second floor, and then she plumped down right on top of the cat. The girl's mother ran screaming down to the yard, expecting to find the child dead. Instead she, was standing up and petting the dead cat. Poor kitty,” she said.

Dr. Urdang from the Siddenham Hospital, who examined Sadie; said that beyond a few slight bruises she was unhurt.

SHEEP IN OPEN SPACES. Pall Mall Gazette, 17th June, 1913
Sir,—l think all humane dog owners will agree with me that sheep should not be allowed in our open spaces. Sheep are very timid creatures, and are expectant of being chased that a dog must be more than canine to disappoint them. There is always the risk that the dog, if a large one, will injure the sheep, or, if a small one, may be killed by the sheep-dog, in addition to 'which the sheep may injure themselves in their flight, and must in any case suffer considerable mental torture, against which last, as hon. sec. of the Society for the Prevention of Mental Cruelty to Animals, it is my duty to protest.
Yours, etc., S. Claude Tickell. 15, Gloucester-road, Regent’s Park, N.W.,
June 16.

PUSS’S PERILS. Pall Mall Gazette – 20th June, 1913
Sir, - The hon. Secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Mental Cruel Animals has an eye that roams far and wide. And well that he should look upon the questions that may affect the happiness of animals with such freedom of mind, as well as such keenness of vision. But would he give us a little information as to the society itself, for example, the terms of subscription, or the conditions of membership, or, the special objective of the committee? It is own belief that, although some the views put forward by Mr. Tickell have been exaggerated - or forced, there may be a real work for the society do for which it will require the necessary funds; as per usual. How, then, may members be enrolled? Where is the secretary to be found? What form of procedure must be gone through in order to qualify as “an advisor in action”? If Mr. Tickell will kindly tell us something about the points have touched it might, perhaps, be the means of increasing the roll.
Yours, etc., June 19.
No Hullabaloo.

THE S.M.P.C.A. Pall Mall Gazette - Monday 23 June 1913
Sir, - Your correspondent, “No Hullabaloo,” and the humanitarian public generally may be interested to hear that the Society for the Prevention of Mental Cruelty to Animals consists at present of only three contributors, of whom one is anonymous, its sole official is its honorary secretary, and its sole procedure letters to the Press. As soon as it every has any appreciable funds an honorary secretary and a committee shall be found, but it is difficult to get a treasurer while there is nothing to treasure, or a committee while there is nothing for it to commit itself upon.

I justify the existence of the society on the ground that whereas various animals have special societies to represent them, for instance, the Canine, feline, and Equine Defence Leagues, and the Society for the Protection of Birds; and various kinds of cruelty have special societies to combat them, for instance the anti-vivisection societies and the Council of Justice to Animals, which concerns itself with humane slaughter; hitherto no society has existed specially to combat mental cruelty, especially when dissociated from physical cruelty, as in the case of deprivation of all human and sub-human companionship.

It was at the beginning of the last century that the Legislature first recognised the right of animals to be protected from physical cruelty. Let us hope that the beginning of this century will see the recognition of their right to be protected from mental cruelty. The honorary secretary is prepared to act as a stipendiary lecturer on the whole field of cruelty to animals, with special emphasis on mental cruelty, when funds permit, subject to the treasurer’s and committee’s approval. Meanwhile, he will continue, by the courtesy of the Press, his endeavours to bring home the reality of mental cruelty to an unimaginative and therefore unsympathetic public. Yours etc.
S. Claude Tickell,
Hon. Sec., S.M.P.C.A., 15, Gloucester-road, Regent’s Park, N.W.,

THE S.M.P.C.A . Pall Mall Gazette, 25th June 1913
Sir, - I should to thank Mr. Tickell for the open and very clear statement he has made to you upon the origin and actual condition of the S.P.M.C.A. To him it would appear, and to him alone is due, the conception and the development of this benevolent institution. “Palmam qui meruit ferat.” He is entitled not merely to a full share, but to the very fullest share, of praise that can be given. How far he may be able, in view of what he himself has told us, to secure any great development in the direction of public sympathy and support or general enrolment, is a question that seems to at present admit of only one reply; but whatever developments the future may or may not bring forth, I seize this opportunity of endeavouring to express to the hon. sec. my thanks for the very kind way in which he has acknowledged my letter. He has met it by a very full statement of the position of affairs, which can only, I think, be gratifying to those who are interested in this correspondence. Yours, etc.,
No Hullabaloo.

PREPARING A MEDAL FOR SLAYER OF CATS
Greensboro Daily News, Jun 22nd, 1913

Neighbors Grateful to Skilled Rifleman Who Has Private Animal Cemetery.

Seattle. June 21. — In gratitude for past favors in relieving the neighborhood of the cat nuisance, neighbors and friends of Bailiif Joseph Hensman, of Judge Kenneth Mackintosh's department of the Superior court, are preparing to present Mr. Hensman with a handsome medal commemorating his peculiar services. In the region around the Hensman home, at No. 417 30th avenue, the bailiff is known as “Death on-the-trail” when it comes to attending to feline disturbers. Hensman has a 22-rifle that he uses exclusively in this work. He has been known to go into a dark cellar, full of corners and hiding places and come out with a deceased cat within three minutes.

He made a little private cat cemetery of his own in relieving his particular neighborhood of noisy cats, and has added to the number of little green mounds through answering the appeals of his more remote neighbors. The stuff about a cat having nine lives has no bearing when Hensman is on the trail. One yowl is about all, and then the obsequies. And he makes it a point of sportmanship to hit them between the eyes, or just behind the ear. Hensman'e most notable achievement is the bagging of a hobo cat that weighed 15 pounds and was as big as a small calf and as solid as a mudguard. He made the mistake of singing on Hensman’s back porch out of mere bravado, and now he has passed away, and occupies the green mound at the left as you go into the cat cemetery.

SAD END OF FAMOUS WRITER'S ONLY FRIEND. Daily Citizen (Manchester), 14th July 1913
From Our Own Correspondent. PARIS, Sunday. Henri Rochefort's most devoted friend has followed him to his grave. "Kroumir," the cat, who remained by his side when all his friends forsook him, who accompanied him on all his travels, who held the one soft place in his heart, has died of self-imposed starvation. As soon as the famous writer began to grow weak the cat showed every sign of failing, and after his master's death moped and refused all food. On Saturday the end came and Kroumir died, heartbroken at the loss of one whom all the rest of the world regarded as a grim old fighter unacquainted with the softer emotions.

[CAT AND POLICEMAN] Western Gazette, 29th August 1913
There is a cat belonging to a tradesman at Hungerford which nightly sits outside its master’s shop to wait for the policeman on the beat. When he arrives, the cat accompanies him, often walking by his side.

[CAT AMONG CHIMNEY-POTS] Oxfordshire Weekly News, 17th September 1913
Nottingham Fire Brigade were called out to capture a cat which climbed to the roof of premises in Maypole-yard, and amused itself by scrambling down chimneys of various offices and warehouses. Firemen hunted the cat over the roof for a considerable time, but it ultimately disappeared.

DIDN’T TURN (UP) Dundee Courier, 24th September 1913
At Doncaster Races Mr J. A. de Rothschild went about with a tabby cat under his arm. The colour was not lucky, for, although he took the cat into the ring with him when he backed Mr Leopold Rothschild's Dick Whittington to win the Prince of Wales' Nursery Handicap, Dick Whittington failed to gain a place.

CHAMPION CATS Burnley Express, 11th October 1913

“Padiham Jack” is another fine Persian bred by the owner, as was the above. He has four first prizes to his credit and is sire to many winners. The mother of “Lord Roberts” is named “Siddles,” and has won two seconds in the show pen. Mr. Dean sold two high-class cats bred from her to the secretary of the London Cat Club. I learned from him that the only food they get is boiled meat or fish and a little milk, but the latter not every day when getting up for show. They require grooming every day to keep them in good order.

ARISTOCRATIC CATS. Pall Mall Gazette, 15th October 1913
To-day’s Show at Reading- The Reading Championship- Cat Show is held in the Corn Exchange, Reading, to-day, and the Hon. Mrs. Clive Behrens and the Hon. Mrs. lan Maitland are giving special prizes. It reminds us of what a remunerative hobby is the keeping of beautiful cats, and that, as far as mice are concerned, the aristocrats can hold their own with the plebeian roamers of the tiles.

Points. Select the shade you fancy most and then see that the cat you buy is good of its sort. A self-coloured cat—white, blue, black - should be sound in colour and have no sign of markings. Shaded silvers, according the standard set by the Specialist Club, are pale clear silver, shaded on face, legs, and back, but having as few tabby markings as possible—brown or fawn tinge in coat is a great drawback - eyes green. Chinchillas are pale silver, and as unmarked as it is possible to breed them. Silver tabbies, pale clear silver with distinct black marking's. Smokes are rapidly gaining great favour. They are black, shading to smoke-grey underneath. This undercoat to be as light as possible, the ruff light, orange or copper eyes, mask and paws jet black. Tortoiseshell cats require three colours —black, orange, and yellow. No white. The shades should be well broken, bright and well defined, but free from tabby markings. Eyes bright orange or hazel. Points to look for in any cat are a broad head, width between the ears, short nose and face, small tufted ears, low on the legs, and a short, full tail. Of course, you cannot expect perfection without paying for it, but you may as well know what strive after.

Feeding. If you intend breeding for profit, Miss Frances Simpson, one of our best known judges, suggests that a thoroughly good blue queen (female cat) and also a silver queen, both perfectly healthy and possessing pedigrees, make a sound beginning, as they are favourite colours, and the sale of kittens therefore easier. They should be mated with fashionable sires. Unless you intend showing, it is better to dispose of the kittens in the “pretty stage.” Soon after three months they lose their nest fur and go through “hobbledehoydum,” making up for this lapse from beauty when they come up in all the glory of their first coat after the baby moult. Every fancier has theories concerning diet. A very good all round rule for the pet cat is to treat him one of the family. Don’t leave him entirely to the servants. If a cat is not greedy and insistent, he is very apt to be forgotten, then some days are fat and others lean. He wants just the same as you do. His breakfast—not too heavy a meal —a little bit of that nice kidney, or rissole, or even bacon appeals. Best of all, if you can train him to it, a saucer of porridge. Don’t forget the sugar, and “after you with the cream, please.”

A GIRL’S CAT FARM. WHERE FELINE VAGABONDS ARE LOVED AND CARED FOR Leeds Mercury, 23rd July 1913
My cat farm was really an accident. I never planned it; it grew like the immortal Topsy, and it seemed a sort of fate that I should have such institution. Of course, it grew out of my fondness for cats. I love them, and they know it. Cats have a way of following me. I suppose there is something psychological about it, for they realise at once that I am their friend. Perhaps the occultists would say that they find the vibrations of my aura harmonious, but at all events they follow me. One day two years ago I found four stray cats following closely at my heels. I stopped and talked to them, and they lifted their tails in ecstasy and mewed and rubbed against me.

GAUNT AND HUNGRY. They were gaunt and hungry looking and very pathetic. I was quite near home, so I said “Come on, pussies, and I’ll give you something to eat.'’ They seemed to know exactly what I said, for they fairly leaped about me. One of them was the worst looking old tramp cat you ever saw. She had once been white, but she was now sooty and dirty, and looked if she had been moth-eaten. It was pathetically funny to see her gambol about with her gaunt body. Then there was black kitten among them. Such a dear! I lost my heart to him right away, and he knew my weakness and played to it for all it was worth, as you will see later. When I got home I gave them a big dish of warm milk and some bread and potatoes, and they ate ravenously, the little black kitten trying to be dainty in spite of his hunger.

BLACK TIM. Then I invited them in and they curled up by the open fire and made themselves clean and glossy and then went to sleep, a whole row of vagabond cats. The little black fellow crept over to me and leaped softly into my lap. He knew his power, he sang a beautiful song of gratitude, a very deep, soft purr, and played gently with my fingers and sleeves and kept rolling his head under and then looking up at me in the most captivating manner. That decided me - l had to keep him. I put the others gently outside the door, hoping that they would go away, but the next morning found them all shivering and pitiful beside the milk bottles. That settled it - I had to adopt the whole of them, and little Tim was enchanted have his friends back.

MORE STRAYS ARRIVE. I told my friends about affair and laughed over it, and they get in the habit of dropping in on me with a stray cat or kitten, saying they had found it and it looked so pitiful they could not pass it by, and knowing how fond of cats I was they were sure I would take it in. It is easy for people to have tender hearts when they do not have to assume any responsibility. In this way I got into the way of receiving stray cats. Besides, cats came to me of their own tree will; they seemed to have got wind of my farm through telepathic communication with its inmates, and I would find them hanging about, a little suspicious at first, but quite eager in their manner.

At one time I had forty cats on my farm. I call it a farm, but it is only a little suburban place of an acre. I have turned an old barn into a cat domicile, and there they are fed and cared for. I let them out by day, and they go and come. I find homes for them when I can, and people come from far and near for them. I sell them at different prices, and one year I cleared £60, for I had some lovely Maltese kittens that brought £2 apiece, and some cats won prizes at cat shows to the amount of £6. Many people give something to the farm when they buy a kitten; they know I carry it on out of kindness and not as a money making scheme. I never dreamed of selling the cats at first, but it was suggested to me by a visitor, and I took their advice and found it was well worth while.

TEMPERAMENTAL CREATURES. My cats wander all about the grounds and house at will. I grow to love some of them dearly, for there is even more individuality among cats than among people. Their natures are as different as possible, and they are exceedingly temperamental creatures. Some of them do not inspire with anything but mild indifference, while others so captivate me by their temperaments that I grow intensely fond them. Those that so win heart and affection I do not sell, but keep as part of my household, like Black Tim. He looks like a very ordinary black cat, but he is in truth a perfect wonder, for he can do everything but talk, and he follows about just like a little dog, and does all kinds of wise and amusing things. I would not sell him for a hundred pounds. He was among the first four vagabonds that came to me. The others never held my affection as he does, but Tim knew he belonged to me from the first.

ALL KINDS AND CONDITIONS. It is a delight to me to see the cats and kittens all about the place, they are enlivening and decorative. I have taken pictures of them on my grindstone, the lawn mower, the window sill, and the stepladder. There are all kinds and conditions of cats and all know I love them. think I must be some reincarnated Egyptian or I should not have such a deep love for cats; they seem to belong to me and I miss them deeply if they are not about me. I exhibit at cat shows and have won many prizes with gutter cats, mere vagabonds that came to me all frayed and ragged and thin and homely, and feeding them and loving them regenerated them and made them into handsome, sleek pussies that carried off blue ribbons for their proud mistress.

CAREFUL FEEDING. I feed my cats very carefully. I do not let them eat at all times. I have stated hours for feeding them, and as soon ass they turn away from the dish I take it away and do not give them anything until another meal. I give them raw meat once a day and the other meal is milk. I keep plenty of water about for them; but that is all. They are sleek and, plump, and I rarely have a sick cat, and when I do it is because one has strayed away from home and eaten something that did not agree with him. In winter I keep the cats in the bam just as in summer. It is very warm and sheltered and there are snug little hutches built all about inside and filled with hay, which is one of the warmest things an animal can sleep in. Of course, my favourite cats I keep in the house, simply because I want their companionship. I have seven in my household now, besides the fifteen in the barn.

My cats are all well trained. I teach them their manners at once and find no difficulty in doing so. - Grace Trobridge.

[CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW] LOUIS WAIN AT A CAT SHOW. Pall Mall Gazette, 8th December 1913
Society can spend an amusing time at the Crystal Palace to-morrow and Wednesday, on the occasion of the Crystal Palace Cat Show. With ninety-seven classes there are certain to be hundreds of magnificent felines on view. H.H. the Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein is patron of the National Cat Club, under whose auspices the Crystal Palace Show is held, and the distinguished vice-presidents, include the Countess Aberdeen, the Viscountess Maitland, the Lady Hothfield, and Gertrude, Ladv Decies. The Hon. Mrs. Behrens is member of the committee. She has presented the Swinton Challenge Cup, and also offers a special prize for the best cream male cat. The Hon. Mrs. lan Maitland also gives a special for the best Self Red. If there is any one who should be to the fore at a Cat Show it is Mr. Louis Wain, and this celebrated cat man takes the prominent part of a judge as well as being chairman to the National Cat Club. It will be worth something to see him judge the Ring Class on Wednesday. The rule laid down is “All cats to be led in the ring." As the owners go round and round with well-trained or, perchance, refractory exhibits on the lead, will Mr. Wain jot down pencil sketches as well as marks in his note-book? Could he resist such an opportunity? He will no doubt dish up those marks and serve a Cat Tango Tea!

ARTIST AND HUMORIST. Fleetwood Chronicle, 9th December 1913
It would be difficult to ascertain whether Mr. Louis Wain’s world-famous pictures and humorous sketches of cats have occasioned more merriment among children or among the "grown-ups." His humour and his art, at any rate, blended in such a delightful manner as to entitle him to quite a unique position in both the artistic and the humorous spheres. Mr. Wain, of course, is a great lover of the animals he so cunningly treats in his sketches, and is, indeed, a warm supporter of all movements which seek the welfare of animals generally. He practically created the class of artistic work in which cats take the place of human beings, holding tea-parties, or playing, and so on, and his efforts of fancy so pleased the public that they have kept him at it ever since. He began his artistic career by sketching at bird shows for the ‘Sporting and Dramatic News.’ Then he turned his attention to dog shows. His first comic cats were seen in the Christmas number of the ‘Illustrated News’ for 1886. His friends then prophesied that this vein of humour would soon be worked out, but, in his own words, "cats comic and serious are going stronger than ever." His cat sketches number 1,100 a year and he had for one Christmas no fewer than thirteen cat books on the market. He is, as I observed, a great lover of the feline, race, and was led into cat sketches by observing a pet cat of his own. While giving his cat sketches a comic human interest, he endeavours to keep as close to nature as possible, and was once distressed at a criticism that he made the eyes too large and full, until after paying special attention to one or two cat shows be had satisfied himself that all the best bred cats have enormous eyes.

THE CAT. DEVELOPING BRAINS AND INTELLIGENCE. COMPETING WITH THE DOG. Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 10th December 1913
Mr. Louis Wain, whose sketches of cats are popular the world over, asserts that cats are developing brains and intelligence. ln an interview with a representative of the ‘Standard,’ Mr, Wain said that largely as of shows and careful breeding the cat had gained a more stable brain, that its brain was still strengthening, that it was more than probable that the last remaining traces of wildness and savagery would very shortly leave the cat, and that, instead of “walking alone,” it would definitely decide for domestication and adopt the good habits, deportment, and loyalty that civilisation demanded.

During recent years the popularity of the toy dog has been such that the cat has almost been driven from the drawing-room. In order to save itself from banishment to the basement and the scullery, with all the indignities that await it when slumbering before the kitchen fire or, upon the area railings, the cultivation of brain and intelligence is the cat’s one chance, and it will help it to compete in rivalry with the pet dog.

Describing the dawn of feline intelligence, he said that well-bred cats now “take notice.” “They are becoming accustomed to the life and movement of the world around them,” he said. “Formerly it used to be said that a cat attached itself to places and not to persons. “Nicely bred cats of to-day know their mistresses and are deeply attached to them, following them about the house like a dog. and refusing to be alone. Cats have been known to follow their owners on short walks abroad, and as the animals develop a more stable brain they will able to keep their heads amongst noisy moving and strange obstacles, and follow their owners as faithfully and as safely a dog. It is only want of a stable brain that makes a cat wild and flurried and easily driven frantic by alarm. There are cats now with brains enough to fetch and carry; to bring in a letter, and to learn a new house and accustom themselves to new surroundings in two days. Long-haired types, particularly, from being weak-brained and stupid, have grown, by careful breeding, as encouraged by cat shows, to an extraordinary level of intelligence, and the fact that they are treated with love and affection by their owners helps to develop their brain power."

Mr. Wain ran over the main points of excellence in a big, white, long-haired prize-winner and characterised them as follows:— Small ears, puffed cheeks and chin, bullet-head, big round eyes, big, full, thickset body, wonderful fur texture.

PERSIANS AND PEKINGESE. Truth, 14th January 1914
I Should not like to be a Pekingese dog, nor should I like very much to be a Persian cat. When I think of the choice morsels at the butcher's which can be stolen by the mere mongrel or the wide area of roof absolutely free to the common black Tom, not all the silken cages of the Pekingese or the downy cushions of the Persian seem to me to be compensation for the open road—and the butcher. I was particularly struck at two shows last week at the Horticultural Hall with the limitations imposed upon the dog or cat with pretensions to breeding. I mean that of the Pekin Palace Dog Association and the Grand Championship Cat Show. A Pekingese, for instance . . is given the attention of vain women, who treat him as though he were a fur or a garment; dainty food, at which he sometimes pecks a bit—but, oh! for something really nice and high out of the dust-bin!—and absolute captivity, for he is worth goodness knows how much. The same things apply in less degree to cats, since cats are—with certain exceptions—house animals, and have not the same sense of obligation to their owners. A cat knows human nature and is consequently a cynic. Further, it likes having its chin rubbed, and it likes very much indeed drawing its claws down the length of a skirt or coat just to feel them rip. It is not pleasant to be sent to a show, even when you win a first prize and dine on delicately minced meat. But you can make such utterly horrible noises with which to get your own back that it is almost worthwhile to have suffered silken confinement and boredom.

Both on the Pekingese and the Persian women have fallen with avidity. At both shows nearly all the breeders were women, and they have been remarkably successful, particularly in the medium-sized Pekingese —the cult of the sleeve dog is waning—and the blue Persian. Both the shows mentioned above gave as good examples of both as I have seen. The reason for their popularity is not far to seek. In the case of the cat it is its woolly comfort which women love. And I mean its own comfort as well as the comfort it inspires. A cat is not really lovable except by very unselfish people. But its very aloofness is restful, and it is flattering to be allowed even to stroke a beautiful blue Persian or a Chinchilla exquisite. . . .

In the meantime the demand both for rare dogs and strange cats continues to increase, and breeding both can be an extremely lucrative occupation. The queer Siamese cat is perhaps the greatest length which strangeness in cats has yet reached. It is rather pathetic with its buff coat, smutty paws and face, its pale blue eyes and noiseless mew. Really it owes its vogue rather to the name “cat" than for its actual cat qualities. Its hair, for instance, is very short, and it is much less cuddlesome in consequence than a nice warm bundle of thick, long fur. Actually, too, it has not the obvious beauty of the long-haired smoke or white cat. Throughout the Championship Cat Show there was a decided tendency to run to mere size, though I was glad to note the awards were not made on this basis. Be that as it may, women may note in future that if they cannot have a fashionable cat or dog . . an unfashionable good dog or cat—though the kitchen cat always inconspicuous and does not matter so much—is like last year's hat; it has pretensions to being the thing, but they are dull pretensions and command less success than might something really old or really unpretentious.

ARTIST BOEHM A SUICIDE.  He Kills Himself After Planning to Slay His Cats
New York Times, February 2nd, 1914

Briarcliff, Feb 1.  Henry Richard Boehm, an artist, committed suicide in his cottage here this afternoon by shooting himself through the heart.  It is believed that he temporarily was insane.  A few minute before he ended his life, Boehm, his wife, and Dr Bradley, a veterinary surgeon, of Ossining, were talking in the parlor of the cottage.  The Boehms had a number of valuable cats. According to Mrs Boehm they were planning to go to New York to live, and, as they could not take the cats, they called Dr Bradley to get his advice about killing them.  While the discussion was in progress, Boehm left the room.  Then the report of the revolver shot was heard upstairs.  Boehm was 44 years old.  Mrs Boehm also is an artist.

“MOVIE” SNAPS HER AND $5,000 CAT; SHE SUES
The Des Moines Register, 12th July, 1914
Miss Connelly Asks Edison Company to Pay $5,000 for Unauthorized Pictures.
NEW YORK. July 11 - Miss Delta E. Connelly, a cat fancier of Roosevelt, L.I., has sued in the Supreme Court in this district, for 16,000 damages, the Thomas A. Edison company, lnc, because a mov¬ing picture of herself and her $5,000 Per¬sian has been displayed on moving picture screens.

The cat, claimed by Miss Connelly to be the handsomest of its breed in the United States, is named Sandalphon. A year ago last January she put him on exhibi¬tion in a cat show in Madison Square Garden. As usual, Sandalphon carried off the prize and returned with his mis¬tress to Roosevelt. Miss Connelly then had no idea that she was to be a feature in film shows throughout the country. The moving picture men were busy at the cat show and turned the camera on Miss Connelly, without her knowing it, she alleges.

A few months later, friends of Miss Connelly advised her that she and Sandalphon were shown in many poses. These friends represented to Miss Connelly that she did not appear to advantage in the picture, and was the laughing stock of every audience where the pictures were shown.

Then Miss Connelly went to see herself and her cat. She saw Sandalphon in her arms. She was petting and fondling him. The picture was captioned, "$5,000 Worth of Cat.” An appeal was made to the Edison com¬pany to have the picture suppressed, but the company refused.

ARBROATH CAT WORRYING CASE- INTERESTING DECISION TO DOG OWNERS. Arbroath Herald and Advertiser for the Montrose Burghs, 17th July 1914
On Wednesday in the Arbroath Sheriff Court Sheriff Taylor gave his decision in the action at the instance of Mrs Brown, grocer, Brothock Bridge, against Carnegie Soutar, baker, for the sum of being the value of two chinchilla kittens, or cats, belonging to the pursuer, and which it was averred were killed by a dog belonging to defender. His Lordship finds in fact on 25«h June, 1913, a dog, the property of defender killed a cat valued at £3, the properly of the pursuer, at, or near the door of pursuer’s shop; (2) on 14th May, 1914, the said dog killed another cat valued at £2 10s, the property of the pursuer, at the same place , finds in law defender is not liable in damage to pursuer; therefore, assoilzies defender.

His Lordship appends the following note: I have had no difficulty with the facts of this case, though defender endeavoured to cast some doubt upon the identity of both dog and cat in the first incident, but there was strenuous argument as to the law applicable, and I have found the question by no means free from difficulty. Reported cases to the rights and duties of the proprietors of the smaller domestic animals in relation to each other are not very numerous. Defender cited Paterson v. Howett, where it held that there was no liability on the owner of a domestic cat which destroyed pigeons even if the owner knew that it had previously done so. The Sheriff Substitute in that case examines the authorities in particular the case Peden v. Charleton, where another Sheriff Substitute held exactly the reverse. I do not, however, think the cases about a cat are of any help as they sharply distinguished, the case of cat from that of a dog. In the words of Sheriff Henderson in Parkhill v. Duguid, “a dog is a different animal from cat as it is much more easily kept under control. At the worst it can be chained or tied up, whereas no one ever, outside of show or exhibition saw a cat chained or tied up.” The judgments in favour of the cat-owner lay strong weight on the fact that cat cannot perform the function for which it is kept unless it is allowed to range and conclude that the proprietor of it cannot be held liable for the consequences of it doing so. I therefore think that these cases are of no help in the present case.

Glegg’s Reparation states “owners of dogs which killed game and swine were held liable because they had knowledge of those habits on the part of their dogs.” This right has been recognised in the cases of dog shooting on the part of gamekeepers where it has been laid down that shooting cannot be justified on the ground that the proper remedy is an action of damages. This analogy would undoubtedly suggest that for the second act defender liable. It is as natural to a dog to chase a cat it is to chase game, and if the law allows the persons the right of the game damages on proving scienter, I think a similar right would be accorded to the proprietor of a cat. After considerable hesitation, however, I have come to the conclusion that this case must be decided on another principle.

THE QUESTION OF NEGLIGENCE. The liability of the owner of an animal which does damage depends (unless where the legislator has sanctioned otherwise) upon negligence, and negligence is presumed by the mere fact of keeping an animal ferae nature, but in the case of domestic animals, negligence of various kinds has been held sufficient according to the natural propensities of the various animals. Now negligence on the part of the owner of the destroying animal is the ground of his liability, contributory negligence on the part of the owner of the animal destroyed a ground on which he can escape liability, and I think to allow an animal liable within common knowledge to be attacked by other domestic animals, to be at large in a public place where these other animals may legitimately be is contributory negligence.

Pursuer’s agent argued against this doctrine on the ground as he expressed it, epigrammatically, that “a cat like a King’’ is entitled to use the public thoroughfare, but I think this goes much too far. A white rat is as much a domestic animal as a cat, and it would certainly be doing no legal wrong in using the thoroughfare, but I think its proprietor would seek in vain for damages if it was worried there by a terrier even though he proved that that terrier had worried rats before. On the other hand, if the owner of the dog ultroneously introduced his animal into a room where he knew the rat to be and to which he and his dog had no right to be admitted, with a reckless disregard to the safety of the rat, I am of opinion there would be a right of action. It is not enough, in my opinion, to say that it is the nature of a dog to worry cats, and therefore, the cat owner has no remedy. If this broad principle were true a man might take his dog into a cat show in absolute disregard of the safety of its inmates. In such a case I have little doubt there would be negligence irrespective of whether the dog had ever killed a cat before. The principle, I think, is that the owner of the injured animal must prove negligence and elide negligence on his own part, and I think permitting his animal to be where animals of hostile nature may legitimately be at large is such negligence. Undoubtedly at common law irrespective of the Dogs Act if a sheep had been killed under the present circumstances the proprietor of the dog would have been liable, but I think that the distinction is that there would in that case have been no contributory negligence, because it is an unusual and abnormal act for a dog to worry a sheep, and there is no duty on its owner to withdraw it from places which dogs legitimately frequent.

There is some DESCREPANCY IN EVIDENCE, of pursuer’s and defender’s witnesses as to whether the cat was inside or outside the boundary line between pursuer’s shop and the road, if the principles I have enunciated are correct it will sometimes be a dubious question whether the locus is a place from which the owner of the weaker animal is bound to keep his beast, or one from which the owner of the stronger animal is bound to keep his. I do not think this can be determined as a mere question of trespass, but I apprehend a place of public resort such the doorway of a shop falls under the former category. The dog was running in company with its master’s van in charge of the vanman which it was quite entitled to do. It impossible not to feel some sympathy with pursuer, but I do not think she has shown any legal ground of liability by defender, and if it is proved the kittens destroyed were of exceptional value she should simply use a greater degree of care. The defender got rid of his dog to oblige her, and it is to be regretted she did not rest contented after he had done so. I am confirmed in my view by the fact that I have discovered no reported case, nor has any been cited to me, where the owner of a dog was liable to the owner of a cat destroyed by it. I shall grant absolvitor with expenses.
Agents—For pursuer, Mr David Littlejohn, solicitor; for defender. Mr J. McKerchar of Messrs Clark & Oliver, S.S.C.

LEAVES HOUSE TO HER PETS.  Dead Woman's Dogs and Cats Occupy Home That Was Hers.
New York Times, February 3, 1915, March 23, 1915

Elizabeth, NJ, March 22.  Occupying a house in Ashwood Avenue, East Summit, a company of dogs and cats which were the pets of the late Mrs Mary Romaine Wright, will be allowed to enjoy undisturbed their present abode until they voluntarily seek another home.  Such a request is contained in the will of Mrs Wright, made known for the first time today.  Mrs Wright's daughter, Mrs Frederick C Kelley, is named to see that the strange request is carried out In accordance with the dead woman's desires, her late home is kept heated and the animals fed regularly.  Mrs Kelley said today she hoped the animals would become sufficiently attached to her to make their abode at her house, which is only a short distance from the Wright homestead.  Mrs Wright was well known in this vicinity as a friend of dumb animals.  With her husband, the late Seaman L Wright, she lived for more than forty years in the old homestead.

100 CATS GUARD NEW YORK POLICE - Rats and mice Routed by valiant Representatives of the Feline Tribe - Men Now Sleep in Peace - Station House Pets Credited with Wisdom Far Beyond Average of their Species.
The New York Times, May 7, 1915

New York's police force is the owner of more than 100 cats, distributed among the various station houses where they have their own police duty to perform. This consists of ridding the houses of mice and rats. Most of the cats were contributed by generous policemen. Others just naturally strayed into the stations. Were it not for the presence of these cats some of the station houses which are in the neighborhood of stables and rookeries would be overrun by rats. Policemen who have faced all kinds of danger unflinchingly do not hesitate to say that it makes them feel decidedly uncomfortable to be awakened from their slumbers by a rat who is using the floor of the dormitory for a playground, and it is mightily reassuring to be able to drop off to sleep with the knowledge that the station house cat is faithfully patroling.

The station house cat, policemen assert, possesses characteristics distinctly different from those of the common house cat or any other species of the tiger family. For example he is not given to nocturnal prowlings. he spends most of his time in the station house, and when he does go out into the night he does not stray far. Most of the cats, Police Lieutenants, who have studied them assert, have a strong antipathy for an intoxicated person, and when such a prisoner is brought into the station the cats walk away in disgust. Instead of being called "Tommy" or "Kitty" they are usually addressed gruffly by the police as "You" and "Hey You."

In the Morrisania Police Station there is a beautiful white cat named Peter. He is the pride of the station house, and was born there five years ago when he was adopted by Lieutenant Peter Brady, after whom he was named. Peter has strong likes and dislikes. His favorite resting place is the top of the station house desk. When a Lieutenant whom Peter dislikes is on duty nothing will induce him to remain near the desk, but he will seek a far corner of the station. Peter was a great favorite with the late Lieutenant Frank O’Rourke. When O'Rourke wanted his pet he would blow a police whistle, which would bring Peter to the station. There was a certain Lieutenant that disliked Peter as much as the cat disliked him. This Lieutenant went in the back room of the station one night for a few minutes, leaving Peter in charge of the place. When the Lieutenant returned he found that the ink had been spilled all over the pages of the blotter. The Captain wanted to know how it had happened, and the Lieutenant blamed it on Peter.

There is a large gray cat in the Alexander Avenue station. Many names have been suggested for this cat, but as the men have not been able to agree on one they are now conducting a voting contest and the cat will be presented with the winning name. In the large West 152d Street station there is a large cat, which spent his early life in a butcher shop. He makes daily visits to the butcher shops in the neighborhood and when he is absent and the police want to set him on the trail of a mouse who is disturbing their equanimity, they know that he can be found at a neighbouring butcher's.

In a Brooklyn precinct there is a battle-scarred cat named Gray Whiskers. Some time ago an old building opposite the station house was being torn down and under cover of night a regiment of rats swarmed from the ruins into the station house. The men in the dormitory were awakened by the sound of many feet and saw by the light from a full moon that the visitors were rats and that they were being hotly pursued about the place by Gray Whiskers, which was giving them no quarter. No count was kept of the number of rats which Gray Whiskers dispatched, but those he failed to slay he routed completely from the station house, so terrifying them that, according to the police, no rat since has had the temerity to show his nose in the place.