THE LADIES' FIELD "CAT GOSSIP" COLUMNS

THE LADIES' FIELD "CAT GOSSIP" COLUMNS - 1900

The Ladies Field, a weekly magazine for well-to-do women, was founded in 1898 and focussed on women's sport, pastimes and fashions. It was published by George Newnes (in 1928, it was absorbed by The Home Magazine). The Cat Gossip column was written by Dick Whittington, the pen-name of Miss Higgins. Rather than divide up the content, I have compiled the columns into a series of chronological files. Readers wondering why prices of cats were given in multiples of £1 1s - this is a guinea; a £5 5s cat costs 5 guineas.

CAT GOSSIP - LADIES FIELD 1900

CAT GOSSIP. January 6, 1900, pg 153

A GREAT attraction at the Westminster Show will be the collection of wild cats so kindly lent for exhibition by Mer. Leigh Pemberton. There are to be four wild cats of different sorts, a tiger cat, and a pair of otters, and there is no doubt that these will rouse much interest among the general public as well as among cat fanciers. I have been much pleased to see the new Cat Club regulation, which forbids all decorations on the cats, and insists that the metal tallies shall be fastened on by a piece of narrow red ribbon, which will be sent out with them. At the time of writing 122 specials have been promised, and everything points to the show being an even greater success than it was last year.

THE Glasgow Show was not quite equal in point of numbers to that held last year, but the quality of the exhibits was excellent. Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart was much disappointed that her new purchase, Ronald, only took H.C., for he is really a beautiful cat, quite the largest for his age of any present, and his colour and eyes are perfect. The first prize blue male was Mark Antony, which Mrs. Stewart sold to Mrs. Longwill. He is a grand cat, but in my opinion his colour should have put him back. Blue Boy II. Is a better cat in every point except colour, and he is less shaded than Mark. Blue Jackets head gained third place for him. Miss Beal's blue females took first and second. Miss Beal took another first with her well known fawn male, and Miss Laird's smoke, Jemima, had a well deserved win in the variety class. Miss Chalmers's Rob Roy was exceedingly lucky in winning over such good kittens as Jemima and Zoroaster II., and so was Mrs Stewart's neuter, Scotch Mist, to best Miss Blackmore's Brook and Mrs Campbell's Blue Professor, whose head is something to marvel at. Mrs. Stewart was, of course, first and second with her smooth silver tabbies, Siver Lancer and Silver Duchess, and Mrs. Ruth Clark, as usual accounted for most of the other prizes in the short-haired classes

LUDOVINE, whose portrait is given, is a very handsome dark grey, shading to white. His sire is a beautiful chinchilla, his mother being black. In the photograph he is shown sitting on a cushion embroidered with cats' heads, given to him by M. Worth, of Paris. He loves to go out in the rain, and when only two months old caught two mice!

BULBUL was once the property of Miss Packham, but only became known to fame while in Miss White Atkins's hands through her sons, Siiver Chieftain and Sultan, recently illustrated in these pages. Quite early in life she abjured all family cares and retired into private life, and died only the other day. She was a really lovely smoke, with a massive head and huge light ruff.

MISS ROSE'S beautiful little smoke cat, Judge Bruin, is quite a small celebrity, for, though still a mere kitten, he took first, championship, second, two third, and three special prizes at the Crystal Palace Show. At Finchley he was second, and at Brighton first and special, so if he goes on at that rate he has a brilliant career before him.

I THINK the following paragraph copied from Lad and Water, will interest my readers: "The change a climate to which animals have been accustomed will effect upon their capillary properties was aptly illustrated recently in a cold storage warehouse in New York. In the main part of the building the owner kept down the hordes of mice by having two good cats, but in the cold storage part the little rodents had full swing, and they destroyed so much property, gnawing into all kinds of packages, especially those containing fruits, that the loss was serious, and means of prevention were necessary. It seemed rather a cruel experiment, but the nuisance became so unbearable that he decided at last to instal a eat in the cold storage warehouse. Provision to a certain extent was made for her comfort, and she was left to der own devices and the mice. Pussy seemed to flourish, notwithstanding the cold, and in the course of about a week became mother to a fine litter of six kittens. After a time three of the atter were removed, but the old cat and her remaining progeny were still left in their Arctic quarters. When allowed out it was noticed that she became weak and listless. She tottered about in an aimless way, as though all energy and interest in life were lost. As soon, however, as she was returned to her cold quarters she recovered her vigour, and became as bright and active as usual. A curious feature was soon observed in the kittens, They grew to an immense size, their coats became long and shaggy, and the fur much coarser than that of an ordinary cat. The feelers or whiskers, too, grew to nearly double length, so that, when they were placed beside the members of their own immediate family, the difference was so marked that they might have easily passed for an entirely different breed. The change took place within three months, giving a curious example of how suddenly and completely Nature will adapt itself to the exigenesis of climate with the young." I have heard of such a transformation before, but never at such a rapid rate.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDEINTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
MRS WYLIE. - I am sorry for your loss; it is really heartbreaking when you have grown so fond of your pets. I hardly think they would eat the yew. Is it not possible that heir mother brought them a mouse which had been poisoned with strychnine? Farmers so often put down strychnine for mice in the autumn. I believe the cats can be removed at night by depositing £1, but you need have no fear on the score of warmth, as the Hall is always warmed with stoves, but none of the good shows permit any extra wrappings in the pens.
S.C. - When your cat takes a fit shut him in a dark, softly-lined basket for an hour or two, and as soon as he is quiet enough to touch give him a teaspoonful of salad oil. Also give every other day for a week one grain of bromide of potassium night and morning. Your other proposal is reversing the usual order of proceedings, as it would be much simple to send yours away when necessary. I daresay you could procure what you want, but you could hardly expect a stranger to accommodate you without a rather substantial return, so it would be best if you have any fancier friends to enquire amongst them. Let me know exactly how you keep your cats, as I might hear of something. I am so glad you like the paper. I shall be pleased to answer your other questions.
TIB. - The complaint is the most common of all among kittens, and is usually caused by worms or improper feeding. Give a teaspoonful of salad oil with a few drops of brandy in it, and afterwards feed the kitten for a few days entirely on raw lean meat sprinkled with carbonate of bismuth. If there is no improvement under this treatment you must try and find out the cause of the complaint in the first instance, as so much depends upon that. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. January 13, 1900, pg 201

MISS PARR, the energetic secretary of the West Kent Archery Society, is amost equally well-known as a cat fancier. Her Septima, who took a first prize at the last Crystal Palace Show, is a charmingly shaped cat with a beautiful head and expression. Althea I remember well at the Palace Show in the litter class when she was a tiny kitten, and one of the most lovey smokes I ever saw. I was sorely tempted to buy her, but stuck to my vow to buy no kitten in a show, and Miss Parr stuck io Althea! The pretty and quaint photograph is a specimen of Miss Parr's skill in yet another direction. Some of Althea's litters are advertised in our columns, and are well worth the attention of my readers,

MISS EDITH TURNER, of Edwinstowe, Torquay, whose fascinating silver tabby, Puck, appears in our collections of pussy portraits, is the enviable possessor of some beautiful show cats, Fritz especially, being a splendid orange and white specimen, weighing 13lb. But this despot sets his face firmly against photography, and nothing will induce him to grant a sitting to any artist. Puck is an exceedingly handsome and valuable animal.

Among cat fanciers at this moment the Westminster Show is the one topic of conversation, and everything points to an even greater success than last year. Specialist judges are to officiate in every department, and the list of specials numbers not far off 150. Four gold medals and seventeen challenge cups are attractions seldom offered to cats, and the number of silver and bronze medals mentioned in the catalogue is beyond my powers of reckoning.

BEAUTY GIRL, the lucky blue kitten at last year's Cat Club Show, has not come under my notice since Mrs. Wallis showed her there, but Mrs. Sherlock writes to tell me that she has just purchased a very handsome young blue male, full brother to Beauty Girl, from Mrs. Wallis.

I HEAR great accounts of Miss Kirkpatrick's kitten, Blue Lavender, which took two firsts and a special at Watford. A well-known judge describes this kitten as the best she has ever seen, with a perfect head and face, round and cobby, very heavily coated, and of a pale, sound colour, with good orange eyes.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has just acquired a pair of beautiful chocolate Siamese cats, which she intends showing at Westminster. These cats, when they become better known, should rapidly gain in popularity, for they have all the fascinating ways of the Ryal Siamese, but are much more hardy, and I think even prettier. Their turquoise-blue eyes look lovely against the seal brown of their coats.

MRS. SUTHERLAND has bred some lovely cats of this colour, and Miss Sutherland brought some of them to England, but has been unfortunate in losing most of them through illnesses contracted at various shows.

SUDDENLY the Manx cat has sprung into favour, Mrs. Brooke has for some years picked up all the best prizes with her handsome brace of tabbies, but now she finds formidable rivals in the show-pen. Lady Alexander has taken up the breed enthusiastically, and is laying in unlimited supplies of Manx for exhibition purposes. Miss Dresser and Mr Hughes have soe really good specimens, and Mr Gambier Bolton has one or two good cats, and is anxious to find out whether they will breed true to type, or justify the statement of a well-known judge that they are all docked. It is a fact that the lack of a tail is like the presence of a white spot in a self-coloured cat, it will always crop up generation after generation, and when once a tailless cat or kitten appears in a neighbourhood one may expect to find the whole country peopled (or rather "catted") with so-called Manx cats.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDEINTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
M.A. VAN BRUDEN. - You omitted your address, or I should have replied to you privately. I have written to the lady whose letter you enclosed, as her statement is incorrect; but possibly she meant that she had not advertised "cats" in the paper. The reason your letter did not reach the advertiser of the kittens was that the wrong number was given, hence it naturally did not reach its proper destination.
TIPTOES. - I think it improbable that your kitten has genuine distemper, which is much rarer among cats that is usually supposed. Keep the kitten in a warm room, free from draughts, and give two drops of homeopathic tincture of aconite every three hours. Feed well with as much raw meat and new milk as it will take. It it refuses to eat, give a couple of teaspoonfuls every hour of milk and whisky and Brand's Beef Essence alternately. If it is, as I think, merely a cold, the kitten will soon be all right, but if it is distemper it will take longer. Discontinue the aconite after three days.
TIM. - Cat diseases are certainly difficult to diagnose, but sore throats are so common that you ought to know the symptoms. The cat will not eat solid food but wil lap milk, but even that will be swallowed with difficulty, and you will see her gulping continually. For mild cases, a pinch of chlorate of potash dropped into the throat is excellent, or a little flowers of sulphur, and in more severe cases the inside of the throat should be painted with perchloride of iron, but this last is a difficult job. I do not believe in external remedies wen avoidable, because of the increased susceptibility to cold, but if there is much and continued pain, a bit of mustard leaf may be applied.
DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. January 20, 1900, pg 267

THE WESTMINSTER SHOW
THE Westminster Cat Show, held on January 9th and 10th, was a complete success. The hall looked bright and pretty, the pens being draped with red baize and decorated with big red rosettes. Amongst those present I noticed Lord and Lady Marcus Beresford, Viscountess Esher, Viscountess Maitland, and Lord Buchan. The classes were well filled, and much excitement was caused by the fact that most of the old champions had to strike their colours. Miss White Atkins's White Knight won easily among the white males He is a huge fellow, with a magnificent head, tiny ears, and bright blue eyes; second might, perhaps. have gone to White Tsar, as Monsieur le Beau has green eyes, and Scotland's Prince is right out of condition. Lady Marcus Beresford's Nourmabel was far ahead of all other white females, and she took the gold medal for best female cat over twelve months. Miss Packham's Aisha has a pretty shape, and a nice face and eyes. In the black classes nothing extraordinary turned up. Mrs. Butler's Orchardleigh Big Prince has a good head and fair eyes, and Mrs. Herring's Freda is prettily shaped, with good eyes and expression. Thirty -four blue males were entered, and four extra prizes were awarded. Mr. Drury's Blue Boy II. repeated his last year's win. He is out of coat, but his shape and head will always tell. Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's Ronald is a really grand young cat, and pressed the winner close, but he is an awkward cat to handle, so his perfect colour could not be seen to advantage. In the blue female class was found the long-haired champion and winner of the club gold medal for the best long-haired cat in the show, Mr. Witt's Mabel of Lozells, a perfectly-shaped little cat with lovely face and eyes, but a shade dingy in colour. Second went to Mr. Elphinstone's Chin Chin, an exquisite pale blue, with deep orange Eyes.

Mrs. James's Backwell Jogram, the well-known smoke, was rightly first in his class, closely followed by Watership Caesar, but the placing of Miss Snell's Duskie first in the female class was more doubtful. I should have put Miss Lister's Phroso first, as she is in good coat and is an excellent shape, and Lady Marcus Beresford's Cossey, though the best cat of the three by a long way, was handicapped by her brush being out of order.

In the self-silver class Mrs. Wellbye's Silver Lotus was the only one approaching the desired colour. She has an exquisite coat and bright green Eyes. In the class for shaded silver males Miss Horsman's Aramis took first; he has a nice head and a good coat. Miss Cochran's FitzEustace is a good colour and has green eyes, but is short of coat. Mrs. Blake Humfrey's Lord Nonsuch is a grand big cat, and failed only in the texture of his coat. Mrs. Wellbye was again successful in the female class with Veronica, sister to Lotus, and a trifle better in head, but there is not much to choose between these two little beauties.

The silver tabbies, as usual, tailed in marking, but Thames Valley Silver King is a fine, big, heavily-coated cat, and Iver Pop shows great promise. Mes. Herring's Duchess Lestock won in the female and in the kitten class, and also as the best kitten in the show. She shows a lot of quality, and has a grand coat of a lovely clear colour. Silver Tangle is prettily marked, but I like Lady Vere de Vere quite as well. Mr. Brickwell's Prince Royal, the winning: brown tabby male, is a handsome cat, and Cleo won again this year amongst females, but I liked best of all Mrs. Davies's beautifully-coloured Susan.

Torrington Sunny sides is a good orange, and Mrs. Cartwright showed a handsome cream in Upwood Junket. The Romaldkirk brothers, of course, took first and second in fawns, but Mrs. Wellbye's pretty Creme d'Or was a good third. In the variety male class Mrs. Woodcock's Nankipoo won, and in the female class Lady Maitland's Cheeky Blue (which should have been in the blue class, where her glorious eyes would have brought her to the front), with Lady Marcus Beresford's Dinah, a charming black, second.

The class for self-coloured neuters was a grand one, and the winner, Mrs. Jones's Kushi, one of the best: blues I ever saw. Miss Hamilton's Rabbles and Mrs. Egerton's Beauty Boy Junior are also grand cats. Amongst variety neuters Mrs. Hunt's fine smoke, Brother Paul, took first, with Mrs. Egerton's Romeo, a magnificent sable, spoiled by a light chin, second, and Mrs. J. Davis's Floradora, a handsome light: smoke, third. Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's blue kittens, Bluebell II. and Sussex Blue Boy, were first and second, and Dr. Roper's Dick Fawe, a good black, took first.

In silver kittens Mrs. Davies won with a nice light-coloured kitten called Lord Hampton, and Mrs. Champion's pretty Moonlight Blossom was second. Mrs. D'Arcy Hildyard took first and second with two handsome fawn kittens, and in the variety class an exquisite blue tortoiseshell called Cinder, belonging to Mrs Davies, was first, with Mrs. Wells's lovely smoke, Rex, second.

There was a grand turn-out of Royal Siamese. Wankee won in the class for those over eighteen months, with Mrs. Temple's Augusta second, and Mrs. Hawkins's Cuss third. In the under eighteen months class Mrs. Brough's Koschka was first, with Mrs. Robinson's Biba second, and Mes. Hawkins's Mar third.

In variety Siamese Lady Marcus Beresford was first with the celebrated and often-described Temple cat, Juliette, Miss Cochran's Tilu being second, and Mrs. Johnston's Menam third. To my mind Ma (V.H.C.) was a better cat than Tilu.

In Russians Lady Alexander of Ballochmyle had a field day. Her Brother Bump won with a bit in hand from the well-known Blue Kings, his glorious orange eyes being something to marvel ats and in females she was again successful with Blue Queen. The foreign variety class was led by Miss Cochian's Pau, a blue-eyed white Japanese male; second in this class and first in kittens going to Mr. Heslop's Schmid, a really good Abyssinian. Both these cats were claimed by Lady Alexander.

The British cats were a grand lot. Mrs. Herring's tortoiseshell, King Saul, wins by colour, but he was a bit out of form. Lady Alexander's Bountiful Bertie is a nice cat, but Miss Derby Hyde's Shady is rather too dark. The tortoiseshell and white, Ballochmyle Otter, was an easy first, as her head and colour are perfect. Ballochmyle Mermaid loses in head. The silver tabby male, Prince Silverwing, is a good cat, and wins in markings from Mes. Herring's Silver Robin. a big, fine cat. Poor old Ch. Jimmy shows age. Mr. Blackett's Silver and Silver Duchess are two really good silver tabbies. and now we come to the most discussed class in the show - the brown tabby males. Ch Xenopbon is in grand form, and should have placed him first as he is the better marked cat of the two, but his successful rival, Mrs. Neates Flying Fox is not so pale on the chin, and his eyes are more yellow than Xenophon's.

The orange tabby male class contained the short-haired champion, Lady Alexander's Perfection, last year's winner. His son, Perfection Junior, was second; he is a well-marked cat, but beaten in colour and head. Mrs. Hughes's black queen, Amber, had an easy win, as she is perfectly lovely, with a beautiful head and deep orange eyes. The white, Mr. Brackstone's Bath Surprise, is a nice little cat with good blue eyes, which placed him above the old champion, Ballochmyle Snow King, whose Eyes are a little pale. The Manx chasses were interesting. Lady Alexander's black, Jim Crow, won THE LADIES' FIELD special, which consisted of a pair of silver vases, manufactured by Messrs, Mappin Brothers, of 220, Regent Street, and 66, Cheapside; the second being Mrs. Brooke's Katzenjammer. These two have been aptly described as "a cat without a coat and a coat without a cat," for Jim Crow would be a typical Manx if his coat were a bit longer.

The female class was headed by Ballochmyle Bell Spitz, curiously coloured, but typical, and with a good coat and head. In self-coloured neuters Mrs. Merritt's Blackie was first, with Mrs. Walker's Prue second. In the variety class Mr. Emmett's Tib won, and Mr Andrew's silver tabby, Joe, made a good second.

I am sorry that I am unable to insert any photographs this week for lack of space.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
DINGO. - The kitten should not require any cleaning beyond regular brushing and combing. If, however, you want him to look particularly smart, brush some white fuller's earth well through his coat. To make him grow large feed principally on meat, and let him have plenty of exercise.
FRISKY. - Sponge the cat's ears out carefully with warm water, to which has been added some part carbolic acid to sixty of water. Dry them carefully with cotton wool, and then put in a pinch of boracic acid powder. This should e done twice a week till a cure is effected, and the ears should always be kept clean. All cats moult at times, and the hair should be kept combed o that it does not mat, as if she swallows much of the hair it is likely to disagree with her. From your description she is certainly not a pure blue, but it is impossible to tell what she is without seeing her. A blue should have no marking or shading.
MISS KIRKPATRICK. - I have heard so much of that kitten that I should like to see her new photograph when taken. Many thanks for your letter.
PRIDE OF SIAM. - A cure at this time of day is very doubtful, but write to Mr. Ward, 17, Peel Grove, Longsight, Manchester, for some worm powders, also for a syringe and lotion for the kitten's nose. This complaint is not infectious except in its first stages. I remember you litter well at the Crystal Palace.
E.M.S. - Stop the porridge, and give two meals a day of chopped up lean meat, raw for preference, and one meal of milk food, arrowroot, or milk pudding, and occasionally a little fish. If the kitten is fond of milk, it will not hurt it to have a saucer of boiled milk standing for it to lap from when thirsty, but I think water would be better.
DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. January 27, 1900, pg 281

POOR old Ch. Woolloomooloo died a few weeks ago, having been a veritable gold mine to his mistress whilst he lived. He was eight years old, and was a son of Mr. Gillam's celebrated Frisk. In 1894 he took two first Prizes, six specials, and the Beresford Challenge Cup at the Aquarium. To replace her old favourite Mrs. Dean has purchased from Miss Kerswill a son of Woolloomooloo, previously known as King of the Blues, but now rechristened Woolloomooloo II.

MRS. D'ARCY HILDYARD is a new recruit to the band of cat fanciers, but she has made a good beginning by breeding the two handsome fawn-coloured queens here represented, one of which has been sold to Miss Beal.

I AM asked to say that as a Mrs. Bagster, the secretary of the Cat Club, is going abroad for three weeks the specials won at the Westminster Show will not be sent out until her return.

I HEAR that the pretty little Abyssinian or "bunny" cat, so -called because it is in colour like a wild rabbit, is becoming exceedingly rare, and Schmid, the promising little female shown by Mrs. Heslop at Westminster and claimed by Lady Alexander, is one of the last as well as on of the best of her race.

LADY ALEXANDER has promised to send me later a photograph of her handsome Jim Crow, taken with his LADIES' FIELD prize, some handsome silver vases from Messrs. Mappin's.

I AM pleased to see that the regrettable breach between the National Cat Club and other Cat Club appears to have been bridged over. Members of the N.C.C. committee figured as exhibitors in several instances, and Miss Packham and Miss Jay were most conscientious judges. I saw a number of staunch supporters of the N.C.C. visiting the show, and Mrs. Balding and Mrs. Bridgewater were busily engaged in taking notes. Nothing but good to the cat fancy generally could result from a friendly understanding existing between the clubs, so I hope that all talk of rivalry is at an end.

MISS COCHRAN writes that her blue Persian kitten was sold by telegraph the morning the advertisement appeared in these pages, and that she has since had several other enquiries for it.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
IRLANDA. - The cat is probably moulting, and swallows some of his fur. Brush and comb him daily, and give him plenty of coarse dog-grass to eat; also once daily a teaspoonful of cod-liver oil.
PETER. - The N.C.C. will hold a show about March, and your cat might be fit for that. I really could not tell without seeing him when he would be likely to be in good condition, or if he was likely to win a prize. I have not heard of any February show to be held in Brighton. The two principal clubs are the Cat Club (started by Lady Marcus Beresford), secretary Mrs. Bagster, 13A, Paternoster Row, London; and the National Cat Club, secretary, Mrs. Stennard Robinson, 3, Great James Street, Bedford Row, W.C. Cattery cats are not the least unhappy if they have grass runs. It is absolutely necessary, for various reasons, that stud cats should be kept shut up, but females may be allowed almost entire liberty. Your cat will begin to stray in the spring, and you will find it quite impossible to keep him indoors after he is two years old. You would certainly be wise to buy a light-coloured queen, though your black cat might perchance throw some good kittens.
BEE. - I am very sorry for your loss, but I am afraid I cannot help you to anything at the price you name. I have never heard of a blue Persian being sold for 5s. Two or three guineas is more like the price, though I did know of one the other day at 15s. but that is sold now. Perhaps a half-breed would suit you.
A LOVER OF CATS. - The colour seems to be a light orange or fawn, which is not at all uncommon among Persian cats. For the cough give him a teaspoonful of cod-liver oil once daily, and feed him principally on meat, giving fish not oftener than once a week. Boil his milk, but do not mix it with water. A great many blue-eyed white Persians are deaf, but by no means all, and I should not care to possess a deaf one. I am delighted to answer your questions.
DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. February 3, 1900, pg 321

In a contemporary I have gleaned some entirely new information about cats which causes me to wonder where the writer has studied the animal. I read for example, " Nothing will send you to sleep so quickly as having a cat in your bedroom," and also that cats " generally wake up in the morning at five o'clock." Personally I find that a peaceful, sleepy cat does not interfere with my rest, but I defy anyone to sleep with a fidgeting cat prowling about, or a large, fat, affectionate Siamese curled up on her face. My cats wake up at any time that suits them. I have known hem to begin to sing at three in the morning, while others will slumber until roused at eight o'clock, and I have often found the cattery people still in bed at nine. So much for generalizing about puss.

SOMEWHAT amusing is the tale of the lady who, not quite certain of the whereabouts of the St. Stephen's Hall, was reduced to asking the proverbial policeman the way to the Cat Show. This solemn official had apparently never heard of such a thing and solemnly and repeatedly assured her that the place she wanted was the House of Commons!

IT is always interesting to notice the number of old ladies who complain to show officials of "some poor cat which has been overlooked, and had nothing to eat or drink, and is SO hungry and thirsty." At Westminster Show I heard a complaint made in these words about a Siamese gentleman who was expressing his displeasure in a decided manner, but I was able to say that I had seen that cat fed twice the night before and once that morning. Also not half an hour before this sympathizer appeared his water tim had been emptied and filled with milk, which he promptly finished off. I saw that cat two days after the show, and he had got so fat no one would have known him.

I UNDERSTAND that the National Cat Club hopes o hold a show in February or March in London. A hall for a cat show is difficult to obtain, but rumour has it that St. Stephen's Hall has proved so successful that he N.C.C. feel they can of do better than hold their show there.

A LADY who has just returned from Rhodesia writes me an interesting account of a wild cat which she was bringing home from that country, but which was unfortunately killed in a storm at sea by something falling on its head. It was coloured exactly like a tiger, yellow with black stripes and pads and points. It would have grown a little larger than an ordinary cat, and was quite domesticated except with regard to its food.

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART writes to me in great spirits about Ronald, who took second at Edinburgh, and who was acknowledged even by the judge to be the finest all-round cat present, the first prize blue male, Mrs. Ransome's Darius II., only beating him through being more forward in coat, though he failed in face and eyes. Little Bluebell II. took another second. She is a charmingly-shaped little cat with lovely eyes, and has done well for Mrs. Stewart since, by my advice, she claimed her at the Crustal Palace for the moderate sum of £2 2s. She bears a distinct resemblanc to her lovely sire, Blue Boy II.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
FLUFF. - I am very sorry to seem disobliging, but relies by post cannot be given under any circumstances. Your kitten is, I expect, suffering from worms. Send to Mr. Ward of 17, Peel Grove, Longsight, Manchester, for a box of worm powder and give it according to directions, and for about a week feed the kitten entirely on arrowroot meals with milk, and beef tea. Mix a good pinch of isinglass with every meal, and feed it five or six times a day, giving not more than two tablespoonsful of food each time. In a week or two you will find a decided improvement, and then you must gradually get it on to a meat diet. Raw mutton is best to start with, and sprinkle a tiny pinch of carbonate of bismuth on its food twice a day for the next month. As soon as you find it can digest it, feed it entirely on solid food, principally meat, and give it only water to drink.
MAY CAT. - I really think the case is one for a vet, as without seeing the animal I cannot tell what is wrong. It may have had a sting or bite. I can only suggest that you should bathe it with hot water, to which a few drops of carbolic acid have been added, and show it to a doctor or vet as soon as possible.
MRS. VAUGHAN. - Replies by post are not allowed. Ch. Bundle was sold long ago, and is now the property of Mrs. Neate, Wernham, Marlborough, Wilts. The one I like best, I think, from your point of view is Nemophyla, belonging to Lady Marcus Beresford, Bishopsgate, Englefield Green, Surrey.
L. LIMOGE. - I am very pleased to answer your letter. English cats are all short-haired, but I do not think you would find Persians troublesome, though Siamese are rather delicate as kittens. If you get a strong, healthy kitten, coming from a good, hardy strain, it should be all right. Either Mrs. Kennaway, Garboldisham Rectory, East Harling, Norfolk, or Mrs. Cartwright, Upwood, Sixpenny Handley, Salisbury, could let you have a nice kitten for the sum you mention, and their kittens are always strong. Persians are charming as companions, though they are not quite equal to Siamese. The Westminster Show was held on January 9th and 10th, and was in St. Stephen's Hall, adjoining the aquarium.
DICK WHITTINGTON

CAT GOSSIP. February 10, 1900, pg 361

KING OF THE SILVERS, the handsome marked smoke cat belonging to Mrs. Thompson, is shortly to leave this country for America. King has had a somewhat eventful life. He was bred by Miss Taylor from Silver Chieftain and Blinks, and began life as an exquisite self-silver. He was purchased by Mrs. Thompson, and soon turned into a very pale smoke, and as such took first at Westminster last year. The other day at the same show he turned up as a singularly handsome smoke, with a marked face, and won second in the A.O.C. class.

I HEAR that Miss Scilla Bartlett has a lovely daughter of Miss Taylor's old Tawney, which is too precious to be risked in any show. Miss Bartlett saw no cat at Westminster to equal Tawnev II. in coat and head.

MRS. MURRAY-RUMSEY, of Baynton House, Westbury, Wilts, has brought some beautiful Siamese cats home from Hong Kong. Their pedigree traces back to Bosun, a cat which Mrs. Murray-Rumsey owned seven and a half years ago. In their genealogy I see also the name of Robert, Hong Kong, so I daresay this is the same cat who is the sire of the celebrated Wankee.

MR. TOWLERTON has parted with his grand orange tabby British cat, Perfection, and the well-known champion is now the property of Lady Alexander of Ballochmyle.

I HEAR that Mrs. Leach, of Chicago, paid Mrs. Greenwood £50 for the young silver male, Lord Southampton II. Lord Southampton recently made the record price of £60, but his son beats all records at his age - seven months.

MISS FORD'S beautiful silver queen, Carien, has just been mated to Silver Chieftain, and the kittens should be quite out of the common if the very close inbreeding does no harm. Carmen is bred from Silver Lambkin and Milverton Sylvie, whose sire, Silver King, was full brother to Silver Lambkin. Then we have a third cross of Lambkin, for Chieftain is a grandson of the old cat Miss White Atkins has sold her brown tabby cat, Betta, which took third at Westminster, to Mrs. Tottie.

MRS. HERRING'S silver tabby, Duchess Lestock, created quite a sensation at Westminster, where she took first in kitten and in open class, and all the specials for the best long-haired kitten in the show. On the second day I met Mrs. Herring looking most disconsolate, and she informed me that the little cat had. to her surprise and horror, been claimed at the catalogue price of £10 10s, and her bereaved mistress had spent a sleepless night mourning over her. Duchess Lestock is a daughter of Duke of Lee and Bangle, a cat with which Lady Marcus Beresford took third at Westminster last year. She was bought as a pet and will probably never be exhibited again.

I AM sorry to hear from Miss Egerton that her pretty silver tabby neuter, Persian Marcus, a son of Silver Laddie, is dead,

MISS WARD, who, by the way, is to be married shortly, tells me that her Squaw's fine litter of six kittens by FitzEustace are doing well, They are all pale silvers and big, strong kittens. The two palest have been sold to Lady Marcus Beresford, who already has a son of Squaw, the beautiful Windsor Beetle. Squaw is, I think, the largest female cat I ever saw; she is a light shaded silver, and comes from a very old and very valuable strain of smoke and silver cats which used to flourish in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth and Southsea in the days when Miss Manley, Mrs. Besant, Mr. Silk and many others contributed a number of winners at the Crystal Palace.

MR. CROALL sends photographs of some charming silver tabby kittens from a litter of three. The mother is bred from Mr. Lyle's (of Edinburgh) well-known silver. This, I fancy, must be Mrs. Foote's cat, Dorrit, an old winner who found a home in Edinburgh some years ago, and I believe is now the property of Mr. Lyle.

I AM pleased to be able to give a photograph of Lady Marcus Beresford's Siamese Sacred Temple cats, Romeo and Juliette. These cats were imported from Siam, and were the property of Mrs. Wylie, of Stow but have been sold by her to Lady Marcus Beresford. They are probably the most valuable cats in England, and Mrs. Wylie would never have parted with them had she not be going abroad. Juliette took first at Westminster, but Romeo, being of a a somewhat impulsive disposition, was overcome by the sight of so many rivals, and bit the judge, so he had to take a back seat.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
CHEESEBOX. - You are not giving your kittens nearly enough to eat. One meal of solid food is not sufficient, they should have at least three good meals day until they have done growing, and the more meat they eat the larger they will grow. If you give milk at all, let it be boiled and given as an "extra," but if they get plenty of meat, arrowroot, milk pudding etc., it will be better for them to have water to drink. I don't think they are the least likely to hurt each other. The younger kitten is losing his kitten coat, which is quite natural at his age. That is the worst of Persians, they stay in coat such a short time. Regular brushing and combing is the best treatment, but nothing will make th coat grow before it is ready to do so.
PUZZLED. - Your treatment is entirely wrong. In the first place write to Mr. Ward of 17, Peel Grove, Longsight, Manchester, for a box of worm powders, and give one at once and another a week after. Stop the "milky food," if by that you mean slops, and feed him principally on raw meat till he seems stronger - say two meals in the day of raw beef or mutton, chopped up fine, and two of arrowroot made with milk. Later on, when he seems in better health, you can vary his diet, giving him anything you are having for lunch, a large proportion being meat, and almost anything he seems to fancy and thrives on. Do not give him milk to drink, only water. Bathe his eyes twice daily in boracic lotion - one teaspoonful of boracic powder to a pint of water - and do not let him go out of doors when it is at all damp or windy. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. February 17, 1900, pg 401

MISS ANDERSON LEAKE has parted with her celebrated silver tabby, Abdul Zaphir of Dingley, and he is now the property of Miss Leila Power, of Newbury. Abdul had the creditable record of six first prizes and three championships at the Crystal Palace, and a first, and challenge cup at Westminster. Miss Leake, since she started the strain with Topso, has never been without one male member of the family, and Abdul Zaphir has been quickly replaced by his son, Abdul Hamet, a truly worthy successor. This young cat is nearly two years old, and a capital shape, with a cobby body, short, thick legs, fine eyes. and magnificent head, and coat of perfect colour. He was shown at the Crystal Palace as a kitten in 1898, and took first.

ANOTHER sale I have to chronicle is that of Miss Hester Cochran's blue Persian, Azure, who is now the property of Miss White Atkins. Azure's photograph appeared in these pages a few months ago. He is a very fine young son of Blue Robin, and litter brother to Chin-Chin (second at Westminster), and to Lady Marcus Beresford's Nemophyla. Miss Cochran's Blue Robin, is a cat who has been much discussed of late, He as a slightly shaded blue, with a magnificent head and coat, and took first, challenge cup, and two specials at Westminster last year.

MRS. GENT tells me that Troutbrook Bluie, the kitten by Blue Robin ex Madame Brilliant, which she purchased from Mrs. Marriott last year, is growing up into a beautiful cat. Mrs. Gent has quite a small stud of cats, but they are all of the best, blood and really first-class specimens.

THERE is at present a great demand for good blue Persian female cats, but though a number of fair specimens are offered for sale it is nearly impossible to pick up a really good cat. The most insisted upon now is that the eyes should be deep orange. The cats that I know of at present which have the best eyes are Viscountess Maitland's Cheeky Blue, Miss Rae's Iver Patrice, Lady Marcus Beresford's Periwinkle, and Mrs. Witham Wignall's Bogie. Amongst male cats deep orange eyes seem to be even more difficult to find than amongst females.

MRS. HERRING is quite one of the pillars of the cat fancy, and has long been a familiar figure at al the big shows, and I think she must have quite lost count of the prizes she has won. She keeps a number of good cats, but one of the prettiest and most beloved, as well as most successful, is the chinchilla queen, Irene.

MRS. D'ARCY HILDYARD is a recruit to the band of exhibitors, but she has made an excellent start by taking first and second at Westminster with her pretty fawn kittens, Napoleon and Josephine, which she bred herself.

I HAVE received from Dr. Roper particulars of a book called "The Cat Index," which he intends to issue every year. Forms have been sent to all the principal cat owners, with a request that they will fill in names and particulars of their cats. It is to be arranged on the same lines as "Palmer's Index" to the "Times", with an introduction, and is to include the rules of the Cat Club and of the National Cat Club. Altogether it should be a most useful and interesting publication.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
ISEULT. - I am sorry I do not at present know of a Siamese kitten such as you require, but an advertisement in these columns would be certain to bring replies. For the chinchilla, write either to Mrs. Champion, 64, Fairlawn Grove, Chiswick, or to Miss Ward, Chetwynde, Barrow-in-Furness. Both are advertisers in this paper, and have really good kittens to sell at reasonable prices. Silver Veronica is a shaded silver or chinchilla. Miss Taylor's "Show and Pet Cats" is the most useful book. Write for it to "Fur and Feather," Idle, Bradford, Yorks.
TACHAK. - It is not necessary to join any club, but it gives advantages. The Cat Club gives a better classification for Siamese, and its specials are nearly all for open competition. The secretary is Mrs. Bagster, 13A, Paternoster Row, London. The National Cat Club keeps most of its specials for members only, but it gives shows more frequently than the other. The secretary is Mrs. Stennard Robinson, 5, Great James Street, Bedford Row, London, W.C
SWINDLED. - As you have the lady's letter describing the kitten, it would be as well to write to her firmly, saying she must return the money at once, and if she does not do so your remedy is in the Couty Court. As to exposing her, your only plan would be to write to some of the fanciers' papers, signing your full name, as otherwise they would not publish your complaint. You must, however, be very certain of your facts, or you will lay yourself open to an action for libel.
MISS BROMLEY. - If I am ased fo kittens at the low price you name I will mention yours. I remember their father at the Crystal Palace. When recommend cats or kittens very strongly it is because I chance to know all about them, as, of course, you will see that I cannot be responsible for unknown advertisers.
MOKIE. - The diet is at fault. I find that cats fed regularly on fish often suffer in this way. I wonder what meat you have tried him with? Give him raw lean beef or mutton, chopped up fine, twice a day, and milk food once, and sprinkle a tiny pinch of carbonate of bismuth over the meat. Also give once a day a teaspoonful of Kepler's Extract of Malt and Cod-liver Oil. When he seems better, one meal of meat and one of milk food will be ample. Let him have plenty of coarse dog-grass. Use a soft brush, and be sure that the comb does not irritate his skin. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. February 24, 1900, pg 441

MISS KIRKPATRICK has sold her fine young blue Persian, Sea Holly, to Mrs. Herbert Ransome, who has named him after his sire, Darius III. He is bought to fill the place of poor Darius II. (formerly Dandy Dick), who did not long survive his Edinburgh triumph, but died of a cold contracted there. There is always a certain amount of risk in showing a young cat, but when it has a long railway tourney to add to its trials, it is lucky it escapes without some illness.

IT is a point of considerable interest to cat breeders whether a disease commonly called "snuffles" is of any importance among breeding stock. I presume the name is borrowed from the rabbits, but I don't know if the disease is the same. It is generally left as a legacy after distemper or bad influenza when the patient has been discharged its cured as soon as the acute stage of the disease is past. Por this reason it is important, when a cat has been suffering from any complaint accompanied by considerable nasal discharge, to take active measures for tear of any chronic affection remaining. In the first place a dose of worm medicine may not be out of place, and in the second the nostrils should be syringed with a solution of boracic acid, and the cat should be carefully guarded from wet. Treatment is not, however, the point I want to deal with, but the importance that is to be laid upon the disease.

I KNOW that a number of well-known cats are affected with snuffles, and some of these are successful stud cats. I have several times seen certificates from experienced vets, saying that the animals affected were in every way fit for breeding purposes, and that the complaint was neither infectious nor hereditary. On one occasion I asked one of these vets if he would pass a cat with snuffles into a show, and be replied "Certainly not," and yet I have seen him on several occasions pass in cats which I knew had chronic snuffles. Personally I have never observed any indication that the complaint is hereditary, and I do not think it is so, and the worst I can suggest is that he kittens of a snuffly cat might have a predisposition to colds in the head, but I think all kittens have this more or less. I should say that, provided a cat was in robust heath otherwise,
a slight snuffle, though unpleasant to his owner, was unimportant. These remarks are called forth by the amount of correspondence I have lately received on this subject.

SOME very keen fanciers of my acquaintance re inclined to put all show illness down to distemper, and if possible their kittens are treated to a round of that fell complaint every summer, with the result that when winter arrives they make a round of all the big shows and are none the worse, though their cattery companions who have never had distemper may sicken on their return home. I personally have never met with a case of distemper in a cat of over a year old, and I make a rule never to show an animal which I value till it is past that age. I notice that kittens of from three to six months suffer more ill effects from showing than tiny ones do. I suppose it is because they are teething.

I SO frequently receive enquiries about the feeding of cats that a few general rules will not come amiss. First and foremost, a meat diet is the best for all cats. Another equally important point is that if milk food is given it must be most carefully prepared. Cold milk poured over scraps of bread will give any delicate kitten indigestion, but arrowroot, any good infant food, rice pudding, and even boiled bread and milk occasionally are quite harmless, though, except in case of illness requiring special treatment, they are quite insufficient for any cat or kitten over five or six weeks of age. I give kittens raw beef as soon as they can eat, and they thrive on it; fish is good occasionally, but not too often. Dog biscuits, soaked and mixed with chopped-up meat, form an excellent diet, which cats thrive on and enjoy. For cattery cats, one meal of this a day, given at night, and a saucer of milk in the morning, is quite sufficient. but the meal must be a large one, as much as the cat can eat and that is a surprising quantity. Of course, female cats before and after they have kittens must be fed more frequently.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has purchased Miss Ward's silver cat, Pearl, or, to give her her registered name, Peggy Pearl is a very pretty pale unmarked silver, a daughter of Silver Mist. Miss Ward sold her last year to Mrs. Barker, who called her Silver Moon, and bred a lovely litter of five kittens from her by Lord Southampton, and then sold her back to Miss Ward, who has, however, been obliged to part with her.

I FEEL that I have collected a further sufficient number of contradictory statements to warrant another article on the points of the Siamese cat at no distant date. Never was there an animal about whose points so many people have "absolutely reliable information from the highest sources." Unfortunately, judges still persistently give prizes to the lightest coloured cats, and are apt to ignore some of the more important points. I think there is a distinct opportunity for one or other of the cat clubs to import a Siamese judge in time for their next show. It would be a decided novelty, and surely no more trouble than kidnapping and importing a cat, if all the tales one hears are to be believed. I have made the suggestion, and now it is for Mrs. Stennard Robinson, the soul of enterprise, to follow it up, and am sure the classes will fill amazingly. But what a lot of champions will bite the dust!

CAT GOSSIP. March 3, 1900, pg 481

THE HON. MRS. MCLAREN MORRISON has long been known as one of the most enthusiastic breeders of both cats and dogs. She is always bringing strange new breeds home, and amongst these figures Tuman, the only Cabul cat in England. He is a grand animal of a golden tabby colour, and was brought to Mrs. Morrison by friends. He has been in her possession for two years, living in an open-air cattery, and Iving out in his run in the midst of frost and snow. It will be seen from his photograph, Tuman has a_ differently shaped head from the ordinary Persian cat. Mrs. McLaren Morrison hopes to bring him home a while shortly, but these cats are exceedingly difficult to obtain. Two other beautiful inmates of the Kepwick cattery are Heather Laddie and Gem. Both of these were bred by Mrs. Martin, and Laddie is descended from the celebrated Nizam, while Gem is full sister to Summer Blossom, who is also at Kepwick. Since the birth of her little daughter Mrs. McLaren Morrison has considerably reduced the number of her pets, and parted with all her lovely blue-eyed white Persians, most of which were purchased by Miss Packham.

ONE of the latest devotees of cats is Lady Muriel Fox-Strangways, who is going in for blue Persians. Brenda and Lavender are two nice queens, Brenda coming from Mrs. Curwen's strain, and Lavender being her daughter by Sweetboy. A promising young male, descended from Miss Cochran's cats, and having very dark orange eyes, has been added to the establishment, and as Brenda has just been sent on a visit to Biue Boy II., the Melbury cats should soon be able to hold their own in the show pen.

IT IS always gratifying to hear of sales being effected through our advertisement columns, and I am most pleased to know that Miss Parr has sold both her lovely blue kittens, the male making the high price of £5. Miss Parr's cats and kittens are so nicely kept and well brought up that they are sure to be a pleasure to their new owners.

AN important sale which has recently taken place is that of Messs. Drury Brothers' Persian, Blue Boy II., who is now the property of Lady Marcus Beresford and Miss Hester Cochran. Blue Boy II. is probably the best blue male cat in existence. He has quite lost the slight rustiness of colour which handicapped him last year, and he has a huge broad head, with big orange eyes and tiny ears. His shape as perfect, and he has a long frill and coat of exquisite texture. Though only two years old he has already won between thirty and forty prizes, his greatest: triumphs being at Westminster, where he was first in 1899 and in 1900, and would on each occasion have carried off the Beresford Challenge Cup had he belonged to a member at the Cat Club.

THE CAT CLUB must be congratulated on having handed over to the Lord Mayor the substantial sum of £150 as a result of their show held on behalf of the War Fund.

I HEAR of a marvellous son of Lord Argent, who, at the age of seen months, breaks all records by turning the scale at 10lb 2oz. I may say I hardly expect anyone to believe this statement, but it is true nevertheless, for the lady who had bred the kitten and given him away was so amazed at his size when she saw him that she had him weighed. I have received some capital photographs of Lord Argent, which I hope will be reproduced when there is room for them, as they show this celebrated gentleman in full coat and looking as fresh and lively as a kitten.

IN AN inn yard in a country town the other day I was struck by the peculiar gait of a cat which was running about with its kittens. When it moved it hopped off both hind legs like a rabbit. Closer investigation revealed the fact that it possessed only about three inches of tail, kinked and pointed. The cat was a beautifully-marked, narrow-banded, brown tabby, and a typical Manx in every way. Needless to say, I demanded an interview with the owner, and bore the cat off in triumph. Now I am puzzled to know if those three inches of tail will go much against her in the show pen, as, but for that, I have seen no Manx queen to equal her.

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART has been sweeping the decks at the northern shows with her blue kitten, Blue Bell II., a daughter of Bloy Boy II. This little cat, since her debut at the Crystal Palace, has taken a great number of prizes, and her most recent win was at Rutherglen, where she took first in both open and kitten class. Silver Robin, the smooth silver tabby which Mrs. Stewart purchased from Mrs. herring after his win at Westminster, was also first.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
FLUFF II. - That brown stuff on te cat's tail is very common, and is neither dangerous not infections, but is troublesome because it will bring all the hair off the tail if not promptly attended to. Mix up some paraffin and sweet oil (half and half), thicken with sulphur and apply to the skin with a sponge once a week until a cure is effected.
CHIN CHIN. - I don't think Siamese cats are necessarily more delicate than others if rationally treated, but most of them have been so cossetted that they have become like hot-house plants. Let your kitten have lots of fresh air and raw meat, but don't let her run about in the damp, and in cold winds until she is older, at any rate, and I expect you will find her do well.
PERSADEE. - I strongly disapprove of keeping cats in rooms heated by stoves; they get bad eyes, snuffles, and all sorts of horrid complaints unless there is some very good apparatus for supplying fresh air, and even then the heat makes them delicate. An open fire is quite different, and cats and dogs alike enjoy that.
MOUSE. - At the first symptoms of a sneezing cold give a camphor pill three times daily, and feed well. On the second day give a teaspoonful of salad oil. Keep the nose and eyes well cleaned with warm water and a little Condy's fluid.
NAN. - I think you would get a nice kitten, and well within the price you name, from Miss Bromley, Fryleigh, Betchworth. She tells me she has two very pretty blues to sell, and the father is a prize-winner. I am sorry, but I cannot send answers by post under ANY circumstances. DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. March 10, 1900, pg 521

I WAS amused to read in a contemporary, recently, a statement to the effect that imported blue Persians and blue-eyed whites are rare or never seen. It is true that sable tabbies are more often imported than other colours, but these usually fail in markings, for, as Mr. Harrison Weir says, "the dark marked tabby is not a Persian cat colour." I can, however, inform the writer of the article in question that I have seen a number of long-haired blue cats and several blue-eyed whites which had been brought home by private persons from the Persian Golf.

OTHER colours frequently seen amongst imported cats are black, orange, blue tabby, black and white, and white with yellow eve. The celebrated chinchilla Nizam was an imported cat. I should question the statement that the Indian long-haired cat is a different breed from the Persian. People who have enquired into the matter know that the majority of our imported cats come from Persia through India, being brought to the coast, with the Arab horses, by traders, and there sold. If, therefore, they were at one time distinct breeds, which I doubt, they must have long ago become hopelessly mixed. I must protest against announcement of the fact that a Persian cat's tail is like a fox's brush. A fox's brush is the same all the way round, like the brush used for cleaning a lamp funnel, but pointed, white ne cat I ever saw had the hair on the underside standing out. I suppose this is owing to the fact that the cat carries its tail lower and closer to its hind legs that the fox does its brush; also, a Persian cat's tail should certainly not be pointed, but broad at the tip. The Angora cat has a different kind of coat from the Persian, there being a distinct woolly undercoat with an outer covering of coarser hair; it has usually better tufts than the Persian, but its head is coarser, and its tail, as a rule, longer.

MISS BEAL writes too me about the classification of cream and fawn cats, wishing that the N.C.C. would treat them better in this respect. She makes the sensible suggestion, in speaking of the Westminster Show, that another year it would be better that they should be divided by sexes instead of by colours, the classes being for cream or fawn male, and cream of fawn female, instead of cream male and female, and fawn male and female. Females of these colours are, as yet, a long way behind the males, and stand no chance in competition with them,

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has sold her shaded silver Persian male, Whiskerandos, to Mr. Witt, the owner of Ch. Mabel of Lozells. Whisker is a son of Silver Chieftain and Miss Taylor's Blinks, whose beautiful head and shape he inherits. For this reason Lady Marcus was reluctant to part with him, but as she has two other silver males, Beetle and Prince of the Fairies, she decided to let him go. The Bishopsgate cattery contains now perhaps the largest collection of Siamese in this country, Miss Cochran's chocolates, Tilu and Me, have recently been added to the number, Tilu's name having been changed to He, as Lady Marcus has already a little chocolate female named She. Romeo and Juliette are the only pair of Sacred Temple cats in this country, and the Royal breed is represented by Moon Chow, Klinkie, and Tantalem.

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART tells me that someone has written to tell her that Ronald never won at Brighton. This statement I am pleased to say is absolutely without foundation, for Ronald took first novice, first limit, and third open class at the N.C.C. Show.

THE CAT CLUB meets on March 19th to discuss various matters, amongst others the readjustment of the silver classes, which, ass they at present stand, a hardly a success. The suggestion which seems to find most favour is that no new arrangement should be made, but that the existing classes, self-silver and shaded silver, should be amalgamated until it is considered advisable to separate them once more. Mr. Hawkins, the treasurer, has announced his intention of resigning the post, which he only accepted to start the club, as he has too much other business to attend to the club work; he will, however, remain a member of the club. Lord Marcus Beresford will be put up for election to the treasurership.

I HAVE recently heard of a novel plant of "catty" swindling. A well-known fancier sold a cat and sent it to its new home, but the purchaser neither sent the price agreed on nor mentioned it in any way. The seller after some time grew anxious and asked for a cheque, and was then informed that she had sent the cat as a gift and that no money would be paid! The persons were strangers to each other, and, as the injured lady remarked, no word of thanks had been uttered, which was odd when she was supposed to have given away one of her best cats!

MISS WARD tells me that one of her kittens advertised in these columns is sold to Mrs. Kennaway, and that she has had enquiries about the others, so I hope they will soon be disposed of.

CAT GOSSIP. March 17 1900, pg 11

MISS MANLEY writes to tell me of the death of her old favourite, the Siamese cat Sura. He had long been his mistress's devoted companion, but for the last year had been so stiff and queer that at first he was thought to have strained his shoulders or to be suffering from rheumatism. He gradually got worse and worse, till finally he was unable even to wash himself, and so he had to be destroyed. The post-mortem proved him to be suffering from anchylosis, a most rare complaint in animals, which, being interpreted, means that his neck and skull had become one bone! I find I have written "Miss Manley," and it should have been "Mrs. Strick." The wedding took place in the middle of February.

MOST cat fanciers know the danger to their pets in north and east winds. Cats seem to suffer from these infinitely more than from frost and snow, and during the last few days of bitter N.E. wind I have heard on all sides of colds, influenza, and, worst of all, pneumonia. The moral of this is, have your houses built to face south, have no doors or windows to the north or east, and if the walls on those dangerous sides are not substantial have them covered with felt.

WHEN a cat has caught cold, the first thing is to ascertain which part is affected. If only the nose and head I don't believe in much treatment, except being careful that there are no draughts, and feeding the patient well. It is not advisable to move it to a warmer room unless you propose to keep it there till the summer, as a change back to cold quarters is pretty certain to cause a relapse. If the lungs are affected the patient must be kept very warm and well-fed, and in acute cases poulticing must be resorted to. Cod-liver oil is a capital pick-me-up after colds and coughs.

MISS TAYLOR'S Blinks has a fine family of five silver kittens by FitzEustace. The old celebrity, Tawney, had two lovely kittens, a blue and a black, by Blue Robin, but unfortunately the blue succumbed in infancy.

THE N.C.C. have decided not to hold a show earlier than that at the Botanical Gardens in June, which will be confined to members of the N.C.C.

DINAH, whose portrait graces this page, is a cat of whom her owner, Miss Kirkpatrick, must feel very proud, even though the record of her laurels during seven years is not as long as her fine appearance would seem to warrant. Dinah won a second prize at the Crystal Palace in 1892, and in 1896 a first at Holland Park. Lavender Blue has already made a reputation, to which fresh honours are likely to be added. Born on September 4th last (sire Don Juan II., dam Peggotty) this beautiful creature was awarded first and special at Hitchin, and two firsts as well as a special for best cat in show at Watford, and we may look confidently for further triumphs.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."
E. CHESTER. - You cannot do better than write either to Mrs. Champion, 64, Fairlawn Grove, Chiswick, or to Miss Ward, Chetwynde, Barrow-in-Furness. I can strongly recommend kittens from either of these ladies, from personal experience. Any well-brought-up kitten can quite be trusted if a tray of mould or sawdust is provided,
SHAH. - Please teil me how you are feeding your cat and treating jim generally. In the meantime, rub a little sulphur ointment into the bare patches and let the cat have some coarse dog-grass to nibble.
BLUE TABBY. - I am glad you have got a nice kitten through our columns. Avalanche is by Beauty Boy ex Pearl. Beauty Boy is by Rajah ex Mater, and Pearl is by Gem ex Phiz.
BLUE BOY. - There is no big cat show now until June, but I can't say I ever recommend buying kittens at shows. You had much better write to some well-known breeder, and buy a cat privately. Good blue females are very hard to get at present, and fetch big prices. The light colour is most fashionable. An advertisement in out columns would bring answers. Write again if I can help you farther.
INEZ. - The sooner you have it attended to now the better. Though it is possible to postpone it for a few months longer there is considerable risk. The colour is not valuable for breeding from, and therefore it would make no difference to the price and it will be easier for him to find a home. A neuter cat rarely makes a "fancy" price, but is always saleable, which a male is not.
MISS KIRKPATRICK. - Many thanks for the excellent photographs. Lavender Blue must be a charming kitten. I will certainly recommend her brother if I hear of a suitable home. He would, of course, do quite well in a cattery, but I find that a change and a new abode often effect a cure in these cases.
ISI. - Give two drops of oil of male fern in a gelatine capsule after twelve hours' fast, and two hours later a teaspoonful of salad oil.
JILL. - I fear you have undertaken a task beyond your powers. It is impossible to say how frequently or how long it will continue, as individuals vary - probably on and off all the summer. I should advise you to let your cat breed occasionally; it is much better for her health. Why not send her to a good cat? Most cats have two litters a year, and it is certainly advisable to leave one kitten to console the mother. An operation would be possible if you wished it. So many thanks for your kind and complimentary remarks.
J. PRIOLEAU. - The cause of the cat's hair becoming matted is neglect; the remedy lies in brush, comb, and scissors. Every spring long-haired cats moult, and they should then be regularly brushed and combed, as the cat ill lick off the dead hair and swallow it, and this in time, is likely to cause its death. Cut the mates away by degrees and keep the hair regularly combed out in future.
C. BEDFORD. - We shall be pleased to insert the photograph on the conditions named. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. March 24 1900, pg 79

MABEL OF LOZELLS was the heroine of the Westminster Show, winning the Cat Club gold medal for the best long-haired cat present. In the photograph, Mabel of Lozells appears in the arms of her little namesake an devoted mistress, Mabel Witt. Moko, the magnificent blue male, is chiefly celebrated as the sire of Mabel of Lozells. He is a son of the famous Glaucus, and has one of the finest heads I ever saw on cat. Mr. Witt, of blue Persian fame, is now going in for silvers, and as a mate for his recent acquisition, Whiskerandos, he has purchased Gossamer, a little chinchilla queen, by Blue Robin ex Dimity.

THE fashionable cat of the coming season has yet to be found, but I incline to the idea that blues will once more be the most popular, only these nowadays have to be of the very highest quality, and deep orange eyes are a sine qua non. Certainly they are a vast improvement to a blue cat's appearance, and it is practically impossible to sell a cat with green, or, what I think much worse, pale yellow or greeny yellow eyes. Real emerald eyes look rather pretty in a light blue cat, but washy yellow ones are hideous, and destroy all the character of the face.

THERE is no doubt that chinchilla or silver cats are waning in popularity, but there is a slightly increasing demand for strongly-marked silver tabbies, though these have nearly died out, the best being now in the hands of Miss Anderson Leake. Brown and sable tabbies, I fear, will never be very popular, but blue-eyed whites and orange-eyed blacks will always find admirers.

THE handsome young cat, Twilight (by Ch. Locksley), whose portrait appears on this page, is a beautiful blue, with a very sound, heavy coat, and orange eyes. He is year old, and took a prize at Portsmouth at the age og nine months (just too old for kitten classes). His owner, Miss Bedford, says he is most delightful companion.

MRS. CHAMPION has sold her blue-eyed white Persian, White Witch, to Miss White Atkins, who has been looking for wife for The White Knight. Two of Miss Hunt's lovely litter by White Friat ex Crystal have found a new home with Mrs. Kirk, of Leamington Spa, who is going in to white Persians, as well as blues and silvers.

I AM sorry o hear that Mrs. Sutherland is giving up cats, and the whole of her large family of Siamese I to be sold.

CAT GOSSIP. March 31, 1900, pg 110 - 111

MISS JAY'S BLUE PERSIANS
MISS JAY has long been known as the most successful breeder of blue female cats, and her latest triumph at the Crystal Palace was, perhaps, the most glorious victory she has won. Miss Jay began her career as a cat exhibitor in 1892 by the purchase of Holmwood Trixie from Mrs. Foote at the Crystal Palace. Trixie was then a tiny kitten, bu she grew and flourished, and in the following year her victorious show career began - and ended, for Miss Jay is a truly sportsmanlike fancier. She does not "pot hunt" with one invincible cat, but when it has won the best that can be had it retires into private life and a new champion is launched upon the world. Trixie took a number of prizes in 1893, and won her championship and the gold medal for best cat in the show at the Crystal Palace. The following year she was mated with Blue Boy the Great, and this blood combined with her own, for Trixie was a daughter of Lingfield Bootles, founded a truly unrivalled strain.

At Holmwood now there are seven blue cats. First place must be given to Doris, as she is Trixie's eldest daughter and also a champion. She is a very large dark blue cat, with a broad, massive head and deep orange eyes, She is a lady of character and great favourite wither her mistress, and has given birth to some wonderful kittens. Truda, another handsome cat, is from the same parents as Doris, but a year younger.

The Mighty Atom, the heroine of the last Palace Show, is another of Trixie's daughters, but her sire is Don Juan II., and she was born in 1896. She was the only one in the family, and at birth was more like an underfed mouse than a well-bred kitten; but the most constant and untiring attention has tuned her into the best blue cat that has ever been shown. She is a wonderful shape, with short, thick les, an coat down to the ground, and her head might be taken as an ideal to breed up to. The forehead is broad and round, with tiny low-set ears buried in fur, and she has the shortest possible nose, with big eyes and sweet expression. The remaining lady of the establishment is Minnie, by Don Juan II. ex Doris. Minnie took first at the Botanical Gardens; she is a nicely-shaped little cat, of a good colour, and with a round face.

For some time, Miss Jay did not go in for male cats, but now she has two magnificent blues/ Holmwood Kerr is a big, heavily-coated son of Patrick Blue and Doris. He has a fine broad head and amber eyes, and took all the specials for the best cat in the show at Finchley, and also first at Brighton. Lionel is a worthy son of Kerr and Mighty. Though only seven months old, he took third in a large novice class at the Botanical Gardens. He is a very well-grown young cat, and promises to surpass his sire in looks. Like the rest of the family, he has a capital head and good eyes.

Miss Jay, like all successful cat fanciers, considers personal attention absolutely necessary to the well-being of her pets, but she carries her devotion to a point few owners reach, for she never stays a single night away from home, and no matter at what hour she leaves in the morning all her cats are well brushed, the wrong way of the coat, before she goes.

I must not forget to remark upon the other cats at Holmwood. Ch. Skittles is beautiful blue tabby; he is very cobby cat, with a magnificent head and short tail. A small colony of Manx cats are kept about the stable yard as foster mothers for the Persians, and they, too, have won a number of prizes at the big shows.

The cat houses which are shown on the next page are a row of large, sunny rooms, with double doors of glass. Inside the rooms are a number of wire netting pens, so that the occupants can be put in closer confinement when desired. The rooms are beautifully clean, and nicely furnished with chairs and a number of appropriate ornaments. While the walls are thickly covered with prize cards and cat pictures. Indoors the cups, medals. And other silver trophies are prettily arranged in a big glass cabinet.

Miss Jay is not a cat fancier only, for she has a number of other pets, and has been successsul as an exhibitor of fox-terriers, Japanese spaniels, and sheepdogs. The names of Fritz. the terrier, and Nincha, the Jap, are well known. The poultry yard is also well stocked with prize-winners, and to Miss Jay, I believe, belongs the credit of inventing (if that is the proper word) the blue Andalusian bantam. There are also a number of pigeons at Holmwood, blue fantails being the favourites. The stable and its occupants I will not attempt to describe, as they would require an article to themselves; suffice it to say that Miss Jay knows well how to handle a horse. She has on several occasions officiated as judge at cat shows, and is one of the few people who seem able to give universal satisfaction in that capacity.
DICK WHITTINGTON.

MISS DERBY-HYDE'S CATTERY
AT A local show of poultry and other live-stock I recently had the pleasure of meeting Miss Derby-Hyde, who has made a name for herself as a successful breeder and exhibitor of prize cats. On this occasion she was showing a splendid sable collie (another "fancy" of hers) and several valuable cats. Findings that I was much interested in the subject, she asked me to drive over and see her cattery, which I gladly consented to do.

North Moreton is a good thirteen miles from us: even if you don't lose your way, as we did, in the country lanes and many cross roads - so we were furnished with a good excuse for driving the cobs tandem in the Irish jaunting car, which is yet such a novelty in our parts that we cannot drive through a village without becoming an object of curiosity and derision to all the small boys who populate it. We had a lovely drive from our own hilly abode down Into the valley of the Thames, which we crossed at a pretty spot at Clifton Hampden, and through various picturesque villages. We passed close under the well-known Wittenham Clumps, the far-away landmark which we point out to visitors from our own garden, and arriving, after some devious wanderings, at North Moreton, easily found out way to St. Peter's, Miss Derby-Hyde's quaint bungalow house. It stands in a large garden, which seemed when we arrived to be dotted about with cats, so many of them were there strolling on the grass, or sitting in the sun, with the air of visitors, for Miss Derby-Hyde takes feline "paying guests," whose owners wish, for any reason, to provide them with a temporary home. It was impossible to distinguish the guests from the inhabitants proper, since the former looed as much at home as the latter - thus controverting the popular idea that, unlike dogs, cats do not accustom themselves happily to a change of locality.

But the great object of our attention was, of course, the cattery itself, as neither of us had seen a cat-house before, and each was all curiosity to do so. We found it a well-arranged wooden building with thick double walls, communicated by a passage with the mistress's own apartment, so that she can visit it at any hour. It comprises a good-sized cats' drawing-room (carpeted and suitably furnished with divans and cosy chairs, with a stove for winter use), and various sleeping apartments with bunks and straw bedding. These little rooms are all fitted with doors, so that they can be shut away from each other if desired, and as each has a window opening into a wired-in run, every room can be used as a distinct house and exercising ground for separate couples.

At the time of our visit the two sleeping apartments next the drawing-room were given up to two feline mothers, each occupied in bringing up a thriving little family. One of them, a lovely blue Persian, appropriately named Fluff, was the proud parent of four exquisite little blues, exactly like herself. These kittens will be for sale as soon as they are old enough, and no prettier pet can be imagined. Another mother, White Lady, included in her family two coal-black kits, one of whom was made additionally comical by his absence of tail.

All the ladies (I find it is the correct thing to speak of them as "queens," so I will call them by no other title for the future) have a large wire court to themselves, opening into the drawing-room, as is only suitable, and there I was introduced to, and petted, more cats than I can remember. I carried away with me an impression of Princess Lily-White, with beautiful coat and golden eyes; Tootsie, an unusual white-smoke colour; Liverpool Princess, a grand tortoiseshell; Black Lady. famed for her lovely kittens; and pretty tabby Brownie, with no white about her. These are all Persians. but the English queens are still more numerous. Dolly (whose unusual blue eyes have won her various prizes and Snowball are white; while almost every other colour is represented by Tortie, Orangie, Shadie, and various others. One queen who caused me great amusement was Macaroni, who had been bought in Italy. I told her that it was all very well for her to pose as an Italian, but her head and face had a really remarkable n*gger look, which, taken with her colour, reminded one irresistibly of a weird feline Aunt Chloe. I talked to her confidentially of the Ole Kentucky home, which I felt sure she must have left, and the subject seemed so exciting that she performed wild antics up and down a post, and afterwards attached herself to me for the rest of the afternoon.

I do not know that it is also the correct thing to speak of tom cats as "kings," but Miss Derby-Hyde's Silver King is rightly named, as it would be difficult to find his equal, with his grand shae and splendid silver tabby coat. Boysie is another silver tabby, with white points and a very good head, and Precious has beautiful amber eyes. Klondyke and Prince of Orange are fine orange tabbies - the former a really splendid fellow. All these gentlemen are Persian; but English Toms are represented by Black Boy, Orange Boy, and Mr. Grey - all descriptively named, and very fine cats. As is to be supposed, Miss Derby-Hyde has taken many prizes and medals with her various favourites, and the majority of her cats are quite accustomed to being publicly exhibited, and take the routine of a show with complete tranquility.

Inspection of the cattery had taken so much time that we were only able to pay a short visit to the beautiful collies, who well merited greater attention, before tea, which we had in the garden, waited on by a detachment of cats, including Aunt Chloe, who did not allow her Kentuckian reminiscences to interfere with her appetite for bread and butter.

By this time the lengthening: shadows were reminding us that it was autumn, notwithstanding the lovely day, and we had to cut short further cat talk and start on our long drive home. The visit had been quite a novel experience, as, though I have always been a devout cat-lover (and am at this moment the victim of two tyrant black boys, great ornaments of the feline world), I had never before seen anything in the form of cat-keeping carried on scientifically. Further information on the subject can be exhaustively obtained from Miss Derby-Hyde herself, at her address, St. Peter's, North Moreton, Wallingford, Berks. I, for one, wish her all success in her undertaking, which may be looked upon as one of the most modern of the numerous new "employments" for ladies.
L.C.S.S.

MISS KIRKPATRICK sends an account of Miss Moorby's kittens, advertised in our columns. These kittens are by Mrs. Herbert Ransome's beautiful Darius III (formerly Miss Kirkpatrick's Sea Holly), and their dam, Fluffy, who is by Woolloomooloo ex Pegotty, was given by Miss Kirkpatrick as a kitten to Miss Moorby's sister, who lived with Miss Kirkpatrick's family as nurse for twelve years. I must thank Miss Kirkpatrick for her kind remarks about the cat column and photographs.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
C.B. (East Lothian) - I am sorry I cannot reply by post, and will you kindly not the rules? You would have no difficulty in securing the cats you want if you put an advertisement in our Sale and Exchange column, which is closely scanned by the cat fancy. When you have done this I shall be happy to advise further.
DINGO. - If you will send a letter (postage prepaid) to the lady you write about, it shall be forwarded.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion in the above column any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send her. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, The Ladies' Field."

CAT GOSSIP. April 7, 1900, pg 161

TIME was - and not so very long ago - when such a thing as a "cat paper," or eve a "cat column"," was unknown, but nous avons change tout cela. The pussy cat now owns one busy little paper all to herself, and the leading poultry, rabbit, and even dog papers give her a column. I can remember searching with anxiety amongst poultry show reports, in the hope that some account of a leading cat) show might have crept in, and now my purse is not enough to buy all the "catty" papers.

FAWN-COLOURED cats should be at a premium this season, when khaki is so popular; their day has been long in coming, for the public in general fails to appreciate their beauties, but perhaps we shall find that the "ugly sandy cat" is now the universal favourite.

MRS. KENNAWAY is offering for sale, rather unexpectedly, a magnificent young blue Persian male from the same litter as her winning kittens at the Botanical Gardens. I understand this kitten was reserved as the be beauty of the family, so that he should certainly be a catch for someone. A handsome young blue queen is to be included in the draft from the Garboldisham Cattery, as Mrs. Kennaway finds it necessary to make room for expected litters to Blue Boy II., Waterloo, Blue Robin, and Criquet, and has just bought one of Miss Ward's silver kittens and Mrs. Davies's winning sable, Susan, with her little family by Lord Trevor.

MISS WARD writes to tell me that her litter of silver kittens recently advertised in these columns are all sold. When the last pair were advertised Miss Ward had nearly a score of applications for them, but they were immediately sold by wire to Mrs. Greenwood, sho is in raptures over their beauty. They are by FitzEustace ex Squaw. I am pleased to hear that Mrs. Greenwood has taken a house in Southampton, and proposes to start cat breeding once more.

MR. WARD has purchased from Miss H, Cochran the Royal Siamese queen, Susa II., and Susa's half-sister, Minthamee, has found a new home with Mrs. Neild. These cats both come from Mrs. Sutherland's strain and are descended on their sire's side from Miss Forestier-Walker's celebrated cats.

MISS DERBY HYDE has received an interesting, addition to her cattery in the shape of a family of Siamese. The male, Thames Valley Chowla, is a chocolate with a kinky tail, and his wife, Thames Valley Chula, is a Royal, but the two babies promise to "take after papa."

MR. WITT, of Birmingham, writes to tell me that he has parted with his family of blue Persians, Moko, Sen-Sen, and their daughter, Ch. Mabel of Lozells, to Mrs. H.H. Barnett, of The Laboratory of Flowers, Birmingham. Mr. Witt expresses himself as delighted with the pictures of Moko and Mabel which appeared in THE LADIES' FIELD, and thinks that the remarks which accompanied them encouraged Mrs. Barnett to make this plucky purchase. Mrs. Barnett has just bought Midge, a very pretty blue queen, by Nemophyla ex Kishna, from Lady Marcus Beresford, so her cattery contains some of the best blue blood going.

MISS ANDDERSON LEAKE'S Abdul Hamet of Dingley was quite recently described in these columns. Unfortunately, the electric light was too much for his feelings, so the photograph hardly does his fine head justice, and his shape is entirely lost. His one appearance in public resulted in a first at the Crystal Palace.

MRS MACKENZIE STEWART is well known as a breeder and exhibitor of blue Persians. Ronald is huge and magnificent cat with orange eyes, and though quite a juvenile still, can already claim a long list o wins, including two firsts at Brighton, a second at Westminster, and several other prizes at Scotch shows.

MR. PAPE, who is well known as a Schipperke breeder, is now going in for cats, and lately bought Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's silver tabby British male, Silver Lancer; he also owns a magnificent silver tabby Persian, Silver Chip, who is bred from the same strain as Blue Robin and Ch. Zaida, and has won a number of prizes, including several firsts at the Crystal Palace.

THE Cat Club held a committee and general meeting the other day, and several important decisions were arrived at. In future the classification of self silvers and shaded silvers, which took the place of the original chinchillas, is to be dropped entirely, and the step, which I consider a retrograde one, has been taken of classing them all together as silers, and giving extra prizes for light or dark cats. Blue eyes are now to be considered a sine qua non for white cats, and green eyes for silver tabbies. This latter decision will, I think, cause some discontent, as numbers of experienced fanciers prefer their silver tabby cats to have bright yellow eyes.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send. Queries must be written on one side of a separate sheet of paper, and must be signed with a pseudonym for publication. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, THE LADIES' FIELD."
KIMBERLEY. - Give once daily for week two grains of bromide of potassium. When a fit comes on, shut the cat in a dark basket and et it remain quiet, and as soon as it can be handled give it a teaspoonful of salad oil. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. April 14, 1900, pg 203

THE N.C.C. Committee has formed so exceedingly arbitrary a new rule that one cannot help wondering if the general members will submit to it. They have resolved to disqualify all cats shown or advertised at stud with the title of champion if that title has not been won under N.C.C. rules. It is hardly necessary to add that, as the N.C.C. has allowed Scottish champions to stick to their justly-earned titles for a good many years without remark, this sudden fear that their self-constituted authority is about to be undermined is significant.

A NEW club, named the Northern Counties Cat Club, has been formed and affiliated with the N.C.C. Mrs. Herbert Ransome, of Altrincham, is the hon. secretary.

MRS CARTWRIGHT'S Upwood Ceanothus, which took reserve in the blue kitten class at Westminster, is one of the palest blues I have ever seen, with large orange eyes. She has been mated with Blue Boy II., so excellent results are to be anticipated.

MISS PACKHAM possesses a charming little pale silver queen, named Daisy, one of a litter of two by Ch. Lord Southampton ex Dimity. Both these kittens were of exceptional merit, being beautifully shaped, with round faces, green eyes, heavy coats, and short legs and tails. Daisy has just been mated with Windsor Beetle, and her brother, The Absent -Minded Beggar, is still the property of his breeder, Miss Hester Cochran.

MRS KIRK, of Leamington, has purchased a pair of Miss Hunt's beautiful blue-eyed white kittens by White Friar ex Crystal, and tells me that one in particular is an exceedingly promising kitten, and both have very pretty blue eyes.

DR. ROPER'S "Cat Index" promises to be a mighty book, for already over 500 entries have been received. It will certainly be of much interest, and will fill up the gaps between the registers of the two cat clubs.

IT IS an amazing fact that there are still people in existence who maintain that rats and mice are poisonous to cats. Some state that the poison lurks in the hind less or in the tail, while others assert that the top of the head is the dangerous portion. How do these wiseacres suppose that farm cats, which daily eat many rats and mice, survive? I can say from experience that rats and mice are absolutely harmless to cats and kittens. I presume the fallacy arose from the fact that farmers frequently in the autumn put down strychnine to poison the mice, and, of course. A poisoned mouse would be fatal to a cat. I have read somewhere, but cannot at present recollect where, that mice are good for cats if they are first cut open and the liver extracted, since tapeworms are supposed to inhabit toe liver of the mouse.

CAT GOSSIP. April 21, 1900, pg 241

MISS G. M. TAYLOR. Though she rarely shows her pets, is well known as a most successful cat breeder. The three celebrated mother cats at Ingleside are Tawney, Blinks, and Meta. Tawney is the dam of a great number of winners, the best known, perhaps, being Ch. Locksley. Tawney is what is technically described as a blue tortoiseshell. Blinks is Locksley's litter sister, and is a beautifully-shaped black, with a few white hairs on her chest. She has a magnificent head, with tiny ears, and splendid coat and tufts. Among her progeny may be numbered King of the Silvers, Whiskerandos, and many others. Meta, the silver, is another daughter of Tawney, and is principally celebrated as the dam of the lovely Princess Bagh.

MISS WHITE ATKINS'S Sprite, half-sister to Dimity, has had six fine silver kittens by Sweetheart, but, as the mother was very ill, three have unfortunately died. Sprite's mother, Fairy, has had one white kitten and two silver tabbies by the White Knight.

MR. WITT informs me that Mrs. Barnett gave £60, and conditions equivalent to another £10, for the three blue Persians, Moko, Sen-Sen, and Ch. Mabel of Lozells. The purchase money of Mabel, £25. has been put to her little namesake's banking account. Mr. Witt has taken over from Miss Lee her half share of the silver male, Whiskerandos, and has purchased Silver Trilby, the smoke queen bred by Mrs. Balding, and full sister to Silver Owl. He has also bought Stelletta, a blue queen bred by Mrs. Finnie Young from Ch, Blue Jacket. Trilby has been mated with Buxton Cloud, and Stelletta with Blue Boy II., so the Lovells cattery is likely to keep up its reputation.

MISS GARRDEN writes to telll me that she has sold her young blue Persian male through an advertisement in the LADIES' FIELD.

I see OUR CATS states that the Cat Club proposes to call the very pale unmarked silver cats., "silvers" and the darker, more shaded ones, "chinchillas." This. so as I understand the matter, is quite a mistake, for the Cat Club long ago discarded the term chinchilla, and has no intention of returning to it. In future ALL silver cats which are not sufficiently marked to be called silver tabbies are to be classed together as silvers. Separate prizes being given for light and dark cats.

MRS. JAMES writes to me in great distress at the loss of her beautiful black Persian, Backwell Jollyboy, who took a prize at Westminster. He had an unfortunate habit of sitting outside the warden gate to talk to passers-by, so it can only be concluded that he was stolen. Mrs. James has a fine litter of five smokes by Backwell Jogram, with which she hopes to do well at the autumn shows.

MRS. KENNAWAY writes to say that MISS TAYL she thinks her blue queen, Mamselle is sold through her advertisement in THE LADIES' FIELD. Sheila has five kittens by Waterloo, and other litters of blues by Blue Robin and Blue Boy II. are expected. Papoose, the silver kitten by FitzEustace ox Miss Ward's Squaw, has gained a pound in weight during the last fortnight, so it may be presumed that she is in excellent health.

MISS CARTMELL has numerous additions to her little family, including a blue, two oranges, and a cream. I wish Miss Cartmell could be persuaded to show her cats, as I have no hesitation in saying that her oranges would sweep the board wherever shown.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send. Queries must be written on one side of a separate sheet of paper, and must be signed with a pseudonym for publication. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, THE LADIES' FIELD."
PUZZLED. - The symptoms you mention were caused by the worms, and had you given the powder I recommended at once, the attack would have passed off easily. I should not give him sulphur; his poor little inside requires a rest. Areca nut should be given to cats with the greatest caution, and certainly not so soon after the other powders. Two doses of worm medicine, with a week between, are as much as any cat can stand. Give him twice a day about two tablespoonfuls of raw beef minced up, and a saucerful of arrowroot twice a day. Stop the bread and milk, and give him water to drink, and sprinkle a pinch of carbonate of bismuth over his meat. For the irritation you must, if necessary, sponge the part perfectly clean with warm water every morning, and dry carefully, and powder freely several times daily with fuller's earth.
E. KELLY. - Certainly Persian cats take distemper, and the treatment entirely depends on the form it takes. Keep warm, and keep the nose and eyes sponged clean, and if the patient will not eat it must be given every hour a couple of teaspoonfuls of Valentine's meat juice of milk and whisky. Further treatment depends upon what part of the animal the disease attacks.
MRS. JAMES. - I am exceedingly sorry to hear of your loss. I think gentleman cats are best shut up, as they either stray and get lost of trapped, or they are too confiding, and disappear like your poor boy.
BLUE PUSS. - 1. I think your cat must have parasites of some sort in her coat, and the best thing you can do is to give the kittens to a foster-mother and set to work to sure her. Get some powdered camphor and sulphur mixed up, and rub it well into the skin every day until you are certain her coat is clean, and then rub a little sulphur ointment into the bare places twice a week. 2. The fleas might have something to do with the bare places, but I think lice are more probably the cause. Do not wash the cat at all, but rub in sulphur once a week during warm weather, and comb the cat every day with a fine but blunt comb. Feed her principally on meat, and when in kitten give a second meal.
MRS. B.H. - I regret to inform you that you have not complied with the rules. Please note that queries with pseudonym only must be written on a separate piece of paper. If you write to the Secretary, Cat Club (Mrs. Bagster), Paternoster Row, E.C., she will give you all the particulars you ask for. I should recommend you to advertise your cat at stud in our private advertisement columns. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. April 28, 1900, pg 281

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART'S short-haired silver tabby, Silver Robin, was a well-known winner before he came into her hands. He took a number of prizes for his former owner, Mrs. Herring, including first at Westminster, and Mrs. Stewart has done well with him at the Scotch shows.

THE list of prizes claimed by Miss Derby Hyde's Thames Valley Silver King is a formidable one. He took first, two thirds, a championship, and four special at the Crystal Palace; first and special at Westminster; and medals and specials for the best cat in the show at Swindon and Oxford. He looks in his pictures as if he thought existence a fearful bore, but in real life he is a solid, comfortable kind of person.

I HEAR that Lady Marcus Beresford has purchased a pair of Mrs. Temple's Siamese cats. The male, King of Siam, was the gentleman whose voice attracted such a) tremendous amount of attention at Westminster Show, where he took the special for best chocolate, but no other prize as he was wrongly entered in the Royal class. Mrs. Temple has a perfectly-marked smooth tortoiseshell male kitten about seven months old. Lady Marcus Beresford's pretty blue Violette, litter sister to the ill-fated Gentian, has five beautiful kittens by Nemophyla, and Cossey, the smoke, has a fine litter also. The celebrated Dimity, with much pomp and ceremony, is rearing one solitary babe by Beetle. This small family was somewhat of a disappointment, but is no doubt attributable to inbreeding, as Beetle and Dimity are both by Lord Southampton, who is already slightly inbred.

A LITTLE account of how Mrs. Temple keeps her Siamese cats may be of interest. Visitors to the Westminster Show will remember what beautiful condition they were shown in. Cate and kittens alike are fed on raw liver, and are not allowed to see or smll milk, which their owner considers practically poison to them. In this I am certainly inclined to agree, though in case of illness milk-feeding is sometimes resorted to with success. Plenty of water and fresh grass are provided daily, and the cats live in kennels 9ft. long, 4ft. wide, and 8ft. high. The floor is boarded, and at the back, 5ft. from the ground is shelf with a small kennel on it. The trunk of a small tree rests against this for cats to go up and down. The fronts of the kennels are iron bars, and the divisions between them are boarded, with the exception of a space running the whole length and a foot wide, which has bars, so that they can always see each other. Hot water pipes run through the backs of the kennels, and through the passage in front, and the houses are kept) during the winter at a temperature of 60deg. [Fahrenheit]. Mrs. Temple is giving up her cats so as to have more room for dogs.

I WAS rathe surprised to read in a contemporary some little time since that treatment with sulphur ointment was useless in cases of mange. Luckily, mange is not a common complaint amongst cats, but if a case occurs treatment with ordinary sulphur ointment will be found as good as anything that can be applied. It should be remembered that in parasitical diseases, such as mange, it is not sufficient to dress only the parts which appear to be affected. The ointment should be well rubbed in all over the animal, care being taken not to miss a single corner. This treatment may be repeated every other day till a cure is effected, and once a week the patient should be treated to a warm bath, with lots of mild soap and a few drops of Jeye's Fluid added to the water.

I AM sorry to hear from Miss Taylor that she is really giving up breeding cats or sale. Though as fond of cats as ever, she finds the cat fanciers too much for her, so that when the present litters are disposed of the Ingleside cattery will be dispersed. One of Blinks's kittens, by FitzEustace, is going to Lady Marcus Beresford.

ONE-DAY kitten shows seem to be the fashion this year. The Cat Club is discussing the advisability of holding one, and I hear rumours that the N.C.C. has similar leanings, but the Northern Counties Club has got the start of them all, and has already sent round circulars asking for support.

MRS. WOODCOCK has a grand litter of Siamese kittens by Moonchow. I hear they are exceedingly light in colour, with dense points and kinked tails.

I WONDER if any ready has a clean, healthy, well-behaved cat to give to a hospital, where it would be well cared for?

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send. Queries must be written on one side of a separate sheet of paper, and must be signed with a pseudonym for publication. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, THE LADIES' FIELD."
MISS PARRY. - I have made enquiries, and will let you know if I hear of a nice cat in need of a happy home. If you advertised in our columns I am sure you would hear of plenty. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. May 5, 1900, pg 324

I HAVE been much interested in studying the prize list of the Beresford Cat Club show held in Chicago. The list is a most difficult one to follow as there is apparently no attempt at order of any kind, and the classes are jumbled together in hopeless confusion. To our unenlightened British eyes the classification is marvellous. I am tempted to enquire how the "poultryman's best cat" or "grocer's best cat" is to be judged. Does the prize go to the best cat in the class, or to the one which is considered most suitable for a poultryman or a grocer, and how is one to judge of the suitability of the animal? The colour classification is also novel. We have heard of classes for tabby and white or black and white cats, but here orange and white, buff and white, and blue and white cats are amply provided for, and there is also a class for tawny mixed females! Blues, smokes, and London smokes are taken separately, and prizes are given for size, condition, etc., and there are numerous classes for the best cats from Chicago, Canada, Michigan, and so forth. I wonder whether the class for black and white Manx neuters was well filled!

MR. WITT has purchased a promising young blue queen by Nemophyla ex Beauty, from Lady Williams, and as the smoke Trilby has four kittens by Buxton Cloud, his cattery is once more stocked. Mable of Lozells has improved greatly since she went to Mrs. Barnett, and if shown next winter in full coat is likely to cause a fresh sensation.

THE Western Counties are not to be outdone by their neighbours in the North, and are already talking o a new cat club for the convenience of fanciers residing in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and Dorset. Mrs. Haymes, of Exmouth, and Mrs. Palmer, of Bristol, are leading spirits in this venture, and their object is to hold large cat shows in some convenient centre, so that those members who cannot attend the London shows may have an outing.

MRS. TYRWHITT DRAKE'S chinchilla cat, Jane Grey, has four lovely chinchilla kittens by Ch. Lord Southampton. These are full brothers and sisters to Lord Southampton II., who was sold by Mrs. Greenwood when eight months old to Mrs. Leach, of Chicago, for £50. Mrs. Leach tells me that this young gentleman, commonly known as Bobs, arrived in good condition, and is perfectly satisfactory. He has sired a litter of kittens from Amytis, a pedigree chinchilla, four in number, two like the dam and two duplicates of himself, and his owner is delighted.

I HEAR a rumour that Mrs. Dean's well-known chinchilla male, Mowgli, may change hands shortly. Nothing has yet been settled, but I know that Mrs. Dean has twice been asked to put a price upon her cats.

THE Cat Club held a committee meeting he other day, and several interesting points were decided. To put a stop to inaccurate descriptions of cats at shows, owners will not in future be allowed so much margin in entering. It is maintained that where the breeder and pedigree of a cat are "unknown" it is impossible that the exact date of birth can be ascertained, and therefore that also must be entered "unknown." The rather unnecessary rule forbidding partnerships was done away with, the only stipulation made being that a cat cannot take a members' prize or challenge cup unless both owners are members.

MRS. KENNAWAY'S lovely blue cat, Mousemee, who escaped and ran wild I the woods for so long, has four fine kittens by Blue Robin, and Russet, the tortoiseshell, has a cream, a tortoiseshell, and a brown tabby. As other kittens are expected shortly, Mrs. Kennaway is advertising two sable kittens by Lord Trevor out of Susan, the bright sable cat whose sable colour was so much admired at Westminster. Mrs. Kennaway sold Mamselle, through her advertisement in our columns, to Mrs. Carew, of Ballimona Park, Co. Waterford.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has some promising families of kittens coming on. Five little blues by Nemophyla ex Bluebell look ike future champions, and in a litter by Prince of the Fairies I spotted the best silver tabby kitten I have seen for ages, and another, not quite so good in colour, but even better in other respects, is by Beetle ex Cossy. Beetle's kittens are turning out well, and Pearl's two and Dimity's one promise to be as pale coloured as their parents, which is matter for congratulation.

MRS. GREENHILL, of Puriton Manor, Bridgewater, is no longer a cat fancier, though in the days when Miss D'Oyley lived near her she bred some good chinchillas. One of these, a silver neuter, she still has, and he appears in the photograph as the kitten patting his brother on the head. He is a fine, big, handsome cat, rejoicing in the name of Goblin, but usually called Gobbles.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send. Queries must be written on one side of a separate sheet of paper, and must be signed with a pseudonym for publication. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, THE LADIES' FIELD."
RUTH. - It is possible for cat breeding to pay in England, but the chances are much against it, as epidemics love kittens. A couple of well-bred queens running about the house are more likely to be profitable than a larger number, for the expenditure is slight. Possibly in Ireland, where the fancy is just "catching on," you might, by being early in the field, score a succeed. If you are inclined to try, I should suggest your buying a well-known prize-winning stud cat and advertising him well. He will require a dry, draught-proof house o wood or brick with a sunny window and a grass run. Don't let the house be less than 6ft. square. Also get a couple of well-bred qqueens and let them run about as much like common cats as possible. Cats vary much in the frequency of their desire to breed, but if you are accustomed to animals you should have no difficulty over this. Get Miss Taylor's "Show and Pet Cats," from FUR AND FEATHER Office, Idle, Bradford, Yorks. Write again if you want further information.
CHODDLES. - If you keep the cat near a fire till quite dry there is no harm in washing it, but if you do so once you must keep it up. Try rubbing her well with either camphorated chalk or white fuller's earth, and then brush thoroughly.
MISS H. FRAZER. - If it is only the coat which is damaged, all that it necessary is to comb out the loose hair. A male cat will always fight if allowed to run free. By the way, who is Ch. Blue Peter? I think there must be some mistake, as I have never heard of a champion of that name.
DEVENISH. - Use a rather long soft hair-brush and a fine but blunt comb, and occasionally before brushing rub in white fuller's earth. Feed once daily, on raw beef for preference, but if this is inconvenient most cats will do well on any kind of meat, raw or cooked. Avoid milk if you wish to avoid trouble.
ELSIE. - Get Miss Taylor's "Show and Pet Cats," from FUR AND FEATHER Office, Idle, Bradford, Yorks. You can quite well have the female cats running about the house if you have a room in which to shut them up when necessary. Male cats must be kept in separate houses. A blue cat should be of a sound, level shade of blue, with no marking or shading to be seen, even when the hair is blown apart. The eyes should be deep orange, and the ears small, set far apart, and round at the tips. The head and face should be round; nose, legs, and tail short and broad, and the cat should have as much coat, frill, brush, and tufts as can be disposed about its person.
FELICITAS. - You probably mean Siamese cats. Certainly none have appeared in this paper under the title you mention. Two very beautiful specimens, belonging to Lady Marcus Beresford, were described and their portraits given as long ago as August 1898, and others, also from the Bishopsgate Catter, have appeared more recently. Please see our Sale and Exchange columns every week. If "breed is no object, provided the animal be beautify to look at," you will not find the slightest difficulty in getting a valuable pet. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. May 12, 1900, pg 369

MRS MARRIOTT'S handsome blue queen, Madam Brilliant, has three lovely little blue kittens by Blue Boy II., and Miss Garden's Sylvia has a little family of three by Blue Robin. One of these kittens, his owner says, is "exceptionally lovely," being very pae blue, with a coat like silk, and very large for his age, weighing 1lb 4oz at five weeks old.

MRS. HORSFALL, of Thorngrove, is going in strongly for Siamese cats, and has six Royal Siamese queens and a young male with grand blue eyes. Mrs. Chapman's Finn McCoole is at present staying at Thorngrove, and has much improved in health from the change. A recent visitor to Thorngrove tells me that the cats are kept in the conservatories, and seem thoroughly happy there.

THE growing value of cats, their social status so to speak, and the general interest that is taken in them, are just as apparent at the other side of the world as in the Mother Country. There are several enthusiastic cat fanciers in Australia, and the breeding of rare varieties has become quite an institution. Last September the first cat show ever organized in Sydney was held, and proved al triumphant success, both in the matter of exhibits and attendance, and since that time the interest has steadily increased, and is evidently still growing. The two kittens whose portraits we give, Little Brown Bear and Silver Sultan, are adorable specimens, bred from imported Persian parents, of whom their owner, Mrs. Keep is very justly proud.

MISS COCHRAN is reducing her cattery sormewhat and Blue Robin is shortly to go to Bath to be under the care of Miss Phayre for a time, while Mrs. Neild, who lives near Manchester is going to take charge of the Absent Minded Beggar.

MISS PHAYRE is advertising in our columns some very nice silver and smoke kittens, bred from the celebrated Felix strain, at extremely moderate rices. From personal experience, I can say that Miss Phayre's cats and kittens are always turned out in the pink of health and condition.

MISS DERBY HYDE has recently become the owner of a very promising young fawn male Persian male, named Thames Valley Sunlight.

I MENTIONED recently that there was some prospect o the celebrated Mowgli changing hands, and I now hear that Mrs. Smythe, who has for some time been a part owner of the cat, has bought him and the blue Woolloomooloo II. from Mrs. Dean.

I HAD the pleasure the other day of seeing all Miss Taylor's kittens, five in number. Three are pale chinchillas, by FitzEustace ex Blinks. They have exquisite coats and sweet faces, and are very pale and clear in colour. Two of them have been sold to Lady Marcus Beresford. Meta's two little sons by Silver Chieftain are most comic young persons, for they have, at the early age of eight weeks, moulted till they are like smooth ats, with the result that their round faces, with bulging cheeks, look like bullets. One is a very pale smoke, like King of the Silver, with an impudent black face and huge eyes. The other is a very pale chinchilla.

MRS. KIRK, of Leamington Spa, has purchased from Miss Taylor the silver queen, Meta, whose portrait recently appeared in THE LADIES' FIELD.

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART is in raptures over her successes in Ayr, where Ronald took the medal as best cat in the show. Blue Bell II. and Silver Robin each too a first, an the blue-eyed white queen, White Duchess, a second. Mrs. Stewart is now anxious to become the owner of FitzEustace, but nothing has yet been settled.

The name of DICK WHITTINGTON is, perhaps, not an original one, but it has recently become confusingly popular amongst catty writers. DICK WHITTINGTON of THE LADIES' FIELD would like his friends to know that he does not write under that nomme de guerre for any other paper.

CAT GOSSIP. May 19, 1900, pg 448

MRS. FINNIE YOUNG AND Miss Hunt have purchased from Mrs. Champion the well-known blue-eyed white Persian, White Friar. Miss Hunt's Crystal had a beautiful litter of five female kittens last year by White Friar, three with blue eyes and two with odd eyes, and they aroused so much admiration in Scotland that these two ladies felt they must possess the sire. Mrs. Champion still has White Tsar, by White Friar ex White Witch, and even better cat than his sire, and four small white kittens from the same parents have just arrived.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has disposed of her silver cat, Prince of the Fairies, to Miss Lee, of Barnsley. Prince is a son of Lord Argent, and will be remembered as the winner of two specials for the cat with the best green eyes, at Westminster.

MRS. SPENCER, of Eye Vicarage, has bred two very beautiful Siamese kittens, which are now seven months old. Mrs. Carew Cox, who is a competent judge, has interviewed them, and considers them unusually good.

MRS. HERBERT RANSOME of Altrincham, has bought Mrs. Foalstone's handsome blue Persian, Cyrus, who took first at Rhyl and third at the Crystal Palace.

MRS. CARTWRIGHT'S Timkins has long been known by name to cat fanciers though few have ever seen him. He was bred by Mrs. Kinchant, and Mrs. Cartwright hac bred a number of winners including Ch. Toby, from him. Yielding to the representations of his admirers, Mrs. Cartwright has at last sent Timkins to Miss Cochran's cattery at Witchampton, in order that breeders may have the opportunity of sending their queens to him.

THE National Cat Club has undertaken to provide puppies, Persian kittens, and birds at the Show to be held at the Empress Rooms, Royal Palace Hotel, and adjoining grounds, on May 24th, 25th, and 26th, in aid of the sufferers of the war. I understand that already a number of valuable animals have been promised, and these include a horse, some puppies, kittens, canaries, and cavies.

I HEAR that Lady Alexander has added to her cattery two more short-haired red tabbies in Golden Poppy and Red Eagle, both well-known prize-winners, which have been bought from Mr. Towlerton. Lady Alexander's Ballochmyle Frost, late Pan, the cat whose nationality has been so much disputed, has once more become a Manx, and will in future be shown as a Manx, and not as a Japanese. He shas grown into a fine big cat, with a great taste for rabbiting.

EDINBURGH SHOW will take place on May24th, and the following judges have been appointed: For chinchillas and tabbies, Mr. Millar, Bonnyrigg; for blues, Mr. J. Money, Glasgow; and for all other long-hairs, Mr. Grieve, of Edinburgh. Mr. Colin Campbell, of Larkshall, will judge the Eglish cats, and Mr. Kidd, of Edinburgh, the Manx and Russians.

CAT GOSSIP. May 26, 1900, pg 594

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART has purchased Miss Hester Cochran's prize-winning silver male, FitzEustace, and is quite delighted with her new possession, his colour, in particular, being specially admired. It will be remembered that at the last Westminster Show the judge considered FitzEustace's colour to be the best in the class.

MRS. HERBERT RANSOME has purchased yet another fine blue Persian male in Cyrus, who was bred by Miss Coote Robinson, and took first in a kitten class at Rhyl and third at the Crystal Palace.

LADY ALEXANDER has parted with her blue Persian male to Mr. Lane, and in future intends to keep only short-haired cats, which, in her estimation, far excel their long-haired relations in every way.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has some fine litters of kittens. Five blues by Blue Boy II. promise well, and Ma, the chocolate Siamese, has three nice babies by Romeo. Windsor Dinah, the orange-eyed black which took second at Westminster, has gone to Mr. Witt.

MR. WARD has bred a beautiful litter of silvers from Silver Sheen and Carola - two shaded males and a tabby female - and at the age of five weeks they turned th scale at 1lb 30oz each.

MISS WHITE ATKINS tells me that she has just bought two lovely three-week-old sons of White Knight. She does not mention the colour of the dam, but f the kittens have blue eyes they will be in great demand, as blue-eyed whites are impossible, or nearly so, to find. I know at present of three ladies who are seeking high and low for full-grown female cats of this charming variety, but none are to be found. Miss White's cats have treated her well this year, and are amongst them have produced thirteen sons, and Princess Flavia's litter are, I hear, the pales blues ever seen.

MRS. NEILD'S pretty little Siamese queen, Minthamee, has had two kittens by Patani. Minthamee, by the way, is the Siamese for Princess, but her name is a stumbling block to many, and at home she is known as Min.

MRS. GREENWOOD is, I am glad to say, as enthusiastic over her cats as ever, and is getting together quite a nice little collection. She is also going in for goats, and has bought the whole of Miss Cochran's pedigree herd of Nubians and some Angoras also. Mrs. Greenwood also goes in for breeding toy Yorkshire terriers.

MRS. KENNAWAY has not yet sold her young blue Persian male, which was advertised in THE LADIES' FIELD. This is rather surprising, as Beetle is not only extremely well bred, but he is also an unusually handsome cat, and certain to make his mark in the show pen ere long.

MRS. GREENWOOD has returned to the cat fancy with renewed energy, and besides her two FitzEustace kittens, she has a promising trio by Mrs. Balding's silver, Tod Sloan. Mrs. Greenwood has settled down again in Southampton, so I shall expect to hear soon tht she is winning as many prizes as of yore.

MIS KATE SANGSTER's Ch. Royal Hector is a blue Persian neuter, and has won many prizes, specials, and medals. He is now ten years old, and having retired from the show bench, spends his time in collecting money for any good cause which may come under his notice. He lately had a stall at a bazaar in aid of his parish church, and took £15 in the three days. His mistress has promised me a photograph of Hector in charge of his stall.

CAT GOSSIP. June 2, 1900, pg 557

MRS. CECIL CURWEN sends me cheerful and interesting news of her pussies, "There are now at The Willows, Old Windsor, twenty lovely and healthy kittens. A promising pale blue litter of five are by Blue Bow II., and others are by Billing Diamond and Patrick Blue. Mrs. Curwen is sending two kittens to Australia, a couple from a former litter having borne the journey well, and given great satisfaction. Luna, a daughter of Woolloomooloo, had nine blue kittens in one litter last year, and, with the assistance of a foster-mother, all were reared.

MISS KIRKPATRICK expects a litter shortly from Don Juan II. and Peggotty, the parents of Lavender Blue, and another from Darius III. and Phyllis. Miss Kirkpatrick has an excellent plan of selling all superfluous kittens at a week old to anyone who has a cat able and willing to rear them.

MISS CARTMELL has a beautiful litter of creams and oranges by Lifeguard ex Buttercup, and, if breeding is worth anything, there should be nothing of the colour to touch them in the show pen. All four kittens are large. strong, and healthy, and perfect in all respects. A cream male, which is goings to Miss Cochran, is very pale in colour, with a short tail and bright blue eyes. It is to be feared the eyes will change as he grows older, but at present: they are not the ordinary "kitten blue," but a bright forget-me-not colour. Miss Cartmell is not of the opinion that cream females do not breed true to colour, for her Mistletoe always throws some creams even when the sire is an orange cat.

MRS. FRANCIS NEATE has bought the huge Siamese male, Kesho of Redgrave, from Mr. Bryer, and has also purchased a female of the same variety.

MISS ADA WOOD, of Bath, has just sold a pair of handsome orange-eyed blue Persians, bred from Miss Hamilton's strain, to Mrs. Simon, of Park Road, Regents Park.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD writes that her litter of five blue Persians by Blue Boy II. are splendid, and that her young blue male, Lord Kitchener, by Ch. Locksley, is turning into a beautiful cat; his eyes and head are perfect.

I AM sorry to hear that Mrs. Waldegrave Brodie is giving up cats; but I can quite understand that her flat in town will not accommodate them, as well as the dogs, and the human inhabitants.

I PAID a visit the other day to Miss White Atkins's cattery, and am only awaiting the arrival of some expected photographs to write a full account of it, but cannot resist a few words of admiration for The White Knight. I do not know when I have seen such a beautiful cat, and were I, at this moment, offered a present of any cat I liked to name, White Knight would be my choice. Miss White Atkins has not yet succeeded in finding a worthy mate for her pet.

MRS. MARRIOTT'S Seraph has only once been shown, when a tiny kitten at the Crystal Palace. There was in the days no class for chinchilla kittens, but Seraph managed to bear off five or six specials, though oddly enough she took no class prize. She was bought directly the show opened by Mrs. Marriott, and during the show innumerable offers, some as high as £10 10s., were made for her. She was bred by Miss Anderson Leake from Ch. Lord Southampton and Winsome of Dingley, and is one of the very palest cats in existence, being quite without markings, and, unlike most pale silvers, she is a substantial, heavily-boned person, with a broad head and big eyes. She was not at her best when the photograph was taken.

Many anecdotes have recently been told in the papers of cats rearing puppies, but I would sound one note of warning on this subject - do not mix the litters. I once gave a very tiny Yorkshire puppy to a cat which already had two kittens. The puppy was quite strong and healthy, but so extremely small that it was not safe to leave him with his brothers and sisters. All went well for a fortnight, and then the kittens began to dwindle away, while the puppy throve amazingly. One kitten died, and the other seemed at its last gasp, so the mother carried it away to a distant corner, and left the puppy alone through a cold night, with the result that he took a chill and died. Sad to say, the kitten died also.

To persons about to start cat breeding I say take up silver tabbies. Not the mixey narrow-banded creatures now shown, but cats of the colour of Ch. Felix, and without his sharp face. If such a one, good in all points, can be produced he is bound to win at all the big shows, lor there is now no competition in silver tabbies. Moreover, the kittens are, I think, the prettiest and most taking of any, and should be easily sold, while they are hardier than chinchillas. A good silver tabby should be of the very palest, clearest shade of silver, and quite free from brown tinge, and his markings should be broad and densely black, and applied with a bold hand. There is no greater mistake than to cross silver tabbies with smokes, blues, browns, or, indeed, any colour except blacks. A well-known judge the other day spoke to me sadly of the decline of the silver tabby and sneered at chinchillas as "washed out things." I drew his attention to my best prize-winning chinchilla queen, which he admitted was pretty; "but," he said, "mate her with a black and you will get lovely tabby kittens." - Tableau!

The question of grooming a Persian cat's coat is much discussed. Every fancier having his or her own favourite system, and a few very successful exhibitors never touch their cats with brush or comb. If cats are to be nicely kept occasional grooming is absolutely necessary, and the hands should be run over them daily to see if any small knots require combing out, as these increase rapidly, and soon become very troublesome to remove. During the summer it is a good thing once a week to rub all cats with a mixture of powdered camphor and sulphur, which will keep parasites away, and then give them a good brush. At the same time their ears should be examined. And if they do not seem quite clean and healthy, a pinch of boracic acid powder may be dropped into each. If a brown scurf appears on the upper side of the tail, the skin of the part affected should be sponged with the following mixture: One part paraffin and two parts sweet oil thickened with sulphur. One dressing with this will usually effect a cure.

CAT GOSSIP. June 9, 1900, pg 581

EDINBURGH CAT SHOW was well attended, and some of the best cats in Scotland were there. Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart, as usual, was well to the fore, and Ronald won easily among the blue males, his good head, shape, and eyes putting him far ahead of his rivals. Poor old Ch. Blue Jacket was lucky to be second, for he was dead out of condition, and looed faded; moreover, his green eyes will always put him behind in present-day competition. Miss Wintour's cat was a better specimen in every way. Mrs. Stewart again won in the female class with Blue Bell II., who was not looking her best, and has gone off a bit in head and eyes, but may very likely improve. Mrs. White's Blue Violet might have won, as her eyes are beautiful, and her face and shape also good.

DR. ROPER's handsome orange-eyed black came all the way from Beckenham, and scored an easy win. White Friar took first for his new owners, but his eyes looked very pale, though otherwise he is a better cat. Had the third prize cat been better shown he must have won, and in any case he should have been before Mr. Gairn's odd-eyed Lily White. The smokes were a poor lot, with the exception of the third prize cat, Miss Campbell's Chin-Chin Chinaman, who is a grand cat in every way. Buxton Cloud was the only genuine chinchilla shown. His coat, head, and shape are excellent, but he is a trifle mixey in colour.

MISS BEAL'S fawn, Ch. Romaldkirk Midshipmite, in his usual perfect form, of course, won in the variety class.

Only three Russian males were shown, and all were marred by green eyes, but Miss Butler's Acton Warrior is a grand cat and might have been first. The first prize Russian female was claimed by Lady Alexander. She is a huge cat, good in colour, and with yellow eyes - streets ahead of anything else in the class. Miss Clark's Cowboy, a beautiful blue-eyed smooth white male, was alone in his class, and Mr. Forsyth's Tick, a charming black with orange eyes, took three firsts and some specials.

MRS/ MACKENZIE STEWART'S Silver Robin, recently illustrated in these pages, took first in tabbies, and Mr. Garrow had a lucky win in tortoiseshell with Lady Peggy, who is in no way so good as Mr. Davie's Guinea Gold.

I AM interested to see a letter from Miss Champion, in a contemporary advocating meat feeding for kittens. I did not know that this lay went upon the "Nature" system, and I have found cat-fanciers as a rule are strongly opposed to it. I have myself proved beyond a doubt, and Miss Champion appears to have done the same, that kittens reared entirely on raw meat are healthier, and grow better than any others. Milk food causes indigestion, and indigestion causes worms. If nothing but raw meat is given there will be little or no trouble with worms. I know one well-known prize-winning chinchilla stud cat who suffered badly from worms in his kittenhood. When between three and four months old he had at least one fit a day. He was put on a meat diet ad the fits stopped, and the cat grew and flourished, and now at the age of three years it can be said that since he was fed on meat he has not had a day's illness. There is no evidence like that of practical experience. Last year I reared a Siamese kitten on raw beef. She had distemper, influenza, a dose of poison, and a fall from a high window, but she got through them all, and now is the mother of a fine family.

I HEAR that Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart is most anxious to buy The White Knight, but Miss White Atkins refuses to part with him.

MRS. NEILD asks me to announce that Miss Cochran's young chinchilla stud cat will be with her by the time this appears in print. The Absent-minded Beggar is one of the best chinchilla cats yet bred, and so he should be with Ch. Lord Southampton and Dimity for his parents. He has a beautiful round head, with big green eyes and tiny ears, and he has very short legs, and profuse coat of the palest shade of silver.

CH. ROYAL HECTOR is Miss Sangster's cat, mentioned a week or two ago as an enthusiastic worker for all charities, I hope shortly to give a photograph of Hector selling at his bazaar stall.

The handsome Persian Quex, is the property of Mrs. George Hillyard.

CAT GOSSIP. June 16, 1900, pg 9

I AM extremely sorry to hear of the death of Miss Packham's beautiful white Persian, Monk. I considered this cat absolutely perfect in shape and head, though small, and his eyes were of the deepest sapphire blue. I believe Miss Packham paid Mrs. Davies £15 15s for him when quite a kitten. He has never been really well since the Crystal Palace show, where he distinguished himself.

MISS HESTER COCHRAN has sold her silver male, Sweetheart, to Miss Rose, who has sent him to Southampton to board with Mrs. Greenwood. Blue Boy II. is now the property of Lady Marcus Beresford, as she has purchased Miss Cochran's share in this lovely cat. I had the pleasure of seeing an exquisite family of four blue kittens by him the other day, the dam being Mrs. Cartwright's pretty Ceanothus

I HEAR from Mr. Smith that he has two very fine litters of kittens by Miss Snell's Starlight, and that Chiswick Mist has three exceedingly pale chinchilla babies, the first sired by the beautiful Argent Moonbeam. Last year Mr Smith bred the lovely blue-eyed white, Chiswick Snowflake, from White Briar and Dusky Beauty, and this year this good smoke bas been mated with White Friar's son, Write Tsar.

MISS BUCKLEY WILLIAMS is giving up her cats, and offers two chinchilla neuters, descendants of Silver Lambkin, for sale, a white kitten and a young blue male, also an Amazon parrot.

MRS. SINKINS'S silver cat, Chow, winner of the silver collar and medal at Westminster, has three fine silver tabby kittens by Silver Chieftain. The fourth kitten was unfortunately killed by a sheep dog.

MISS WHITE ATKINS has just purchased a genuine self-silver male kitten, which she has named Union Jack. This kitten is in colour simply dirty white, and absolutely unmarked, and as he is bred from a different strain to most of our chinchillas he should also be worth "untold gold" later on.

MR. WITT'S Hawthorn Silver, who is nine years old, and absolutely toothless, is expecting a family shortly by Moko. There are few cats of this age which can be relied upon for breeding.

MARK ANTONY is a beautiful blue Persian male, the property of Mrs. Longwill, or Rutherglen. He was bred by Mrs. Hardy, of Chobham, and is by Ivor Wooshoo, a son of Woolloomooloo. Mark Antony, like his litter brother, Viscountess Maitland's Nino, has won a number of prizes.

MRS. CURWEN'S beautiful blue queen, Luna, took reserve at Westminster in 1899 in an enormous class of forty-eight cats. Luna is really lovely daughter of Woolloomooloo, and in her photograph is most fascinating, but, in her fear of the camera, her charming expression has been somewhat lost.

MISS SANGSTER'S tortoiseshell Persian, Royal Yum Yum, is a most distinguished person, having won a number of prizes and specials, and two championship silver medals. She has a pretty little way of standing on her hind legs when she wishes to attract attention, and, strange to say, all her kittens do the same. Yum Yum is at present the proud mother of three sons, two orange and one blue, by Mrs. King's Chubby, a son of Ch. Bundle.

A CONTEMPORARY publishes an article on Siamese cats, in which I am surprised to see a kinked tail mentioned as an essential point. As a matter of fact, the kinked tail is certain proof of a cross of Malay blood. The writer also speaks of two distinct types of Siamese cats, the large, round-headed "woolly" coated variety, and the small, close-coated, wedged-faced ones. I may say that these are not separate varieties, as with the exception of the woolly coat, which I have never seen on a pure-bred Siamese cat, the two types frequently appear in the same litter, the fact merely being that, as with other breeds, some kittens grow up large and robust, while others are more ethereal. Other facts stated in this article I see seem to have read, almost word for word, in FUR AND FEATHER some ten years ago.

BEING in Bath last week I called to see Miss Phayre, and was introduced to all her cats. The kittens, which, by the way, were advertised in our columns, are a jolly, healthy lot of smokes and silver tabbies, and were thoroughly enjoying their liberty in the garden. The queen cats were in their runs, and all looked in perfect condition. The smoke male Romeo is a huge, fine looking cat with brilliant emerald eyes, but the pride of the establishment is Silver Bar, the handsome silver tabby brother to Ch. Felix.

CAT GOSSIP. June 23, 1900, pg 57

THE COUNTRY CAT
AMONG the many suggestions, practical and otherwise, which have been volunteered by all sorts and conditions of people as to the methods by which part of the cost of the present war in South Africa might be defrayed, is included a proposal to impose a small yearly tax upon the owners of cats, the sum of half a crown per cat per annum being mentioned by the originator of the scheme. Although there is not the slightest probability of such a method of raising taxes passing into law at present, the plan has been actively discussed, and one of the objections brought forward upon humanitarian grounds is that thousands of comfortable, unoffending pussies would be turned out of their homes to starve and die because their whilom owners could not afford, or were unwilling, to pay the sum necessary o retain the companionship of their feline pets.

How true this might be of the innumerable cats which prowl about the roofs of London and other great cities and towns it is unnecessary to ask, but the country cat - that is, the furry attache to farmhouse or cottage - would be in no way disconcerted by being turned out of doors. Few people ever notice how frequently the cats found in agricultural districts are self-supporting, their only pretensions to a home being the particular house at which they have the monopoly of mouse-destroying. It is the exception rather than the rule to find any food provided for them in these places, a little milk occasionally being given as a pourboire, and, for the rest, Thomas forages for himself. This appears to be done, by the majority of cats, from choice rather than necessity, and is by no means the result of maternal training, for even when kittens are left motherless, as in the case of the little black and white fellow in the illustration, there is usually found the same tendency to neglect home-provided food in favour of marauding expeditions. This proclivity is doubtless due to the fact that in the country the animal is living under more natural conditions of life, and is really, in many cases, in a semi-wild state. With the restrictions, and often pamperings, of city life its natural traits vanish, and it becomes dependent upon the plate in the back garden for its food, supplemented by a very occasional sparrow or canary.

The gentleman on the top of the box in the second picture was self-supporting for nearly fourteen years, until failing sight and strength entitled him to an "old age pension." The cat underneath belongs to one of the numerous branches which the old boy has attached to his ancestral tree, and, speaking from memory, I believe she is a grand-daughter of the head of the house, but I am not quite sure.

Home or no home, therefore, it is not likely that the country cat would suffer much by the imposition of any tax, although the driving of thousands of them into the woods and open country might ultimately result in a plague of cats second only to that of the Australian rabbit. With the town cat the case is different, and it is not easy to determine what would become of the innumerable homeless cats that would result from a tax upon the race. Doubtless Father Thames and other rivers would account for a good number, and bricks would be at a premium. - H.H.H.

MISS COX has bred a lovely blue-eyed white female kitten from The White Knight and her smoke queen, Lady Marjory. In the same litter are a little black queen and a very promising smoke tom. Marjory's mother, Ruth, has a silver tabby and a smoke by Dr. Roper's Johnnie Fawe. Miss Cox also tells me that her young silver tabby male by Sweetheart ex Ruth is now about a year old, and a beautiful cat, with a perfect head and eyes and a most charming disposition. He took v.h.c. at the last Crystal Palace Show.

MRS. GREENWOOD has just bought a magnificent young smoke Persian male, by Ch. Locksley ex a daughter of Silver Mist. This cat is to be called Southampton Silver Searchlight. He is very large, with a fine head, and a light frill and under-coat. He took second the only time shown, and should be of value for breeding. Mrs. Greenwood's little Yorkshire terrier, Jane, was much disappointed at the non-arrival of an expected family, but has consoled herself with a kitten which she has adopted.

MRS. CURWEN'S two blue kittens went off to Australia in great spirits, and I hope they will do as well as the last pair sent from this cattery. Mrs. Curwen is devoted to all animals, and has a varied collection, including poultry and golden pheasants. She also has a hankering after the toy Pomeranian. Some Siamese cats are shortly to be added to the establishment.

CAT GOSSIP. June 30, 1900, pg 105

I HEAR of many regrets that the N.C.C. Show at Regent's Park is for members only this year, and quite a number of people give it as their opinion that this limitation is "unwise." The point which seems to be overlooked is that, as space, presumably, has some limit, even in the Botanical Gardens, and as there will no doubt be a gigantic dog show, besides a good turn out of poultry, pigeons, and cage birds, the executive do not wish to hold a large cat show. In this I can quite sympathize with them, for in hot weather nothing could be more unpleasant than a "crush" of animals.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD informs me that Chintz, Dimity's baby daughter by Beetle, is the most charming and fascinating of all her cats. £25 has already been offered for this mite as a pet only. "Lady Marcus has quite a number of Royal and chocolate Siamese kittens now.

MRS. DOYLE'S Hazel has four very beautitul blue kittens by Blue Boy II. Hazel, who is herself a prize-winner, is the dam of Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's Ronald. She is one of the finest blue queens in existence, being very large, and in colour a sound dark blue. She has a fine head and good amber eyes.

MISS WINIFRED BEAL is in great spirits about her pets. Besides the usual goodly supply of cream and orange kittens, there is at Romaldkirk a fine litter of five blues by Nankipoo. Miss Beal, like many other cat-fanciers, has set up a goat, and finds it a real success.

MISS HARPER'S cream queen, Princess Carlotta, has had seven cream kittens by Lord Trevor. I think this is the first occasion on which I have heard of a litter consisting entirely of creams. Lord Trevor is, I should say, the palest cream cat in existence. He took third at Westminster.

THE Northern Counties Cat Club proposes holding a kitten show in Manchester on September 26th. The kittens will be shown singly, in pairs, and in litters. No doubt this will be a most popular show, and the entries will be large, but so also will, I fear, the mortality.

MRS. GRAVES tells me that she intends showing some smoke kittens at the Botanical Gardens in the hope of selling them. Mrs. Graves has been very successful with her cats, and has taken a number of prizes, though she is not quite so well known as an exhibitor of cats as she is among corded poodles and toy spaniels.

THE Cat Club will hold a committee meeting at 3, Carlton House Terrace, by kind permission of Lily Duchess of Marlborough, on June 29th. One of the dog show days has been selected, as so many people wall be in town then.

MISS DEANE writes me an interesting account of her cattery. Aladdin is a fine blue son of Ch. Locksley and Dalton Svlvia, Miss Garden's pretty blue queen. Leeta is a silver, and her mother, Motee. is a tabby. Motee always has at least one orange kitten in every litter, but though devoted to the rest of the family she either kills the "sandy" babies or neglects them and they die. In her last litter there were two, which Miss Deane gave to her French poodle, Jesse, who has reared them well, and is more devoted to them than to her own children, and carries them about in her mouth,

THREE pounds is an enormous increase of weight for a cat to gain in a few weeks, and "Dick Whittington" feels proud to say that a patient of his has justified his diagnosis by accomplishing the feat. She had been wasting away without apparent cause and dosing her hair, and her mistress thought she would die, but a change of diet and a tonic worked wonders, and she is now practically all right.

CAT GOSSIP. July 7, 1900, pg 185

THE BOTANICAL GARDENS CAT SHOW.

THIS show, being confined to members of the N.C.C., was naturally not very large, but some good cats were there. The numbers were very little over two hundred, and yet the judging dragged on late into the afternoon, and some of the specials were awarded on Friday. Surely it would have been possible for the judges to have finished their not very arduous duties on Thursday. Mrs. Young and Miss Hunt won easily with White Friar, who is in wonderful coat for the time of year. In blacks there was nothing to touch Dr. Roper's Dick Fawe, who has magnificent orange eyes. Viscountess Maitland's Nino took first in blue males; he is a massive, well-formed cat, but dark and mixy in colour. Mrs. Herring's huge King David, who was second, has improved greatly. Miss Gertrude Willoughby's winning blue female, Stella, is a good colour, with a nice shape, face, and eyes. Mrs. Stead's Rhoda was lucky to win in smokes, for though in good coat she is nosey, and Ranji is a far better cat. Zaida, of course, won in chinchillas (and as best cat in the show), with Mrs. Walford Gosnall's pretty green-eyed Lady Southampton II. second, and Miss Rose's Sweetheart, thoroughly out of form, third.

The oranges were poor except for Miss Beal's magnificent Jael, who wears well, and has a beautiful head and good colour. Miss Beal's Midshipmite took first and Admiral second, a mistake in most people's (including their fair owner's) estimation, as Admiral is undoubtedly the better cat, but both are out of form. Miss Beal's fawn debutante, Canopus, is the best cat she has shown vet. She is small but very compact, with a nice face and good hazel eyes, and her colour is sound. The best silver tabby, in my opinion, was Mrs. Champion's Argent Puffy, who has a really beautiful shape, face, and coat, and was unlucky to be unnoticed. Mrs. Herring's King Alfred, however, took first, and the same lady won in brown tabbies with Florina, a handsome, heavily-coated sable.

In the novice class, Miss Jay won with her blue, Holmwood Lionel. He has a grand head, but looked a bit rusty. The neuter classes were led by Madame Portier's well-known Blue Boy and Miss Sangster's lovely, heavily-coated chinchilla, Royal Prince du Congo. Some of the kitten classes were not judged at the time I took my notes, but Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Maconochie showed some lovely blues, and Mrs. Martin's The Cooing Dove, who took first, is a really beautiful pale chinchilla. Miss Gant's blue litter had an easy win. In the Siamese male class, Wankee, of course, took first. He Is not in as good condition as usual, but shows a lot of quality. Miss Armitage's Cora, the winning female, is a really nice cat. The best Manx I have seen for ages is Lady Alexander's Ballochmyle Bell Shrimp, a beautifully-shaped sable, full of quality. She was only awarded second.

In the foreign class Mrs. Brooks's Felis Geoffroy won. It is a curious animal, with jaguar-like spots, a wedge-shaped face, and broad, lion-like ears. I think I recollect it as a kitten at last years summer show. Miss Willoughby's Fulmer Poppy took second; she has magnificent blue eyes, and looks like an English cat. Sedgemere Peaty won for Mrs. Brooke in Abyssinians, but I preferred Ballochmyle Bath Bun, who is a beautiful colour. In tortoiseshells and tortoiseshell and whites, Lady Alexander won with her well-known champions, Otter and Samson. Ch. Perfection, Goldfinder, and Craven Prince are a marvellous trio of orange tabbies, and will be hard to beat, though Mr. Towler Wilkinson's two kittens look like keeping up the family reputation. Blue Russians brought out nothing new, and the well-known Ballochmyle Brother Bump was first. His eyes will always stand him in good stead, while the fine head and shape of Bumpums made him a good second.

Miss CARMEL is in great distress at the loss of her chinchilla male, Sweetboy, and has asked me to try and help her to recover her pet, as there seems little doubt that he was stolen some weeks ago. He is a clouded cat, not very pale in colour, and barred on fore legs, and he has an unusually short, round face, with huge brilliant orange eyes.

A RECENT recruit to the cat fancy is Mrs. Peter Brown, of Kilmarnock, who has joined the Cat Club and has bought, from Mr. Witt, the chinchilla queen, Springfield Puff, a daughter of Silver Lambkin. Puff is in kitten to Windsor Beetle, so should prove a good investment.

MRS. ROBINSON has a beautiful litter of Royal Siamese kittens by Wankee ex Rynda, one of which is going to Mrs. Neild. Wankee and Tiam-O-Shian III. are, no doubt, the two best Siamese stud cats in England at present, and I should hesitate to say which I preferred. I fancy Tiam is the larger and paler cat, but Wankee shows more quality. Wankee's kittens did wonders at Westminster, and a pair by Tiam caused quite a sensation at last year's Botanical Gardens Show.

MRS. NEILD has sold her blue queen, Belle of New York, to Mrs. Hill. Belle was bred by Miss Beal, and Mrs. Neild took third with her at the N.C.C. show last June. She is a very handsome cat, with may magnificent orange eyes and an unusually heavy coat, which, strange to say, she never loses.

MISS KIRKPATRICK has purchased the blue Persian male, Blue Jonathan, from Mrs. Sealy Clarke. He was bred by Mrs. Falconer Sinclair, and is a very fine young cat, now nearly two years old. Miss Kirkpatrick is a great believer in a raw meat diet for cats and kittens, and the lovely Lavender Blue was reared on raw meat and cornflour made with boiling milk from the time she was five weeks old. Miss Kirkpatrick has now four fine litters of Persian kittens whites by White Friar ex White Lilac, very pale unmarked silvers by Silver Coin ex Silver Psyche, and blues by Don Juan II. and Darius III. from Peggotty and Blue Phyllis.

AS SOON as we have a few hot, sunny days, cat owners will have to start their annual campaign against fleas, In a charming book called "David Harum" I read the other day that "a few fleas is good for dogs - keeps them from brooding over BEING dogs." Does this apply equally to cats? I doubt it; for a cat is such an eminently smug, self-satisfied creature, that it seems to be continually congratulating itself on its personality. _

I was amused to hear the other day that Mrs. Balding's silver, Tod Sloan, started in life as Diamond Jubilee, being so named by his breeder, Miss Saunders, from the date of his birth. This cat has evidently some special predilection for the turf; but, all things considered, it now seems a pity that he did not stick to his first name. A very apt name for a chinchilla cat is The Green-eyed Monster, and I must congratulate Mrs. Bridgewater on her selection.

CAT GOSSIP. July 14, 1900, pg 230

MY account of the N.C.C. cat show was necessarily rather hurried last week, but on the second day I managed to pick up sundry scraps of information. Sir Claud Alexander claimed Mr. Towler Wilkinson's magnificent orange tabby kittens, Queen of Reds and Craven Perfection, also a fine smooth black male, and Miss Mortivals's white, Master Billy Blue Eyes. Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's short-haired silver tabby cats arrived too late for competition. Miss Dresser purchased Miss White Atkins's little blue tortoiseshell kitten, Bitterne Scilla, by Azure ex Bronzewing.

ANOTHER year the N.C.C. would be well advised to forbid the use of sawdust in the cat tent. It is useful stuff in a cattery, but in a small show-pen it is practically certain to get into the food dishes, and it is certainly possible that, if swallowed, it might upset a delicate cat. Mrs. Stennard Robinson was vastly pleased with what she termed ‘‘The cat tent joke." It seems that the show was limited to members only, to keep down the numbers, as, though the N.C.C. would have liked the show to be an open one, objection was made to providing a larger tent. Mrs. Robinson tells me that ten more entries were made than last year, and the large tent had to be requisitioned atter all.

MRS. MCLAREN MORRISON received a very warm welcome by all her friends and fellow-fanciers. She was not exhibiting, but showed as keen an interest as ever in both dogs and cats.

LADY MARIA HOOD and Lady Muriel Fox-Strangways visited the cat tent on Friday. Lady Muriel is becoming a most enthusiastic cat fancier, and is purchasing one of Mrs. Cartwright's lovely blue kittens by Blue Boy II. ex Ceanothus, a daughter of Timkins.

SIAMESE cats were poorly represented at the Botanical Gardens, though those that appeared were the best, and Wankee, the only champion of his breed, took his usual first. Miss Armitage's Cora is a really beautiful cat.

WITH regard to the points of Siamese cats, on which a correspondent of a contemporary seems to disagree with me, I may say that, before stating a fact, I invariably do my best to ascertain whether it is correct or not. A certain lady of my acquaintance met the King of Siam when in this country and asked him if the tails of Siamese cats should be kinked, and he replied that they ought to be straight, and that the kink showed a cross of Malay blood. Mrs. Varey Campbell, of Edinburgh, showed me a letter written to her by Dr. Nightingale, the King of Siam's physician, in which he made the same statement, adding that some generations ago a Malay male cat had somehow got into the courts of the Palace, and that ever since then the kinked tails have occasionally appeared. The Sacred Temple cats, which have been kept absolutely pure, never have a kink. With regard to the "woolly" coat there may be some misunderstanding, as one person might call a coat "woolly" which another would consider "close." I did not mean to infer that the state of a cat's health would alter the shape of its face, but I said that I had seen round and wedge-faced kittens produced in the same litter in all breeds of cats, and that when the parents were not of opposite types. For many years the kink was looked upon as a good point in England, but this idea is at last dying out.

CAT GOSSIP. July 21, 1900, pg 290

MISS WHITE ATKINS' CATS
MISS WHITE ATKINS has only taken to cat-breeding in the last few years, but she has been most successful in producing winners. She does not confine herself to any one particular colour, but has a number of blues, silvers, tortoiseshells and white. At the time of my visit nearly all the queens were nursing young families, and there was not a sickly or ailing cat or kitten to be seen. The house at Hedge End is well adapted for keeping live-stock, for it has, at the back, a large garden and orchard, and there the cat houses have been erected. The houses are all made of wood covered with felt, and have long grass runs attached. The best plan will be to take the cats in rotation according to their colour.

The blue male, Azure, has quite recently appeared in the pages of THE LADIES' FIELD. He is a son of Blue Robin, and was at one time the property of Lady Marcus Beresford, and later of Miss Cochran, from whom Miss Atkins purchased him. He is a beautifully shaped cat, very low on the leg, with a long, flowing coat and a nice head. He is a pale sound blue in colour, and has yellow eyes. Syren is large, handsome, dark blue cat, with amber eyes; she is a daughter of Turkish Delight. Until this year she has always been mated with a cat which Miss Atkins sed to own, called Blu Royal, and by him she had lovely kittens, one of them being Bitterne Cuckoo, who distinguished himself at the first Westminster Show, and died soon afterwards. Blue Royal is now dead, and Syren has four very promising little blue kittens by Ch. Locksley. Princess Flavia is a large, handsome, yellow-eyed blue, full sister to Cuckoo. She is one of those nice cats which carry a good coat even in the summer. Her three blue babies by Azure seem likely to make their mark in the cat world. Queenie, the third blue queen, is a charming little lady who had managed somehow to lose her pedigree, but she is certainly well bred, and she had produced two remarkably fine kittens by Ch. Bundle.

Next in order come the silver cats. Silver Chieftain is a son of Lord Southampton. He is a level-coloured cat of the "shaded" order, excellent in shape, with a broad head, fine green eyes, and magnificent coat and brush. Of all the cats I think Chief is his mistress's favourite, and she says he is "a cat of character." He is exceedingly jealous, and of a peppery disposition if he views a rival at the other end of the garden. As a sire Chief has already made his mark, his best known children being King of the Silvers, Princess Bagh, and Silver Tangle, all winners. Chief was only shown once, and took a first and second at the Crystal Palace when only a kitten. Miss Atkins has at present only one grown-up silver lady, and that is Sprite, a daughter of Chieftain, her dam being Fairy, who is well known as the dam of Dimity, FitzEustace, and Silver Sheen. Sprite is much the same colour as her illustrious half-sister Dimity, a pale, clear silver, without markings, and just ticked with a darker shade. She had six silver kittens by Sweetheart this spring, but some of them died, and the survivors, though handsome kittens, are much darker thon their mother.

Miss Atkins has just purchased a pair of very pale silver kittens. The male, Union Jack, is the very palest silver I ever saw, a real self-silver, and a splendid kitten. He was bred by Mr. Ward from Silver Sheen and Carola. The female is one of Mrs Martin's charming kittens, but, I grieve to say, I have forgotten her name. I know it is beautiful but I cannot recollect it, unless it be Clytemnestra. The next people to be noticed are the tortoiseshells. Bronzewing, a pretty little cat with a nice face, has, think, been sold since my visit, but she then had three nice kittens by Azure - a cream, an orange, and a blue tortoiseshell. Princess Plume is the other tortoiseshell; a really beautiful cat she is, and amazing value at the figure she cost - five shillings! A little girl brought her to the door in a basket and offered to sell her, and Miss Atkins has a strong suspicion that she is a kitten by Ombra ex Buttercup, which she gave away last year and which mysteriously disappeared. There is certainly considerable reticence shown as to how Princess Plume came into the possession of her recent owners.

I have kept the piece de resistance to the last. White Knight is the most beautiful of all the cats at St. Reunons, and I think almost the most beautiful cat in the world. He is a huge fellow, weighing well over 16lb., and he has fine broad limbs and magnificent blue eyes. His head is a study, being very wide and well rounded between the ears, which are small and low set. He is one of those cats with a sweeping, graceful outline, which always pleases the eye, no matter what the state of coat. Knight has only made one appearance in public, when he took first and challenge cup at Westminster, and I venture to predict that if shown in full coat he will one day be pronounced "the best cat in the show."

Mrs. White Atkins takes a deep interest in her daughter's cats, to which she is devoted, and also gives up much time to her poultry and flowers. Roy, the collie, appeared in THE LADIES' FIELD the other day, and a Schipperke has been added to the number of the pets at St. Reunons. I must not forget to mention the little Exmoor pony, who, though he has come of age this year, is as fit and fresh as a three-year-old, and thinks nothing of the five miles' drive to Southampton.

I HEAR a rumour that the N.C.C. is about to lose its Hon. Sec. and Treasurer, Mrs. Stennard Robinson. Such a loss to the club will be well-nigh irreparable, and at present it is difficult to see where a capable successor is to be found. To Mrs. Robinson is due all the credit of placing the club in the position it now occupies, and it must necessarily suffer from her departure.

MRS. CHAMPION is well-known as one of the most enthusiastic breeders of silver cats, and she has undertaken to float a "Silver Society," which cannot fail to be of benefit to the breed. Mrs. Champion is very wisely endeavouring to steer clear of all club and party differences, and numerous members of both the C.C. and the N.C.C. have promised to join the society. Mrs. Champion has sent me a brief outline of the proposed objects to the society, which I cannot do better than to give in full:-
To protect the breeds of long-haired silver tabby, chinchilla, and smoke cats.
To give prizes, medals, and cups for these breeds at the various shows.
To encourage the improvement in size, shape, and head of the various silver breeds, especially silver tabbies and chinchillas.
To encourage smokes, as they are of great value in improving the silver type.
To guarantee extra classes for these breeds at shows (when necessary), and to prevent amalgamation of males and females.
The association is entirely independent of any club and will be governed by the votes of the general members, who are to meet once in three months to arrange as to giving of prizes, etc.
Members who are unable to be present at general meetings may forward their votes by post, and, to enable them to do so, the date of the meeting and subjects for discussion will be announced beforehand.
The subscription to be 5s. per annum.
Any questions asked by members will be promptly replied to by the Hon. Sec. if a stamped addressed envelope is forwarded for reply, but, considering the low subscription, this regulation must be attended to, as all the funds will be required for prizes, classes etc.
There will only be an Hon. Sec. and an Hon. Treasurer to the society, as every member having a vote, no committee will be required.
The society will look after the silver exhibits at the London shows of owners living at a distance, provided that the pen numbers are forwarded to the Hon. Sec. beforehand.
Hon. Sec., Mrs. Champion, 64, Fairlawn Grove, Chiswick.

The selection of judges for any show is always a difficult matter, and too much importance cannot be had on the necessity for selecting those who have sufficient confidence in their own opinions to stick to them firmly without calling in the opinion of outsiders. Quite possibly the bystander may be a better judge oof a cat than the appointed persons but the cats were not entered under him or her, and, therefore, it is exceedingly unfair to let decisions be influenced in this way, and persons who are admitted to a show during the judging, in a professional or official sense, should consider themselves in honour bound not to express an opinion on the merits of the respective exhibits until the aware have been posted up.

MRS. GRAVES'S smoke kittens are a handsome pair, with round faces and charming coats. They have improved so much lately that Mrs. Graves has decided not to sell them at present,

MISS CARTWRIGHT'S cream male, Upwood Junket, has just bred a most extraordinary litter. The dam, Guinea, is tortoiseshell, bred from oranges, and she had five kittens - an orange male, a smoke male, a black male, a tortoiseshell female, and last but not least, except in stature, a TORTOISESHELL MALE! This marvellous infant unfortunately died when a fortnight old. I have never heard of a full-grown long-haired tortoiseshell male. Mrs. McLaren Morrison bred two, I believe, from Goblin and a tortoiseshell female, bot both died young, and it was said that Mrs. Gray, of Morecambe, had three this year, but I do not know if this is the case. In short-hairs, Mrs. Herring's King Saul is the best, and Lady Alexander's Samson is another good one. This lady has just acquired and tortoiseshell and white tom, Ballochmyle Neptune, who, though young, yet promises exceedingly well.

FOR the benefit of novice readers I will give a few hints on show preparation. In the first place it is presumed that the cat is well, fit, and in fair coat. If a white cat does not keep itself clean it must be properly tidied up at least once a week, as otherwise it will be impossible to get it thoroughly clean before the show. The day before the show is the proper time to prepare cats, and if they have been habitually washed there is, of course, no better way of proceeding; the average cat, however, is never washed, but must be cleaned with powder of some sort. The best applications are hot bran, camphorated chalk, or white fuller's earth.

FOR short-haired cats it is merely necessary to rub the powder thoroughly throughout the coat till every mark is removed, and then brush the cat well. For long-hairs the process is a trifle more complicated. A basin of warm water, containing a little ammonia, is required, and this must be used to damp the cat's hair with all over. The hands should be dipped in the water, and then passed lightly over the cat's coat. Next rub it well with white fuller's earth until the hair is thoroughly clogged with it, keep on rubbing in more and more powder until it is quite dry, and then brush thoroughly, and the cat will look lovely. I told Miss Taylor f this method of cleaning cat, and after trying it, she recommended it strongly in her book on Show and Pet Cats.

CAT GOSSIP. July 28, 1900, pg 313

I AM sure all fanciers will remember Mrs. Herring's lovely silver tabby kitten, Duchess Lestock. which caused such a sensation at Westminster Show, where she was claimed at the catalogue price by Mrs. Walker. I am sorry to say that Duchess died a week or two ago, to the great regret of her mistress.

I OBSERVE that my esteemed trend "Zaida," writing in FUR AND FEATHER, does not entirely agree with my views ob kitten feeding, her argument being that different kittens need different treatment. And that a raw meat diet must be looked upon as an exceptional treatment in cases of delicacy. "Zaida," however, frankly acknowledges that she has never tried the system, and I would suggest that she should immediately put it into practice with one kitten out of every litter she possess, and note the result. I do not wish to maintain that no kitten will thrive on a milk diet, for some which digestions of iron will continue to do well on it all their days perhaps, but I am convinced that they would have done better and grown into larger, finer cats if few on raw meat.

LADY ALEXANDER has bred an exquisite pair of Russian kittens, from the celebrated Bumpums and Mother Bunch, and has named them Bump, Tuffet, and Miss Muffet. I observe that a contemporary devotes some remarks to the nationality of Lady Alexander's white cat, Ballochmyle Frost. This cat has been referred to in these columns before. He was originally bought by Miss Cochran as a Manx, and shown at the Crystal Palace, where he took v.h.c. under Mr. House. A number of people were interested in the animal, because a blue-eyed white Manc had never been seen before, but when Pan was examined by experts it was discovered that he possessed about an inch of tail which was screwed round to one side. This was held by naturalists of experience to prove that he was a Japanese cat, and as nothing could be discovered about his parentage, he was shown at Westminster in the "foreign" class, and Mr. Astley, no mean judge of cats, put him first without hesitation. There is no doubt that Frost is exactly like Mr. Case's O'Uki San, a white Japanese female, in shape, etc., but she has yellow eyes.

MRS. MARRIOTT has at last found a settled abode at Whitehall, Kingsbridge, Devon, and I expect shortly to hear that she has collected her family of cats once more. Mrs. Marriott has two litters of blues by Blue Boy II., over which she is quite rapturous, as heads, coats, and shape are all perfect.

MRS. FRASER, of Islandbank, Inverness, has just brought home from the "Straits," where she has lived for some years, four fine Siamese cats. Of these she writes that two were considered in Siam to be particularly fine, as their bodies are dark fawn, and they have seal-coloured points and straight tails. The other two are cream-coloured with seal points, and one has a straight tail and the other, to use Mrs. Fraser's own words, "a kinked or Malay tail." Mrs. Fraser sends a photograph of a family of her Siamese kittens which she sold before she came home. She assures me, of what I had heard before, that in Siam the dark-coloured cats are considered much more valuable than the light ones.

THE awarding of the specials at the N.C.C. Show seems to be causing some trouble, as the judges of the long-haired classes, two of whom were presumably nervous, as they had never officiate in this capacity before, seem to have been hopelessly mixed, if the official prize list is correct. Here we find that the same kitten takes the prize for "best chinchilla" and "best other than chinchilla." A long-haired orange female is pronounce the best orange male English, and other equally incomprehensible mistakes have been made. I must say I feel some sympathy with the judges, for I can say from experience that a big list of specials is most confusing thing to a judge.

IT IS a sad thing to note the carelessness of cat owners. What do fancier would dream of showing a white dog other than spotlessly clean? And I think a dog judge would, naturally, prejudiced against an owner who had not taken the trouble to smarten up his exhibit. Would that cat fanciers were as particular! Those shown at the Botanical Gardens had in few instances, I think, had any proper show preparation. Some of the white cats were stained with yellow, others were smudgy, and some were a deep grey all over. Even among the cream and fawn cats I saw a few which would have been improved by a good clean up.

CAT GOSSIP. August 4, 1900, pg 352

IT SEEMS a pity that one or two contemporaries should have set their minds to find fault with Lady Maitland's Cat Exhibition at Sheen Paris. There are indications that the grapes are sour, I fear and the point which seems to have caused much annoyance Is that entries could only be made by invitation. As a matter of fact, it was an "exhibition "as distinct from a "cat show," and it was well carried out; some beautiful cats were there, and the judging was quite satisfactory. Altogether it was a complete success, and I do not think its promoters need mind what is said of them by persons who would have been only too pleased to send their cats if they had been permitted to do so.

MISS WHITE ATKINS is sending out some well-bred Persian queens to Mrs. Mix, of Chicago, who bought King of the Silvers. Amongst those going out are a silver from Mrs. Martin's St. Anthony and Silver Dawn, and Miss Atkins's blue Queenie, who is in kitten to Azure.

MRS. MACKENZIE STEWART writes wrathfully of her ill-luck at the Botanic gardens; her cats arrived too late for competition, and when they returned owing to being sent to Euston, they lay at Carlisle all Sunday and only got home on Monday! Mrs. Stewart has just bought a beautiful black queen with deep orange eyes, so now she has a variety of colours, including blue, silver, black, white, and cream. I am sorry to hear that Ch. Turkish Delight has died of old age. Turk was a great celebrity in his day and was one of the first very pale blues to be shown. When in Mrs. Marriott's hands he won a number of prizes, but Mrs. Stewart never showed him, and for the last year he has been getting very feeble.

MR. WITT tells me of a young brother of Ch. Mabel of Lozells which, at the age of ten months, has no front teeth. It has not lost them, as might be imagined, but after losing its kitten set none came to replace them.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has bred some very fine kittens this year, the most promising, perhaps, being three very pale blues by Nemophyla ex Violette. These kittens are particularly valuable, because Violette, who was litter sister to Gentian, is daughter of Goliath. Another charming little person is the silver Chintz, by Beetle ex Dimity. This kitten is very pale and unmarked, and is the most perfect shape of any kitten I have seen. She is very short-legged and cobby, with a huge coat, and the sweet face and big eyes which distinguish all Dimity's babies.

THE Silver Society is flourishing. Mrs. Champion has sent out 160 letters, and every post brings members. The first meeting will be held shortly, and one of the points to be discussed by the society as soon as possible is whether it is not better to encourage size and strength in silver cats before making such a strong point of the colour of the eyes as has been done lately.

GOOD news for the Cat Club members is that their committee have decide to take the Brighton Aquarium Show under their wing, and it will be held, under Cat Club rules, about the second or third week in November. A meeting will be held shortly to arrange about judges and other details. As space is strictly limited, I understand that only the first 300 entries sent in will be accepted, so fanciers will have to look out for the appearance of schedules.

MISS LILIAN THOMPSON'S Fuzzy-Wuzzy is a handsomely-marked tabby and white neuter Persian. He is a great pet, and much admired by all his friends, not only for his beauty, but also for his intellect, as he is a very highly-educated cat, and can perform a number of tricks.

CAT GOSSIP. August 11, 1900, pg 393

I HAVE received from Mrs. Champion a list of those people who have already joined the Siver Society; they number over seventy, and include such well-known names as those of Lady Marcus Beresford, Lady Pink, Mrs. Tyrwhitt Drake, Mrs. Stennard Robinson, Mrs. Herring, Mrs. Martin, Mrs. W.M. Neild, Mrs. Wellbye, and Miss Crompton Roberts. The society seems likely to prove a great success, and a great amount of interest and enthusiasm has been shown about it. Mrs. Champion is a most energetic secretary, and Miss Jay a thoroughly capable treasurer.

MRS. DOYLE finds that her time is so taken up with her children that she must dispose of all her pets, so the toy Pomeranian and the cats are to be sold, the big blue queen, Hazel, being the only one which Mrs. Doyle is inclined to keep.

MISS CARTMELL is advertising some of her kittens for sale. They are all well-bred and of exceptional promise.

LADY ALEXANDER, of Ballochmyle, writes: "You are quite right about your raw beef theory for kittens. Ours have been much better and stronger this year, and they have all been reared on it solely from five weeks old; indeed, our cats of all ages have little else, and it is all put through a raw-meat machine, and this of course aids digestion."

MRS. KENNAWAY has heard no tidings of her blue Persian queen, Mousmee, which was lost from the Botanic Gardens Show. There seems little doubt that someone has got the cat, by accident or design, and does not feel inclined to give it up, for a grey tabby English neuter has failed to find an owner, so most likely Mousmee was taken instead of it.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD'S celebrated silver queen, Dimity, has had three beautiful pale silver kittens by Beetle.v The catteries at Bishopsgate are well stocked just now, the best cats being the blues, silvers, and Siamese. Lady Marcus is keeping all the best kittens she can get hold of to show in the winter.

NOVEMBER 14th and 15th are the days fixed for the Brighton Aquarium Show. The Cat Club will send its own pens down from London, will appoint judges and stewards, and will supervise all the arrangements, but Mr. Andrews will be the show manager, as usual.

I AM sorry to hear that Mrs. Fletcher has lost her stud cat, Camera, who was either lost or stolen from Hallam Show. Camera was a large, handsome, blue tabby, bred by Mrs. Cartwright from Timkins and Nebula. He took third at the Crystal Palace and Cruft's.

THERE seems to be a certain amount of bitterness afloat with regard to Manx cats, and an inability on the part of owners to crack up their own pets without abusing their rivals. This is a pity, for it prevents the breed from making the progress it otherwise might. Quite a number of fanciers are now trying to breed Manx cats, but as each one is firmly convinced that he owns the only pure-bred and typical specimens, his operations are somewhat hampered for want of fresh blood.

MRS. FRANCIS CLRKE has sent me a charming photograph, taken by herself, of her kittens Blue Scamp, Blue Mischief, and Blue Perky, which were prize-winners at the recent N.C.C. Show. They are children of Skillingthorpe Patrick and Jewel of Asia. One was sold at the show and another has since been purchased by Mrs. Herbert Ransome.

CAT GOSSIP. August 18, 1900, pg 459

MR. HAWKINS has parted with his blue Persian male, Little Pat, to Mrs. Greenwood, of Southampton, Pat was bred by Lady Marcus Beresford from Patrick Blue and Bluebell, and was litter brother to Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's lovely Marie Louise. He is a nicely shaped cat, with a magnificent head. Mrs. Greenwood has named him Southampton Blue Pat.

NO doubt news will soon be forthcoming of the N.C.C. Show at the Crystal Palace. While there was a fear that the club was about to lose its secretary, one felt doubts as to whether it could continue to hold its own, but now that Mrs. Robinson is safely reinstalled we may hope that the Crystal Palace function will be as successful as ever. I am sorry to hear of a suggestion that the entry fees should be raised. Not being an exhibitor I cannot speak personally, but I know that fanciers will not take kindly to any alteration in that respect, more especially as the Crystal Palace Show had an existence independent of the N.C.C.

THE Silver Society voting papers have been sent out, and there are no fewer than ten points to be decided upon. The society proposes to give medals at the Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Manchester, and, to guarantee a class for smoke kittens and for silver tabby and shaded silver kittens at the Palace. The names of the following judges have been suggested for the Crystal Palace Show: Smokes, Mr. Louis Wain; silver tabbies, Miss Anderson Leake; shaded silvers and chinchillas, Mrs. Strick. It will be seen that the society proposes to adhere to the threefold silver classification adopted at the last Westminster Show, merely substituting the euphonious name ‘chinchilla' for the awkward-sounding ‘self silver.'

ANOTHER point, and I think the most delicate of all to be decided, is whether the society's medals are to be confined to members or not. To give them for open competition is no doubt to the truest interest of the fancy, and adds to the glory of a win, but the other course brings in members to the society.

I READ in a contemporary the other day a reference to the "drop-eared" eared Chinese cats. I should much like to hear from anyone who has seen a drop-eared cat. I believe it is entirely a fallacy that such cats exist; perhaps, like the suricates of which we have heard so much lately, it is a case of "mistaken diagnosis" and the animals are not cats at all.

MISS SANGSTER has sold her beautiful blue queen, Ryal Iris, to Miss White Atkins. Iris is one of Miss Bray's strain, and is a really good cat, and a prize-winner. She has lovely orange eyes. Miss Atkins is thinking of buying Miss Packham's pretty blue-eyed white, Nisha, but at the time of writing, nothing is settled.

MISS PACKHAM is going to Switzerland for a time, and all her cats have to find homes, permanent or temporary. Silver Charm and Daisy, Dimity's daughters by Silver Owl and Lord Southampton respectively, have one to Bishopsgate, and Silver Jessamine is probably going to Mrs. Neild. Lilith also has been disposed of.

TO make room for the newcomers, Lady Marcus Beresford has disposed of Pearl, the pretty little pale silver which she bought from Miss Ward last year, to Miss Warren Wright, who intends to breed and sell kittens, in aid of her brother's church restoration fund. Pearl is in kitten to Windsor Beetle.

MRS. KENNAWAY is advertising a number of her kittens for sale, principally blues, by Blue Robin, Waterloo, and Criquet. She is also trying to sell her handsome young blue stud cat, Beetle, at a price which should cause him to change hands without delay.

CAT GOSSIP. August 25, 1900, pg 472

MRS. KIRK'S CATTERY.

MRS. KIRK, of Madeira Villa, Leamington Spa, is one of our most enthusiastic cat fanciers, though she never exhibits her pets. Her tastes are varied, for she keeps blues, silvers, smokes, and whites. The female cats take turns in coming into the house, but the neuters go in and out as they please, and all are most carefully housed and attended to, and though they number some fifteen or sixteen, Mrs. Kirk cannot make up her mind to part with any of them. Thomas a Becket and Ladybird are litter brother and sister, and wer bred by Mrs. Kirk, their sire being Mr. Shaler's well-known Lillington Bogie. Thomas is the most amiable of Mrs. Kirk's cats, and is always the first to be introduced to new-comers, for, as his mistress says, he never forgets his manners. He is a very handsome cat, weighing 14lb., which is a good size even for a neuter. Ladybird weighs 9lb and is more marked than her brother, but, as the photographs show, there is a very strong resemblance between the pair. Ladybird is particularly intelligent, and turns her energies principally to the opening of doors, of which she can undo the button and let herself out, and she has been known to lie on her side so as to have both forepaws at liberty to push open a slide.

Rex, the blue stud cat, is a very handsome fellow, and has bred a number of beautiful kittens. I have not his pedigree by me at present, but he is a worthy mate for the queens Argon, Dolly Varden, and Joan of Arc. Dolly is the comical cat of the establishment. She makes herself at home everywhere, even in the photographer's shop. She is a daughter of Milverton Sadi, who, I believe, was the best smoke at of his day, and certainly his kittens give evidence to his value. Argon and Joan of Arc are daughters of Theta, a cat of Miss Bray's well-known strain. Argon, though small, is almost invariably in good coat, and even when nursing a large family she looks fit for the show-pen. She has a charmingly broad head, with tiny, low-set ears. Joan of Arc is a dark blue, with deep golden eyes and a fine coat; at present she is the proud mother of six fine kittens, which Argon is helping her to rear.

Of all the family, the cats which stir most feelings of envy in my heart are the two blue-eyed white queens by White Friar. They were bred by Miss Hunt from her exquisite little queen, Crystal. I am able to give a portrait of Snowbelle, taken at the age of seven months, and this shows the lovely shape and coat of the little cat, who apparently takes after her illustrious sire in many respects. The other kitten, whose name, I believe, is Edelweiss, is equally lovely, and it is a doubtful point which of the pair is the most desirable.

I think I am right in saying that all Mrs. Kirk's silver cats came originally from Miss Taylor. Meta, whose portrait appeared in these pages not long ago, is well known as the dam of Princess Bagh; she was bred from Chum-Chum and Tawny. Blitz is handsome young neuter by Silver Chieftain, and there are two young queens of the same breeding.

Mrs. Kirk's pets are such interesting: and beautiful creatures that one can hardly be surprised at her not caring to exhibit them, though frequenters of shows and those well acquainted with the characteristics and pedigrees of many prize-winners are agreed that the denizens of the Madeira Villa cattery would undoubtedly gain laurels and renown were they to compete with other members of their race. The photographs are by Lippiatt, of Leamington,

I have received an interesting paper on the evolution of the Manx cat, which I give for the benefit of my readers who are interested in the subject:-
Some centuries ago the cats of Japan were making a personally conducted tour under the Cook of the period, and having made their way through China were among the earliest projectors of the Trans-Siberian Railway, and then, passing down through Europe, they arrived in Spain just in time to take first-class tickets in the Spanish Armada which was just setting out for a trip. History relates that some of these cheap-trippers were wrecked on the west coast of the British Isles, hence they are supposed to have been cast up on the Isle of Man. Originally of a pale cobwebby grey colour, the variations of the languages of the different countries caused the colours to be changed en route; passing through the various gradations of colour such a blue in Russia, white in Siberia, etc., etc.

This ingenious theory I pass without comment, except a suggestion that it my contain the answer to some curious conundrums asked by somebody in the pages of a contemporary.

"ZAIDA," of FUR AND FEATHER, has taken up my challenge with regard to raw meat feeding, and rather cleverly anticipates, and attempts to dispose of, most of my arguments in favour of my pet theory. I will answer her objections in the order in which they come. First, expense. I think that it will be found that the expense of feeding with meat is very little more than a mixed diet, for the simple reason that when, as in raw beef, the nourishment is concentrated not a quarter of the bulk of food usually given is required; also there is a unlimited saving in the lives of kittens, and no medicines, such as worm powder, diarrhoea mixtures, etc., are required. Then, as to the difficulty of getting raw meat. I live five miles from a butcher, who calls, as does "Zaida's," twice a week. I think it will very rarely be found that shin of beef will not keep in a cool larder for at least two days, and on the other three days it must be slightly cooked. We must, of course, adapt ourselves to our surroundings, and though cooked meat is not so good for kittens as raw, it is better far than farinaceous food. The objection to cutting up meat is trivial, for, though the meat is the better for being chopped, a kittens can generally chew up fairly big pieces. A kitten brought up on raw meat is not the least likely to be upset by an occasional meal of milk food. Its digestion has been kept in such thoroughly good order that it can afford to play tricks with it such as would be disastrous to a milk-fed infant.

MRS. KENNAWAY is advertising a long list of kittens for sale; these include four blues by Blue Robin, and another family of blues by Waterloo ex Sheila; an orange male, two tortoiseshell females, and two marked blues are included in the list, also a young male cat. Mrs. Kennaway now possesss a pair of lovely cream kittens. The male is of her own breeding, and the female was purchased from Mrs. d'Arcy Hillyard.

MISS CARTMELL tells me that her orange queen, Trilby, has four fine orange kittens, all with deep yellow chins.

MISS WHITE ATKINS has purchased from Miss Packham the prize-winning blue-eyed White Queen Aisha, a daughter of Bluejacket and Mr. Gairn's Snowflake. Lady Marcus Beresford's beautiful white imported cat Nourmahl, which took the gold medal at Westminster for the best cat over eighteen months, has been mated with the White Knight.

"OUR CATS" asks that all readers should send them a list of judges with whose verdict they would be satisfied. I expect the number of names given to be prodigious, as every fancier naturally likes a judge who considers hi cat perfect.

I KNOW of one show at which a particular judge was asked to officiate, and a week or two before the show and exhibitor wrote and objected to this judge and gave a list of three others whom he considered capable, saying that if one of these was appointed he would give entries and specials, but otherwise would have nothing to do with the show. Now, to my certain knowledge, two out of these three judges had openly stated that they considered our friend's cat the best of his class in England. A certain outsider got hold of this story, and suspected that the objection was not so much to the judge as to a certain cat, which this judge had once before placed over out friend's champion; so this outsider vigorously circulated a report that the rival was hors de combat, with the result that our friend promptly entered his cat under the hated judge, and was once more beaten.

CAT GOSSIP. September 1, 1900, pg 513

THE meeting of the Silver Society took place on August 15th, by permission of Lily Duchess of Marlborough, at 3, Carlton House Terrace. The Cat Club and the National Cat Club were well represented, and amongst those present were Lady Marcus Beresford, Mrs. Stennard Robinson, Mrs. Bagster, and Miss Gertrude Willoughby. Lady Marcus Beresford was invited to take the chair, but at her request Mrs. Stennard Robinson occupied that position, I hope next week to give full details of all the doings of the society, but at present a brief summary must suffice. The society intends to give numerous medals and other support to the Crystal Palace and Brighton shows, and has drawn up a list of suitable judges. The threefold silver classification is to be upheld as far as possible, and a definition of smoke, silver tabby, shaded silver, and chinchilla cats was drawn up. The term chinchilla is, in future, to be applied only to the palest, least marked sliver cats.

APROPOS of silver cats, Mr. Hawkins, who strongly opposes a threefold classification on the ground that at present no self-silver cats exist, has generously announced his intention of offering at the Cat Club Show a special prize of five guineas for the first self-silver exhibited.

SIR CLAUD AND LADY ALEXANDER have been elected to judge all smooth cats at Brighton, except Siamese. Miss Hester Cochran will judge blacks, whites, silvers, and Siamese, and Mr. House all remaining classes except longhaired blues, for which a judge has not yet been decided upon. The stewards at Brighton Show are Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Strick, and Mr. Bagster. Two new members of the Cat Club committee are Mrs. Neild ang Mr Strick.

I HEAR that Miss Simpson will judge long-haired blues and brown tabbies at the Manchester Cat Show.

FANCIERS of blue Persians have been much exercised in their minds over the matter of the Silver Society. They feel that blues ought to be pushed in the same manner, but the difficulty is to find someone willing to undertake the work of starting a club.

MRS. D'ARCY HILLYARD'S handsome cream queen, Hazeline, winner of second, as a kitten, at Westminster, has five fine cream kittens by Ch. Romaldkirk Midshipmite. This is only the second litter I have heard of consisting entirely of creams.

LADY MARCUS BERESFORD has three lovely pale blue kittens by Timkins out of the orange-eyed Periwinkle, a daughter of Nemophyla.

MRS. TOM HIDES, of Dunedin, New Zealand, is an enthusiastic breeder of blue Persians, and the kittens represented show that her efforts have been most successful, The parents of these kittens were sent to Mrs. Hides by Mr. Witt, of Birmingham, the male coming from Mrs. Hunt's celebrated strain, and the female being by Glaucus ex Hawthorne Silver.

CAT GOSSIP. September 8, 1900, pg 573

I MUST draw correspondents' attention to the rules regarding queries sent in, as the majority either do not read them, or wilfully ignore them. From this date no letters can be replied to unless the rules are kept; and it is expected that all who wish either to dispose of cats or to purchase them will make use of our Sale and Exchange columns, or, as an alternative, send the necessary fee for answer by post.

THE Silver Society has decided to give medals and specials to members only, and to support the Crystal Palace and Brighton Shows, but not the Northern Cat Club Kitten Show. Mr. Abbott has presented the club with two silver drinking cups, and the society hopes to offer at the Crystal Palace and at Westminster two silver challenge cups, to be won three times. Mrs. Neild and Miss Cochran are collecting money for another silver cup, to be presented to the society "in memory of the Stud Cat Register." At the Crystal Palace and Westminster, the society will also offer two gold and thirteen silver badges.

THE society has drawn up a scale of points for silver and smoke cats, and it was decided that the eyes of silver tabby, shaded silver, and chinchilla cats should be either green or orange, while those of smoke cats should be orange. It is interesting to note that, out of a possible hundred, the smoke cat is allowed fifteen points for colour of eye, while the silver and chinchilla are given ten for colour, shape and expression of eye. The society proposes to guarantee a class for smoke kittens, and another for silver tabbies and shaded silvers, at the Crystal Palace Show.

As the standard drawn up by the society is of interest to all breeders, I give it in full:-

THE SILVER TABBY. - The colour of a silver tabby should be a pale, clear silver with distinct black markings, any brown of cream tinge to be considered detrimental. The eyes should be orange or green.
SCALE OF POINTS.
Head and expression - 25
Colour and markings - 25
Colour of eyes - 5
Coat and condition - 20
Shape - 15
Brush - 10
TOTAL - 100

THE SHADED SILVER should be a pale, clear silver, shaded on face, legs, and back, but having as few tabby markings as possible. Eyes, green or orange; any brown or cream tinge objectionable.
SCALE OF POINTS.
Head - 20
Colour of coat - 25
Coat and condition - 20
Colour, shape, and expression of eyes - 10
Shape - 15
Brush - 10
TOTAL - 100

THE CHINCHILLA should be as pale and unmarked as possible, any brown of cream tinge a great drawback. Eyes, green or orange.
SCALE OF POINTS.
Head - 20
Shape - 15
Colour of coat - 25
Coat and condition - 20
Colour, shape, and expression of eyes - 10
Brush - 10
TOTAL - 100

THE SMOKE must be a black shading to smoke colour, with as light an undercoat as possible and black points, light frill and ear tufts; eyes to be orange.
SCALE OF POINTS.
Head and expression - 20
Colour of eye - 15
Colour of undercoat - 10
Absence of markings - 15
Coat and condition - 20
Brush - 10
Shape - 10
TOTAL - 100

MISS WHITE ATKINS will soon have quite a colony of white cats, for she has purchased Kinshah, a very beautiful imported cat with odd eyes, and bot hshe and Aisha are now in kitten to The White Knight. Personally, unorthodox though it be, I have a great weakness fo odd-eyed white cats, and I am thinking of starting a club to protect their interests.

TALKING of clubs reminds me of a new one started by Miss Sangster for the exclusive benefit of the possessors of neuter cats.

MISS BEAL is advertising a draft of her well-known blue and orange kittens for sale, and some of these seem likely to make winners.

THE Northern Counties Cat Club will hold their one-day show at Manchester on September 26th. I observe that the Altrincham Agricultural Society is giving ten classes for cats at the show on September 27th, so I daresay some ats and their owners will manage to attend both. The Crystal Palace Show will be held on October 24th and 25th, and the Brighton Aquarium Show on November 14th and 15th. After that I presume there will be a lull until Westminster, in January, but, at any rate, cat fanciers cannot say that 1900 is a dull year for them.

N*GGERANDO SAMBO, whose portrait we give, is a fascinating smoke kitten belonging to Mrs. Maclaren. He is by Lord Argen ex Tittens.

CAT GOSSIP. September 15, 1900, pg 9

MRS. BARNETT is a novice to the cat fancy, but is already known to fame by her plucky purchase of Moko, Sen Sen, and their daughter, Ch. Mabel of Lozells, at the high price of £60. Mabel appears in the photograph, sitting on her mistress's shoulder.

MRS. S. FRANCIS CLARKE is advertising a very handsome blue Persian kitten for sale in our columns, and no doubt he will soon find a purchaser, as both in pedigree and appearance he is all that can be desired, and he is also a most affectionate pet, and for this reason Mrs. Clarke will only let him go to a very good home. Mrs. Clarke writes: "I quite agree with you re raw meat, and find my kittens thrive much better with a good quantity of it every day. I generally use American meat for them - about two ounces each a day for small kittens, and more for the big ones. Of course, I give fish and vegetables once a day, and plenty of milk."

MRS. CLARKE was much pleased to find, at the N.C.C. Show, that her kittens were much larger than any of those whose date of birth was about the same as theirs, and as big as many a month older. Blue Perky, one of the kittens, weighs 6lb. 14oz. at six months, which is excellent.

I HAVE received another interesting letter on the subject of kitten-feeding, this time from Mr. Witt, who is well known as a successful breeder of blue Persians. He says: "I am quite a convert to your raw beef regimen, and water versus milk, for young kittens. In the early part of the year I lost kitten after kitten - in fact, have no single kitten over eleven weeks. I was then feeding in the old way, and wondered why each kitten drooped and died. Having a litter of three blues, whose mother I had to take away form them at five weeks old, I tried your raw lean beef and water diet, with, so far, splendid results. The three blues in question are monsters, and certainly look likely to live. I hope to show one, if not two, at the Aquarium, and so give a practical illustration of the great value the change I made in my kittens' diet ha been to me."

WORDS such as the above are encouraging, I have had much opposition shown to my system, but I have persuaded a number of fanciers to adopt it, and where it has been given a fair trial it has invariably been found successful. Of course, I do not mean to say that it will cure a kitten suffering from some specific disease; in such a case it may or may not suit the complaint, but for ordinary feeding it is invaluable. Lady Marcus Beresford is another recent convert to my theory.

MISS ROSAMOND WHITNEY, the most enthusiastic breeder of sable cats, is at present at Aix-les-Bains, but hopes to return to her home in Dublin shortly.

I UNDERSTAND that the cup presented by the S.C.R. to the Silver Society is likely to be offered as a breeders' cup. Rather as a blow to the Silver Society will come the decision of the N.C.C. not to uphold the threefold classification of silvers. The statement made by five members of the N.C.C. committee, that "shaded silvers are simply dark chinchillas or mismarked silver tabbies," is a little sweeping, considering that such a large majority of the experienced breeders incorporated in the Silver Society voted in favour of the threefold classification. Also, if the N.C.C. committee feels so strongly upon the subject, it is a pity that those members who were present at the Silver Society meeting did not mention their opinions, and the reasons for holding them, then.

THE judges appointed for the Crustal Palace Show on October 23rd and 24th are Mrs. Strick, smokes; Miss Anderson Leake, silvers; Miss Jay, blacks, whites and blues. The other classes are divided between Mr. Louis Wain, Mr. Welburn, and Mr. Woodiwiss. A good move is the rule forbidding cats entered in the working men's classes to compete in the open classes. Classes are provided for stud cats, and innovation I have always striven for, and all the long-haired and British classes are splendidly catered for, but the short-haired foreign cats have a bad time. Siamese are provided with two classes only, and Manx with one, and the limit and novice classes are shared with the Abyssinians and "variety" foreigners.

I AM extremely sorry to hear of the death of Mrs. Vyvyan's handsome Siamese male, Tiam O Shian III.

I HAVE received a little circular headed "The Association of Neuter Owners." I wish the name were different, but I think the society is one to be encouraged in every way. Many people who could not possibly go in for cat breeding can keep one or two neuter pets, and, if they are handsome, they like to show them; but the competition is so keen in the neuter classes that novices are discouraged, and to their aid the new society will doubtless come with its specials and improved classification. Another society recently formed by Mrs. Stennard Robinson is for self-coloured short-haired cats, and in the hands of this indefatigable lady it will doubtless prove and immense success. It is to be run on exactly the same lines as the Silver Society.

CAT GOSSIP. September 22, 1900, pg 49

BALLOCHMYLE PERFECTION is a double-distilled champion, having twice won the Cat Club gold medal for the best smooth cat in the show. He is an orange tabby, and his markings show well in the photograph, which, however, does not do justice to his head and shape. He is considered by all competent judges to be the best tabby, if not the best British, cat ever shown, and certainly I know of no cat likely to beat him if honestly judged. He is the property of Lady Alexander of Ballochmyle.

THE judges finally appointed for Brighton Cat Club show are, I understand, Miss Cochran, Mr. House, and Mr. Witt. Miss Cochran will judge blacks, whites, silvers, and Siamese; Mr. Witt, long-haired blues and neuters; and Mr. House, all the remaining classes.

Mrs. Grahame Menzies, of Hallyburton, Coupar Angus, has bred some nice kittens this year, and has just purchased a pair of blues from Mrs. Hill, with which she is much delighted. They are very pale in colour, with deep orange eves.

"ZAIDA," of Fur and Feather, once more charges headlong through my arguments in favour of rearing kittens on raw meat, but the breaches she makes are by no means serious. In the first place, "Zaida" accuses me of shifting my ground, which is hardly just, for, in response to her wail that she and many others could not possibly get fresh raw meat for their kittens, I suggested that when necessary the meat should be slightly cooked. I do not ter a moment assert: that cooked meat is as good as raw, but it is better than farinaceous food. "Zaida™ goes on to ask questions which have already been answered, for she wishes to know the exact quantity of meat to be given to each cat and kitten. Here I presuppose that "Zaida" possesses some small modicum of common sense - if she does not she had better give up cat breeding forthwith - and can see for herself what suits each individual. Broadly speaking, as I have before said, for kittens of four weeks a teaspoonful of meat three times a day will suffice, while those of twelve weeks will require a tablespoonful three tines it day. A kitten fed on raw meat will not bolt it with the haste of one to whom it is a treat, but to guard against choking let "Zaida" try giving her kittens large lumps of meat, which they cannot swallow whole, to chew at. Personally, I prefer a meat-chopping machine, but "Zaida" seems to grudge the labour of chopping. "Zaida" then asks for the name of one breeder who has proved a raw meat diet to be satisfactory, and I will generously give her two - Lady Marcus Beresford and Lady Alexander of Ballochmyle, both of whom have tried the system and proved its value. A number of other breeders are also being won over to my side. Finally, ‘' Zaida " accuses me of preaching what I do not practise. She is wrong. I have reared several valuable kittens this year entirely on raw meat, and I have never known a full-grown cat to overeat itself on this diet, and I give them as much as they will eat once a day.

I AM sorry to hear that Mrs. Champion's beautiful blue-eyed cat, White Tsar, has left these shores for America. Mrs. Colburn, of Chicago, is his new owner, and I think Tsar is well worth the £20 paid, for he promises to be a much better cat than his sire, White Friar.

CAT fanciers will he pleased to notice the great improvement which has recently taken place in that entertaining little paper, OUR CATS. I understand that the paper is under new management, and has decided to strike out a line of its own, and in future, instead at ranking as an N.C.C. organ, it proposes to give all clubs and societies "a fair show." This is good news, and if the paper keeps up to the mark of the last few weeks it will soon make its way.

I HEAR that everything promises well for the success of the great one day kitten show at Manchester. The judges are Miss D.B. Champion, Miss Simpson, Mr. Astley, and Mr. T.B. Mason. Miss Champion has not judged before, but she has considerable experience of cats, and very decided opinions on their merits, which she is not afraid to express, and this is what is wanted in a judge.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
DICK WHITTINGTON will be pleased to give advice on all matters concerning cats and their ailments, and will be glad to receive for insertion any interesting items of cat news that her readers may send. Queries must be written on one side of a separate sheet of paper, and must be signed with a pseudonym only for publication, but a letter giving full name and address of sender must accompany each query. A Postal reply will be sent if fee of 2s. 6d. is enclosed. Letters should be addressed, "DICK WHITTINGTON, care of Editor, THE LADIES' FIELD."
TIBBLES. - Try dusting th sore places with boracic acid powder, and feed the cat entirely on raw meat for a time, giving him only water to drink. If, however, the sores show any signs of spreading down the neck, you must show him to a vet, as soon as possible. Do not wash unless absolutely necessary.
BINKS. - I am certainly inclined to think that too much fish causes eczema in cats. I cannot give any reason for my opinion, but I have known lots of cats that ate fish and had eczema. In one cattery it was the staple diet, and every cat suffered from chronic eczema, but when they changed hands they seemed much better.
BENITO. - If you let your stud cat run free I do not expect you will have him long, as he will begin to stray soon after he is full-grown, perhaps even before, and then he will visit his home about once a week, in a half-starved condition, and all torn and ragged from many fights. He will end his days by being trapped or shot. It is far better and kinder to let him live in his own house and run, and, if he is amendable, take him for little walks around the garden.
PATCH. - It is impossible to say if your kittens are of any value or not, without seeing them. You say the mother is a "common English tabby," but that conveys nothing, for she may be a very good tabby or a very bad one. Generally speaking, however, the "come by chance" kittens of an English queen of no special merit are unlikely to be of value. If you keep one, select the one with the most clear and decided markings.
SUSAN. - I certainly cannot advise you to mate and unmarked cream with a brown tabby male. The chances would be strongly in favour of all the kittens, whether cream or brown, showing tabby markings. A black male or a blue one would be better, or, if you like experiments, try a blue-eyed white.
SNOOZLES. - Feed you kittens entirely on mince raw beef, and give them water to drink. Keep in a well-aired room free from draughts, and every other day provide them with a bunch of coarse dog-grass to nibble at. Rub the bare patches with a very little sulphur ointment. I think the bare scurfy patches have f=come from low condition due to the kittens having caught cold.
UNCLE TOM. - Blue Boy II. took first prize, and a number of specials, at both Westminster shows, but he was unable to take the challenge cup, as his owner did not belong to the cat club.
CATAMARLIN. - The particulars given are so very meagre that it is impossible for me to guess what is the matter with your cat. Will you write again, telling me how she is fed and if she has her liberty? In the meantime, rub the bare places with a a very little sulphur ointment, and let the cat have plenty of raw meat. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. September 29, 1900, pg 89

MR. WITT, of Birmingham, has made two important purchases - Blue Robin and Prince of the Fairies. Blue Robin is the well-known shaded blue cat, formerly the property of Miss Cochran, which took first and challenge cup at Westminster in 1899. Mr. Witt was anxious to secure this cat, because a number of his kittens had turned out so extremely well. Prince of the Fairies is a light shaded silver bred by Mrs. Marriott from Lord Argent and Seraph. He was for some time in Lady Marcus Beresford's cattery, and was then in Miss Lee's hands until Mr. Witt purchased him. Prince is chiefly celebrated for his emerald eyes, which won for him two specials at Westminster.

I AM pleased to see that OUR CATS is taking a hand in the kitten-feeding discussion, but I must protest against the statement, made therein, that a young kitten is very much like a young child, and must be treated accordingly. The natural food of a cat is raw meat, but surely not of man! It is quite true that a baby kitten must: be gradually accustomed to a raw meat diet, but if the kitten is fed on raw meat from four weeks old, it will commence in a very small way, and, as its appetite increases from day to day, no "breaking in" on the owner's part will be necessary. The point which tries my patience sorely in this discussion is that not one of these fanciers who argue against it seems to have given a raw meat diet a fair trial on their kittens, whereas I think I have personal experience of every method of kitten-feeding yet invented.

MRS. GREET writes in trouble over the health of two white kittens, which she thinks are suffering from cramp or rheumatism. I will give the description in her own words, in case any reader has seen a similar case: "I have some white Persian kittens, big: for their age, and with healthy appetites, but they suffer most dreadfully at times with cramp. Gentle touches with the finger-tips give relief, but they cry terribly at the least pressure, and one especially seems to be almost losing the use of the right hind-leg." I have never known a kitten to suffer from rheumatism, and I don't think I have heard of a case of cramp. Unless the kittens have had an accident and hurt their backs I should be inclined to treat for worms with one of the worm powders, and give them as much raw beet as they will eat, cream, and once daily a teaspoonful of cod-liver oil; the object being to build up the kittens' constitutions, and so cause them to outgrow their weakness.

MISS SHAPCOTT, who has left Chiswick, and is now living at Broadstairs, tells me that she has had nice little houses, with wire runs, put up in the garden for her cats, which are out of doors nearly all day, except when it rains, and seem to enjoy the sea breezes, of which they get the full benefit, as "Devonhurst "is on the sea front. Pollux, the handsome shaded silver by Lord Argent, is growing into a mgnificent cat.

I HEAR that the Silver Society is "catching on" in the United States, and a secretary has already bean appointed there to collect American members. The society proposes to offer prizes at American shows.

OUR CATS publishes some interesting notes on Japanese Cats, but they really give very little information as to the personal appearance of these animals. As far as one can gather, there is no recognised type of cat peculiar to Japan, but many more or less tailless are to be seen there. Siamese and other foreigners are more popular than the cats of the country.

CAT GOSSIP. October 6, 1900, pg 149

I HEAR a rumour that Lady Marcus Beresford is likely to be one of the judges at the next Westminster Show. I feel sure that fanciers will be pleased to show their cats under Lady Marcus, for her experience is such that her opinion on their merits is necessarily a valuable one.

MRS. NEILD tells me that a smoke kitten, which she is showing at Manchester, weighs 5lb. at three and a half months. I should like to know how this kitten is bred and how he has been fed. He is described as "black from head to foot, except when his coat is roughed the wrong way, and with light trill and ear tufts." Mrs. Neild is now the owner of the pale silver male, The Absent-minded Beggar. This young gentleman, who is of course called Tommy at home, has a very interesting pedigree, for he is a son of Ch. Lord Southampton and Dimity, who is also by Lord Southampton., Tommy is a very light, unmarked cat, with a broad, short head and big, green eyes. He has short, thick legs, and in winter carries an unusually heavy coat.

MISS WHITE ATKINS'S Syren has tad another family of little blues, and contrary to her usual habit, which is to produce unnecessary quantities of boys, all these four kittens are females.

MR. WITT informs me that last year his cattery was infested with fleas, but that these at once ceased to be troublesome when he took to mixing a little Sanitas sawdust with the common sawdust used in the pans.

MISS KIRKPATRICK is advertising two of her lovely blue kittens for sale, and I can strongly advise anyone wishing for a handsome kitten with a sweet disposition to write to her. Miss Kirkpatrick expects two more litters shortly, and intends selling some of the kittens to go to fosters at a week old.

"TIGER STRIPES," writing in OUR CATS, says re meat feeding: "I cannot imagine how anyone could possibly think this nourishing diet likely to produce distemper. I can undertake to say that for a positive fact that since I have rigidly adhered to a meat diet for my cats and kittens, I have never had an outbreak of distemper or skin disease in my cattery, which latter (skin disease) I have also seen mentioned as being the result of too much meat. From a common sense point of view alone, anyone should know that a strengthening diet is the best preventative of all these ‘catty' ills, and that distemper, skin diseased, weak eyes, etc., arise much more frequently from lowness of health, and a general debility, than from a too stimulating form of diet."

DICK WHITTINGTON begs to thank OUR CATS for its kind remarks about his notes in THE LADIES' FIELD.

I AM amused to see that Mrs. Balding's Silver Tod Sloan has been re-christened Diamond Jubilee. I believe this cat was originally so named for the date of his birth, but on coming into Mrs Balding's hands, that lady, with yearnings after sport, changed his name to Silver Tod Sloan, little thinking that the name of Diamond Jubilee would very shortly overshadow hat of the American jockey in sporting circles.

CAT GOSSIP. October 13, 1900, pg 212

MANCHESTER SHOW.
THE first show of the Northern Counties Cat Club has been a distinct success, although probably the pouring rain kept many people from coming, and the rather large afternoon entry fee prevented others. The room itself, a large one at the top of the Free Trade Hall Buildings, was airy and singularly free from draughts. Mr. Ward, with his usual devotion, sat up all Tuesday night with the kittens, and during the day following was continually looking after their comfort, The feeding was excellent - raw, finely chopped beet and boiled fish; also the comfort of the animals was greatly added to by a large handful of crumbled peat in the corner of each cage. No Manx was entered, and the Siamese were very poor, only one being worth seeing. Miss Armitage was lucky in getting the championship, for if the Russian 144 had arrived in time to compete, I think there is no doubt that No. 143 would have had to take a second place. Miss W. Beal has my sympathy, for she showed a kitten who would have done well if entered in the blue class. But by advice it was put in the A.O.V., and so got nothing. I looked very closely for the few white hairs spoken of, but saw only lighter ones, not one white or even cream. The light was very bad, and must have given the judges much trouble. Mr. Mason handled his classes well, and I wish all judges were as trustworthy as he. Miss Champion, too, is to be congratulated. To Mrs. Ransome thanks are due for the able way in which she has conducted the first show of the infant club. It must have given her a great deal of trouble and work, but we can truthfully say it has proved a distinct success. Also, there is no doubt that the show proposed to be held in December will be better attended both by exhibits and exhibitors.

In the class for long-haired litters under three months Miss W. Beal won with a beautiful blue litter, while in that for long-haired litters Mr. Charnley took first with some silver tabbies and Mr. Walker second with tortoiseshell and whites. In class III., for pairs of chinchilla long-hairs, Mr. George Walker won with a lovely pair of Mrs. Martin's breeding. Among blue pairs Mr. Buswell took first with a pretty couple by Darius, but Messrs. Drury Brothers' Lady Ruin and Lady Ronald would probably have won had they not arrived too late for competition. Mrs. Kennaway's pair were rather lucky to win in the orange and cream class, as one has a very light chin, and Miss Beal's pair, which took second, might well have been placed first. Mr. Money's winning blacks are a capital brace, with good eyes and small ears, but Mrs. Mackenzie's Samson and Nickie are pale in eyes and rusty on back, and Dr. Roper's One-One and Joesina excel in these points,

Mis. Mackensie Stewart's blue-eyed, white babies by Florian were shown in excellent condition, and well deserved their prize. The tabby pairs were disappointing, lack of markings and a superabundance of white chins being their most striking characteristics. In the A.O.C. class, Mrs. Alexander won with a handsome pair named Ivan Petruski Shiva, and Abdul Abulbul Ameer. Miss Box and Mr. Holden took second with a round-headed couple, and Mrs. Kennaway third with a pair of nice blues, handicapped by light noses.

The single chinchilla kitten class was well filled (twenty-nine entries), and first prizes were given to Mrs. Tyrwhitt Drake's Diamond Jubilee, who has lovely green eyes, and also to Mr. Martin's Silver Sunbeam, who is so pale in colour as to be almost white - in fact, a real" self-silver." Mrs. Walker's Woodheys Silver Monarch is very big, but shows too much marking, and Mrs. Bluhm's Silverton ran him very close for second place. The thirty-seven single blue kittens again obtained two first prizes, one going to Lord Strangways, a son of Blue Boy II., and the other to Mr. Maxwell's Tottie Goodenough, who also took the long-haired championship. She is certainly a charming kitten in shape and colour, but wants bone, Mrs. Bishop's Blue Mist, by Nankipoo, beat her in all points except eyes and ears, and many people thought she might have won.

In the orange and cream class, Mrs. Edmondson's Cassia (first) was such admired. In the single tabby class, the winners again failed in markings, and once more white lips were to the fore. In the A.O.C. class, Mrs. W. M. Neild won well with a magnificent smoke named Silver Soot. He is a grand kitten and well shown, and excels in head properties. Mrs. Bonny won all the prizes in short-haired tabbies with some capital browns and silvers.

MISS CARTMELL has not sold her two black Persian neuters, so is advertising them again in our columns, They are both handsome, well-shaped young cats of excellent: pedigree, and nicely trained. Miss Cartmell also wants to sell some of her younger kittens, out of the nest, to go to foster-mothers.

THE REV. C.W. LLOYD EVANS writes to tell me that his chinchilla cat Pearl recently purchased from Lady Marcus Beresford, has had three fine Kittens by that grand young cat, Windsor Beetle.

CAT GOSSIP. October 20, 1900, pg 231

THE schedule of the Crystal Palace Show has reached me, and, as usual, the attractions offered to exhibitors are very great. There are 120 Classes in all, fifty-four being tor long-haired cats and forty-four for short-hairs, while seven classes are provided or neuters and eleven for cats belonging to working men. To crown all, three ring classes for the three sexes are given. Eight premierships are offered, and thirty-five championships. The specials number 171, including the thirty-two offered by the Silver Society. These specials are in many cases most desirable, and include fifteen challenge cups, ten gold medals, a number of silver medals, silver salvers, and other charming and useful prizes. The judges appointed are Mrs. Strick, Miss Anderson Leake, Mr. Louis Wain, Mr. Welburn, and Mr. S. Woodiwiss.

MRS. THRING is much disappointed over the litter of blues expected by Timkins. Only one kitten put in an appearance, and it seemed to feel its lonely state deeply, and departed this life almost immediately. Ethel, the dam of the much-talked-of Roy, has apparently been struck by the smart appearance of one or two Schipperkes recently added to the establishment, and in her last litter produced a tailless kitten.

AT Altrincham, Mrs. W. M. Neild's little Siamese queen, Minthamee, carried ail before her and caused quite a sensation. Min, though small, is an exquisite colour and shape, and has magnificent blue eyes. She was bred by Mrs. Sutherland, and sent over from France to Miss Cochran when about six weeks cold. She caught influenza, distemper, and everything else she could find, she fell out of a high window and hurt her back, but finally developed into a hardy, wicked tittle cat, a credit to her raw beet diet, and was sold to Mrs. Neild in the spring.

MRS. NEILD had a most annoying experience at Altrincham Show. Her chinchilla kitten was removed from its pen before the judging, and no trace of it could be found for some days. I understand that it has now been returned, though by what means is not explained. As far as I can gather, very few precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the exhibits, which were taken out of their pens by anyone who wished to look at them.

MRS NEILD, by the way, says: "I have tried all diets for cats and kittens, and am entirely convinced that your raw meat one is the best, and, indeed, the only one, to rear them on." The smoke kitten, Silver Soot, mentioned a week or two ago as weighing 5lb. at three and a half months, was fed entirely on raw beef minced fine. At the Manchester Kitten Show, Siver Soot won everything for which he competed.

CAT GOSSIP. October 27, 1900, pg 271

By the time these lines appear in print the Crystal Palace Cat Show will be over. I fully expect that this show will be an even greater success than usual. I do not agree with those people whose think that the raised entrance fee for non-members of the N.C.C. will interfere with the entry, for the simple reason that the members of the N.C.C. are sufficiently numerous to fill a large show with their own exhibits; and, besides, I think that people who intend showing their cats and think they have reasonable hopes of winning (as what exhibitor has not?) will not be deterred from entering by the extra 1s. 6d., much though they may grudge it.

The experiment of having two judges for the same classes is to be tried, and this plan will, no doubt, prove to have both its advantages and disadvantages. It will be most convenient for one judge, when attacked by an irate exhibitor, to be able to reply, "Please, sir, it was the other boy;" but it will prove a stumbling-block if the two judges cannot agree as to which is the best cat, and the calling in of an umpire to decide their differences will cause considerable delay if it is of frequent occurrence.

"ANXIOUS" writes to me concerning the health of a recently-purchased kitten. She was instructed by the breeder to feed it on arrowroot, breadcrumb, meat and gravy, and milk continually, and the result naturally is that the kitten is troubled with chronic diarrhoea, the fact being that its digestion is over-taxed. People quite overlook the fact that milk is a food in itself, and that a kitten which is constantly drinking milk cannot be ready for its proper meals, nor do its digestive organs get any time to rest. Three or four good meals a day are ample for any kitten up to six months; after that only two meals a day are required, and no milk should be given between times.

I HAVE received a long, interesting letter from Mrs. Marriott, in which she says; "I must write just a line to say how entirely I agree with your ‘raw meat' crusade. I have known for years the wonders raw meat will do for cats and kits. I tried it first for a sick cat by Mr. Sewell's advice, and was so struck by the result that it at once became my ‘sick diet' and sovereign cure. I have only tried it for kittens the last two years, and even now can't manage an entire raw meat diet, but simply from bothers with butchers and ‘cook.' Finding the right diet rather a trouble to provide does not alter its being the best diet. Seraph's present four Tod Sloan infants have had raw meat once a day at least since they were six weeks old, and have done splendidly, and been no trouble. One has been very sick twice after a bread and milk meal, but was none worse, only very ready for raw meat next meal. Raw meat is expensive, but it works like a charm. I would rather keep three of four healthy cats on meat than a dozen unsatisfactory ones on a mixed diet."

MRS. NEILD is looking forward much to a litter of kittens expected by The Absent-minded Beggar ex Sylvie. The Absent-minded Beggar, now Mrs. Neild's property, is that grand young green-eyed silver bred by Miss Cochran from Ch. Lord Southampton and Dimity, and Silvie is also a very pale silver cat, or, as her mistress describes her, "a real dirty white." Mirs. Neild has been very successful with her kittens this summer, all having turned out well, and none having had any ailments. Miss Horsman's Cikka, which is now nursing a lovely litter of chinchillas, was bred by Mrs. Neild.

THE CAT trade seems to be brisk in Scotland, for Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart has "never been so busy in all her life," what with looking after cats and writing letters. Her cats this year have been rationally treated, and the results are excellent. The cat-house doors have stood open from the time the kittens were a week old. The stud cats are fed entirely on raw meat, and are in splendid condition. Mrs. Stewart says that Ronald has exceeded her expectations as a sire, and Blue Ribbon's kittens by him are exquisite. Seven people in Irvine have started cat-breeding, and a working man has sold a litter of five blue kittens by Ronald, from a pedigreeless queen for £14, so, as Mrs. Stewart says, "I think that shows how cats are doing in Ayrshire."

MRS. PETER BROWN, of Kilmarnock, has a handsome kitten with a marvellous head by Windsor Beetle ex Springfield Puff, who is one of the largest female cats ever seen.

MISS FRASER, of Islandbank House, Inverness, has successfully tried the experiment of keeping Siamese cats without artificially heated catteries. This, I have always maintained, is the only way to keep cats of any sort in health. Miss Fraser brought her cats home from the Straits, and has two dark "Temple" cats and two light "Palace" ones, and some kittens. They live in an unheated stable, running out of doors as they will and sleeping in a straw-filled manger, and they are few principally on fish and chicken-bones! They are splendid ratters, but are most virtuous in refraining from chicken-killing.

CAT GOSSIP. November 3, 1900, pg 311

THE CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW.
THIS was a record show as regards entries, the largest known, with 1,011, but only some 580 cats were penned. Taken as a show it may be described as quite a success; the quality was good, but nothing out of the common. In some cases, the classes were enormous, and taxed to the uttermost the brain and strength of the judges, who were but five in number (less than usual). The limit and novice classes were particularly heavy, and here we might suggest that, instead of the various breeds being distributed all over the show, each variety should be kept together, and a distinctive mark attached to the pens of cats entered in more than one class. it would lessen the duties of the judge and reporter, and materially assist the visitor who is not well versed in the wavs of shows - in fact, a new arrangement altogether is required. The judges in the larger sections were on duty from 10 am. to nearly 8 the first night, and for five hours on the second day. Surely it requires a little help from the executive to shorten such a task. The specials were a great source of trouble, it being next to impossible to distinguish green eyes from orange or yellow in the show tent. The Silver Society offered a great many, but the silver cats, shaded silvers, and chinchillas were all entered in the same classes, which were called "Chinchilla" - a most foolish name. In point of fact, there was but one cat which resembled the chinchilla fur of commerce, and that we heard dubbed with truth as a "mackerel silver tabby," which it really was. Though a great beauty, it was not considered correct, however, and was passed over. In an experience of nearly fifteen years, this is the only cat we have ever seen at all like the fur which gives the variety its name,

There were two sensations in the show the first day, and it grieves us sincerely to chronicle that a few minutes after the public were admitted to the tent Mes. Champion's Argent Moonbeam was found dying in his pen. Though he was removed at once, and everything was done tor him, he died in less than half an hour. The second sensation was the loss of a well-known cat belonging to Miss Anderson Leake, who, with Mrs. W.H. Strick, shared the heaviest classes as judge. It was discovered that her favourite, Abdul Hamet of Dinglev, whom she herself showed to the vet. and entrusted a man employed in the show to pen (as she, being a judge and her cat not for competition, could not do so herself), was missing, and though the show wis searched both days no trace of the lost cat could be found.

The white long-hairs were not a great entry, the blue-eyed Wanderer and Beautiful Pearl being the winners. Mr. Little and Mrs. Herring supplied the winners in blacks and Lord Albemarle and Madame Freda. Ayrshire Ronald, in blue males, simply had nothing to touch him and he was looking grand. Miss Jay's Mighty Atom repeated her very popular win of last year by securing the prize for the best long-haired cat in the show, and had no difficulty in doing so, and certainty not another male or female can beat her in point of head, which is phenomenal. In silvers, Silver Dove and Ch. Zaida were successful, the former winning the championship, but the silver of chinchilla classes at this show were the best ever seen - hardly a second-class cat in all the classes - most of them worthy of a prize. Silver Star was first in open, and, unfortunately, in the confused compilation of the judging book, was overlooked altogether in the novice class, where he would have been second to Silver Dove. Miss S. Meeson's trio of Duval kittens fairly swept the board, and could hardly be seen for cards of wins and specials. Smokes were not easy to follow. Ranji was far and away the best, but the queen, in the poor light, looked more like a blue than a smoke, and was practically minus the light under-coat. Her name, Lobelia II., was, considering the class, unfortunate.

The silver tabby male class was poor, but the queens were good. Brown tabby classed were fair, headed by Persimmon and Floriamar. Siamese were only fair, Eve being the best in the class. The Abyssinians were good, an all free from the objectionable stripe down the back. Manx were not remarkable. Miss Beal won the team, and Mrs. Stead the brace with her smokes. Ballochmyle Sampson, the champion, again beat King Saul, the two best tortoiseshell toms in the short-haired class, Miss Willoughby providing the winner in queens, Fulmer May. The veteran Ch. Jimmy was an easy winner of short-haired silver tabby males despite his years, and Mr. Blacket's Silver and Silver Star were first and second in queens, but they might have changed places with advantage. Ch. Xenophon was again to the fore in brown tabbies but was closely pressed by Flying Fox. Goldfinder and Perfection were responsible for the chief wins in red tabby class, and were in grand coat.

Lady Alexander's whites were practically invincible, and Snow King and Snow Man took first and second. Blues were not remarkable. Kittens were, as usual, both long and short haired, the chief attractions, and were excellent. The workmen's classes filled well. The ring class, a great feature of the show, was not judged when we left.

AT THE recent committee meeting of the Cat Club several important decision affecting the Westminster Show were made. The show will most likely take place about the 17th and 18th of January, and classes for pairs of kittens between five and eight months, also selling classes, will be provided.

I AM not a great advocate of selling classes, as there is nothing to prevent owners from entering their cats in the ordinary classes at a reasonable price. At Westminster there will be a class for long-haired cats and one for short-hairs, prices not to exceed £3 3s. and £2 2s. respectively.

ANOTHER important decision is that owners are to be allowed to decorate their cats with any colour of ribbon they may prefer. There can be no possible doubt that this is a retrograde movement, and hardly less mistaken is the new rule which states that baskets are not to be included in the sale of cats. This will prevent a number of sales from taking place, as it is not to be expected that intending purchasers will be willing to rush off to buy a basket or hamper in which to take their new possession home, and it would surely be easy for the seller, in fixing the price of a cat or kitten, to name one sufficiently high to cover the price of its travelling basket. Of course, complications do occur where two cats are sent in a double basket, but the Cat Club exhibition rules specially state that each cat or kitten must be sent in a separate box or basket.

CAT GOSSIP. November 10, 1900, pg 378

EVERYONE will be glad to hear that the poisoning scare at the Crystal Palace Show has proved to be, as most such scares are, without foundation. The post=mortem proves that the veterinary surgeons at the show were correct in their diagnosis, and that the cat died of disease of the valves of the heart. Genuine cases of animal poisoning are few and far between, and cannot be accepted as authentic without an analysis. Owners of both dogs and cats are apt hastily to conclude that their pets have been poisoned, and they frequently assert that an analysis (and sometimes even a post-mortem) is unnecessary as they "know" it was poison. The action of the N.C.C. authorities in immediately sending the body of Argent Moonbeam, together with the food and milk in his pen, for examination is most commendable.

SIR CLAUD AND LADY ALEXANDER did not spend much time at the Cat Show, for I met them at the Edinburgh Show on the 24th, they having travelled North on the night of the 23rd to show their beautiful Skye terriers.

THE fifth volume of the N.C.C. Stud Book, compiled by Miss Champion, has been published. This is a most useful and complete publication. The N.C.C. goes one better then the Cat Club, for it includes wins at Brighton and Westminster, while the Cat Club ignores all but its own Westminster shows. There are a few accidental omissions in the book, as in the case of Sedgemere Betty Blue, whose owner's name is not given, but on the whole, the book is carefully compiled and does Miss Champion much credit.

THE Brighton schedule is now ready. The show is under the patronage and control of the Cat Club. The show is to be a small one, limited to 250 cats, so the classification is therefore also small. There are fourteen classes for long-haired cats and kittens and eleven for short-hairs, including one for Siamese, one for Manx, and one kitten class.

MRS. KENNAWAY has parted with her orange kitten Saffron, first prize-winner at Manchester, and also a promising brown tabby, to Mr. Astley, of STOCK-KEEPER renown.

MRS. CURWEN writes that her blue Persian, Luna, has had eight lovl=ely blue kittens by Blue Boy II., and that, as the foster mother provided proved a delusion, she has reared them almost entirely herself. Truly a record performance, which speaks will for the stamina of the cat.

I MET with a such a charming little poem about cats the other day that I cannot resist quoting some parts of it.
THE CAT'S CRUELTY
On all the cruel things there are
A cat is cruellest by far.
While other creatures kill outright,
To persecute is her delight.
So when you hear that Pussy's prey
Successfully has got away,
You should enthusiastic be
And ask for marmalade for tea.

THE CAT'S SHORTSIGHTEDNESS
A kitten need not be a dunce,
Nor specially absurd,
To see no difference at once
Between a bee and bird.
It has to learn by slow degrees
That, though they both have wings,
There's far too little meat on bees,
And far too many stings.

CAT GOSSIP. November 17, 1900, pg 390

LADY MURIEL FOX STRANGWAYS has purchased from Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Maconochie the very promising young blue Persian male, Tovil Jumbo. The Tovil strain is almost invariably successful in the show pen, and Lady Muriel has entered her new possession at the Brighton Cat Show.

I WAS much pleased to hear that Miss Anderson Leake has recovered her beautiful silver tabby cat Abdul Hamet of Dingley. This cat, it will be remembered, mysteriously disappeared the night before the Crystal Palace Show, but on the second day of the show he was found walking about in one of the courts of the Palace. Possibly the man who was penning him let him escape, and was afraid to confess what he had done, but, at any rate, no official explanation of the incident is forthcoming.

MRS. DOYLE is going abroad on account of her little son's health and is therefore parting with all her cats including the beautiful Hazel, Ronald's mother.

MUCH has been said and written lately about the qualifications of a good judge, but one point, which has been overlooked, invariably betrays the incompetent novice, and that is the inability to submit to criticism. The incompetent judge does not hesitate to undertake the duties of judge at a big show, and he fulfils them with indifferent success; but if in a report of the show, probably written by someone of much greater experience than his own, his awards are criticised, he promptly gives himself away by rushing into print and insinuating the reporter does not know his business. The experienced judge knows better: he realizes that a newspaper report is merely the expression of one man's opinion as against that of another, and may or may not be the correct one. In any case, he does not seek the "fight the matter out," as the inexperienced novice does.

MRS. NEILD tells me that The Absent-minded Beggar is in fine coat, and that his colour, from nose to tail-tip, id a dirty white, without a single mark. He eats about a pound of raw meat and half an ounce of cod-liver oil a day, besides light refreshments in the shape od Ridge's food and sardines. Mrs. Neild proposed to advertise him in these columns shortly for the benefit of readers of THE LADIES' FIELD.

CAT GOSSIP. November 24, 1900, pg 433

MRS. BROWN of Kilmarnock, who is only a beginner in the cat fancy, has a magnificent silver kitten by Windsor Beetle ex Springfield Puff. This kitten has an enormous head. Huge limbs, and a heavy coat. As a companion he has a charming little blue queen, bred ny Mrs. Stewart from Ronald and Bluebell. Puff has just had another family of five beautiful kittens by Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart's FitzEustace. Starting with such well-bred stock, Mrs. Brown should not be long in making her way in the cat world, but she, wisely, intends keeping only two or three cats - the very best obtainable. Mrs. Brown, by the way, is an advocate of raw meat feeding.

I SHOULD be infinitely obliged if my correspondents would kindly read the rules in connection with this column, and endeavour to observe them. All letters must be addressed to "Dick Whittington," care of the Editor, THE LADIES' FIELD, etc. Letters must on no account be sent to my private address, nor should private letters be send to the office. If these simple rules are not observed, letters will in future remain unnoticed.

MISS SNELL asks me to correct an error which appeared in our account of the Crystal Palace Show. Her first-prize chinchilla male cat is called Silver Starlight, not Silver Star.

I AM so frequently asked if cat breeding is profitable, that a few words on the subject will not come amiss, Cat breeding is certainly not a hobby for anyone to take up with a view to adding a small income. It can be made to pay, more or less, but the risks of heavy loss are great, and inexperienced persons are practically certain to have a good deal of bad luck. Moreover, to start a good cattery some capital would be required.

CAT GOSSIP. December 1, 1900, pg 475

MISS DERBY HYDE purchased Mrs. Hawkins's winning Siamese male at Brighton, at his catalogue price of £6 6s., which was a ridiculous sum, considering that Toto is one of the best Siamese males, if not the best, I have ever seen. He and his sister, Tata, the second prize-winner, are a magnificent pair, but Toto gains slightly in face and density of points, though the little queen is a trifle better in body shape. Miss Derby Hyde was asked to sell her purchase at an advanced price, but wisely preferred to stick to him.

AT Brighton I was much struck by the great improvement in size and bone of the chinchilla male cats. The queens are still terribly ethereal, but some of the males - notably the winner, Silver Tod Sloan - are large, heavily-boned cats. Unfortunately, Persian cats seem to be very backward in their coats his year, and the chance of many otherwise good cats was spoilt by the old brown dead coat on their backs.

ANOTHER specialist cat club has been started. This is to encourage orange, cream, fawn, and tortoiseshell cats, and Miss Mildred Beal, of Romaldkirk Rectory, Darlington, is the secretary. The objects of the society read well until we come to the last clause, which says: "Inasmuch as many fanciers disagree as to the merits of the different tints for eyes, to encourage the breeding and showing of specimens with green, orange, hazel, and blue eyes." I am sorry to see so well-known a fancier as Miss Beal countenancing such a suggestion, for their can be no doubt in the minds of all judges that green eyes in an orange or cream cat are quite incorrect. Ask the breeders of short-haired orange or red tabbies what they think, and they surely should know, for they have bred their cats to a far higher standard of perfection that the long-haired breeders. With regard to blue eyes no comment is necessary, as a cream or orange cat with blue eyes has yet to be bred.

TO chronicle deaths and misfortunes is always and unpleasant task, but I feel that I must express my sympathy for Mrs. Martin in the loss of her beautiful chinchilla male, Silver Dove, which, though a young cat, had taken a number of prizes. Another well-known cat which has joined the majority is White Tsar, the blue-eyed white sold to America by Mrs. Champion. Tsar succumbed to heart disease.

THE Cat Club, already well supplied with challenge cups, is now going in for breeders' cups, to be awarded to the best cat or any breed "bred by exhibitor." Lady Marcus Beresford offers one for orange long-hairs, Mrs. Barnett for blues, and the Stud Cat Register for chinchillas of silvers. Lady Alexander has presented a cup for self-coloured short-hairs, and is collecting money to buy one for tabbies. She will be much obliged is any one interested in short-haired tabbies will send a subscription, if it is only a shilling, to her at Faygate Wood, Sussex, or to Miss Derby Hyde, St. Peter's, North Moreton, Wallingford.

THE following letter may prove of interest to my readers:-
DEAR DICK WHITTINGTON, - I am very interested in the perusal of that part of THE LADIES' FIELD which comes under your able editorship. The subject of feline dietary is a very important one, and in the main I am at one with the views propounded by you; but as your correspondents differ in their experience regarding the value of milk as one article of diet to be relied upon for cats, I venture to offer you the experience I have gained respecting same. I have found the results very uncertain, some cats doing well, others very indifferently, some preferring it to water, others refusing to touch it. In endeavouring to account for these discrepancies, it occurred to me that possibly boracic acid, which all dairymen are permitted to introduce into their stocks of milk, presumably as an antiseptic agent and to prevent early decomposition, might account for a good deal, and I thereupon put the matter to the test. I found that whereas some cats resolutely refused milk with boracic acid in it, if offered milk that was absolutely pure as from the cow they partook of it eagerly; at the same time cats that would partake of milk, whether containing the acid or not, did well on the pure, but only indifferently on that treated with the acid.

Of course, boracic acid has its own peculiar pathogenetic properties, which in susceptible subjects will display themselves, though only partaken of in infinitesimal doses. So much for that part of the subject.

One of your correspondents, whose communication appears in a recent issue of THE LADIES' FIELD, uses American meat raw. This, of course, has always undergone the freezing operation, and I have found that this process is highly detrimental, especially to delicate cats. The reasons probably are that the tissues and juices undergo some change not as yet explained, while the low temperature of the juices is decidedly detrimental, especially to sick cats; this I have proved to my own satisfaction.

Veterinary surgeons would generally study cats more closely if owners and exhibitors did not attempt to regulate fees by the size of the patients. I am giving special attention for the subject of feline pets. I have all me remedies specially prepared for cats and dogs, to render administration easier than in the case of the ordinary nauseous drugs, and at potencies that are decidedly more effective in their actions that the crude drugs which not infrequently intensify rather than relieve symptoms.

Hoping that these few thoughts may not be unacceptable, I remain, Dear DICK WHITTINGTON, yours faithfully. (Signed) J. SUTCLIFFE HURNDALL. M.R.C.V.S.

The first part of this letter will recall to the memories of cat fanciers the summer of q899, when such numbers of kittens died from the effects of boracic acid in the milk. Miss White Atkins, in particular, lost all her best kittens from liver and digestive troubles, which, once started, seemed incurable, and since then she has used only condensed milk in the cattery. Other breeders have found goat-keeping gave better results. There is no doubt that boracic acid in milk is a slow poison for kittens, but seven absolutely pure milk is not to be recommended for them, as I have said before. The warning against the use of foreign meat, raw, should be taken to heart, and great credit is due to Mr. Sutcliffe Hurndall for making known the fact that it is injurious to cats.

CAT GOSSIP. December 8, 1900, pg 553

MRS. W.H. STRICK writes that, though several people interested in foreign cats have asked for her to send some notes on Japanese cats to these columns, she has up to the present declined to so so until she could give a photograph to illustrate them. When staying recently at Kepwich Park, Mr. Strick took a photograph of a pair, Kove and The Geisha, which is here reproduced. The first Mors. Morrison bought were Kobe and Obi, a pair of whites, who have been exhibited both at the Crystal palace and at Cruft's. They were bought from a woman at the docks, and were brought back to England by a sailor who concealed the small kittens in his jumper of frock. Obi, the female was brought first, and the next voyage Kobe was transported in a like manner. Obi is without a vestige of a tail, while Kobe has scut like a rabbit. Afterwards, Mrs. McLaren Morrison bought the Geisha, a lavender shade of blue, flecks with yellow, from Captain Case, who had exhibited her at Cruft's Cat Show. All are very high on the hind legs, and built exactly on the lines of a Manx. All three cats - Kobe, Obi, and Captain Case's cat - jave a thick undercoat, like the Russians, which gives the fluffy appearance, and to pass one's hand through the coat is enough to convince one that here is a different class of cat from the Manx, which has less, if any, undercoat, and is more like the English cat in texture of fur. Mrs. Strick also tells us that she has seen kittens by both queens and Kobe within a few hours of birth, and that they are destitute of a tail, very few having even a scut. Some two or three years ago, Mrs. Strick, noticing in a shop door a black tailless cat with the same sort of fur, went in and made enquiries, and found, as she had expected, that it had been procured from the docks from the wife of a sailor on board a ship which had traded with Japan, but could get no further information. She would have bought it, but on a second visit discovered that it suffered from a chronic snuffling cold, and the mouth revealed age. The Japanese cats are not delicate, but are unable to stand the damp. The Japanese cats at Kepwich are kept quite apart from all the other varieties, and there has been no cross mating. When Captain Case brought Uki San back from Japan, she showed it to Mrs. Strick, who is one of his oldest friends, at at her advice it was exhibited both by his sister. Mrs. J. Stirling-Mould, and himself at various shows, and ha been a winner on each occasion. It is to be hoped that sooner or later all these cats will appear once more at the same show, and attract more attention tan they did when three of them were exhibited at one of Cruft's Cat Shows. They were all prize-winners, but as the subject of their identity was undiscussed, they passed without any notice whatever, and probably got the awards more because they looked something out of the common that from the fact that they came from the Land of the Rising Sun.

IT has been suggested that I should from time to time give a few practical hints on the treatment of some cats' ailments, and I will therefore proceed to take their most common ailments in turn, beginning with skin diseases. Mange in ats may be considered almost hopeless, and I strongly advise amateurs not to attempt home treatment for this complaint, but immediately to send the cat to a vet. There is no doubt that human beings are easily infected with this horrible complaint, and this is an additional reason for bundling all animals suffering from it off the premises. Cats cannot be muzzled, and they seem to have a perfect mania for licking off all the dressings which are applied to their skins, and therefore only very mild remedies can be used, for fear of the patient poisoning itself. The safest remedy in the hands of the amateur for all skin diseases is an ointment composed of sulphur and Vaseline, but this must be sparingly used and well rubbed into the skin, since, if the cat licks off any quantity of it, it will be found to cause illness. In cases of mange the ointment must be rubbed into the skin every day. All dressings containing spirits of tar must be avoided, as, thought it is not generally known, this is a virulent poison to the cat.

THE amateur's chief difficulty will be to distinguish between mange and other comparatively harmless disorders, and, indeed, a skilled veterinary surgeon cannot pronounce upon a cause of serious skin disease with any degree of certainty until he has made an exhaustive microscopical examination. Generally speaking, if a cat is suffering from eczema or some other non-contagious complaint, it will be found to commence about the head and ears, and gradually spread down the neck and back. If, however, the disease appears about the paws and nose, the presumption is that the disease is contagious, and the animal, in biting and scratching the affected parts, has reinfected itself.

A CAT suffering from mange must not be allowed to go near any other animal. All bedding used by it must be burned, and every nook and cranny of the house it has occupied must be washed out with strong disinfectant, and left empty and open to the air for some weeks before any other animal is allowed to occupy it. The person who attends to the patient should not afterwards touch any other animal until the outer garments have been changed and the hands washed in disinfectant. The patient must be generously fed raw beef forming the principal article of diet, and, when possible, freshly killed sparrows may be given. A teaspoonful of cod-liver oil night and morning will help to keep up the strength of the patient, and a constant supply of coarse dog grass must not be forgotten.

ECZEMA is a much more common complaint among cats than mange, and if taken in hand at once it can often be cured, but when t has got thoroughly into the animal's blood it is not likely to be completely eradicated. What few fanciers understand is that external applications are absolutely useless. The first thing is to change the patient's diet. It will, as a rule, be found that it has been accustomed to having very little meat, and, therefore, the change to a meat diet, raw meat for preference, will work wonders, and if a teaspoonful of cod-liver oil twice daily is added, and the patient is allowed to have its liberty, it will probably soon be all right. Two grains of bicarbonate of potash daily will be found beneficial, and if a local application seems necessary one of the simples and most soothing should be applied. If the sore places are red and watery-looking, boracic acid powder applied daily is best, but it is well not to leave much of it about the cat's coat, since, if licked off, it is likely to upset the cat's digestion. If the skin is dry and hard, scabby lumps appear, a very small quantity of sulphur ointment or zinc ointment may be rubbed in. It should be remembered that eczema almost invariably comes from low condition, and not from over-feeding, and that the great point is to improve the general health and get up the strength of the patient. Worms are often the cause of skin disease, and, when this is the case, of course they must be got rid of. - DICK WHITTINGTON.

CAT GOSSIP. December 15, 1900, pg 9

THE Manchester Show, held in the Coal Exchange, was fairly successful so far as entries go, but unfortunately the hall was small and rather dark and badly ventilated. The sensation of the show was the downfall of Ch. Wankee, the well-known Siamese. To the amazement and horror of everyone he was only awarded V.H.C., while Mrs. Backhouse's Eve took first and Mrs. Neild's Minthamee third. Miss Beal's fawn, Midshipmite, won as the best cat in the show. The chinchilla class was led by Mrs. Bluhen's [Bluhm's?] Silver Sultan, who is a beautiful colour, but might have given place to Mrs. Balding's grand-headed Silver Tod Sloan. One of the best cats shown was Miss Ward's blue eyed white, The Jovial Monk, a son of White Friar and Crustal. Mr. Kuhnel's red tabby, Belle of Bradford, carried all before her in short-hairs, but te classes suffered considerably from the absence of Lady Alexander's cats.

AT Westminster Show the long-haired classes will be judged by Miss Jay, Miss Champion, Miss Hester Cochran, Mr. Wellburn, and Mr. House; the English cats by Mr. Astley; the Russians and Siamese by Mrs. Carew Cox; and the Manx by Miss Cochran. Lady Alexander of Ballochmyle is no longer collecting money for a breeders' cup at the Westminster Show, nor is she presenting a breeders' cup, as stated a week or two ago.

LADY ALEXANDER is to be congratulated on possessing what is, undoubtedly, the finest team of short-haired cats in England, and her cattery contains seven champions. Chs. Ballochmyle Snow King and Billie Blue Eyes are the two best whites in England, and Ch. Otter has never been surpassed, either as a tricolour of as a cat. Blue King, though a champion, is only a third string, as the two other blue short-haired males, Brother Bump and Bumpums, are undoubtedly finer cats. The Manx cats are well-known to fame, but perhaps the greatest celebrities in the cattery are Lady Alexander's invincible family of red tabbies. These cats are almost impossible to obtain, though the common orange tabby is often met with, and all the big winners belong to the strain of which Lady Alexander possesses the leading members. Chs. Perfection and Goldfinder, Craven Prince and Red Eagle, have already made their mark in the show pen, and some of their descendants will be hard to beat in the future.

LADY MURIEL FOX-STRANGWAYS made her debut as a cat exhibitor at Brighton, but her initial experience has been rather unfortunate, as her cat, Tovil Jumbo, has died of an internal chill since the show. Jumbo was a magnificent blue male of Mrs. Hill's well-known strain, and Lady Muriel had purchased him at a high figure quite recently.

MISS WHITE ATKINS has bred a very nice litter of three white kittens from White Knight and Aisha. One of these kittens will probably travel to Chicago in the spring, and another has been sold to Mr. Knight. Miss Atkins has purchased from Mrs. Mackenzie Stewart the young cream tom by Zoroaster, which took first in the selling class at the Crystal Palace.

ONE of the palest cream cats which have yet been shown is Mrs. Davies's Lord Cremorne, who appeared at Brighton. Unfortunately he had to be entered in a variety class, but I am certain that in a class for creams he must do well, as ther is no male cat to equal him in colour; and in eyes, and all other points, he is considerably above the average.

MRS. NEILD asks me to announce that she has left Beechfield, and that her address is now Hart Hill, Bowdon, Cheshire.

THE stud book of the Beresford Cat Club, Chicago, of which I have received a copy, is a remarkably well got up book, bound in purple, with silver lettering. The pedigrees contained therein include the names of many of our best English cats. Various details not usually given in such publications appear; for example, we notice that the sire of one cat was "killed in a railway accident."

CAT GOSSIP. December 22, 1900, pg 66

THE topic of conversation among cat-fanciers at present is "the epidemic." Upwards of a hundred of the best cats in the country have succumbed, and in nearly every case the post-mortem has shown gastro-enteritis. Personally I am of the opinion that the cat epidemic is of somewhat the same nature as the so-called Stuttgart disease in dogs, and that both are a form of distemper. The cat succumbs to the disease more rapidly than the dog, and before many of the symptoms have had time to develop, and also I think it is more susceptible to diseases of the stomach and intestines than any other domestic animal. It is rarely that a cat or kitten attached by this disease recovers and death frequently takes place with twelve or twenty-four hours. Physic is of no use, as the patient is sick immediately after swallowing anything. The only thing to be done is to keep the animal warm, and put a pinch of carbonate of bismuth on its tongue three or four times daily. When it shows symptoms of recovery it should be feed very sparingly on minced raw beef, not more than a teaspoonful at a meal. I have saved cats in the early stages of this complaint by dosing them with a quarter of a Carter's liver pill twice daily, and keeping them without food, but frequently putting three or four spoonfuls of warm water down their throats. I have known this to stop the sickness if it had not got to an advanced stage.

A NUMBER of causes for the epidemic have been suggested. One which finds much favour is that a portion of the food provided to cats at shows gets lost among the bedding, and is found and eaten next day when in a decomposed state. This I consider exceedingly unlikely, as a cat would be in a very hungry state before it would eat food upon which it had sat all day. Another suggestion is that the disinfectants dusted into the pens are th cause of the trouble. Here again I venture to disagree, for it is very rarely that disinfectants are put in the pens at any of the big shows, and it is after them that epidemics occur, whereas at badly-managed little local poultry shows the cats are fairly drowned with disinfectants, which can be smelt in their coats for weeks, though they are none the worse.

I AM sorry to hear that Toto, the Brighton winning Siamese is dead. His loss must be very disappointing for Miss Derby Hyde, who only purchased him at Brighton show.

IT IS really time that something should be definitely settled with regard to cats entered in the A.O.C. class. At present it is left to the discretion of the judge to decide what cats are eligible for the A.O.C. class, and where more than one judge is employed the result is frequently laughable. Take for example the recent Manchester Show, where Mr. Wellburn judged tabbies and smokes and Mr. House the A.O.C. classes. In the smoke class was entered Mr. Box and Miss Holden's Norris Royal, while in the A.O.C. class was entered Mrs. Boutcher's Lord Sylvester. These cats are similar in colour, being in my opinion, pale smokes. Mr. Wellburn disqualified Norris Royal, saying he should be in the A.O.C. class, while Mr. House marked Lord Sylvester wrong class as he considered him a smoke. In the tabby limit class Mrs. Cartwright entered Upwood Dew, a blue tabby, which Mr. Wellburn marked wrong class, and in the A.O.C. kitten class, Mr. House treated Mrs. Kennaway's kitten in the same way, as, though it is a shaded blue, not nearly so heavily marked as Upward Dew, he considered it to be a blue tabby.

MISS FORESTIER WALKER is endeavouring to start a "Siamese Society," which I expect will be well supported.

PSYCHE is a pretty silver tabby cat, the property of Miss Hawkins, who has had the same strain of cats for several generations. Miss Hawkins's cats are celebrated for their beauty and their intelligence, and several of them have done well in the show pen.

CAT GOSSIP. December 29, 1900, pg 105

THE Cat Club some time ago decided that blue or black cats with a few white hairs on the throat should be exhibited in the A.O.C. class. The N.C.C. do not appear to have any rule in the matter, and in consequence some confusion has lately arisen. The N.C.C. considers that these cats should take their chance in the self-coloured class, but, as a contemporary suggests, what would then become of the A.O.C. classes? Perhaps it would be better to do away with them altogether, but then there would be no opening for "novelties."

THE "epidemic" does not yet appear to have worked itself out, and a further list of casualties is reported since the Manchester Show. It is three years since there was such an outbreak; and the last one, after the Crystal Palace show of 1897, principally five or six months old. In cases of ordinary distemper raw meat will work wonders, and spoon feeding must never be resorted to while the patient can be persuaded to eat the tiniest scrap of solid food. The reason is that liquid food is not suited to the cat's internal economy, and sets up all kinds of complications. One grain doses of quinine for kittens, and two grains for cats, given twice daily, will often do good.

I HAVE always maintained that cold would do cats no harm so long as they were kept dry, and I have now discovered that they will thrive even in damp if they have plenty of fresh air and are properly fed. In a certain large cattery, the inmates of which are invariably shown in perfect condition and carry off innumerable prizes, there are no patent cat-houses or heated rooms. The cats live in chicken-coops and runs on the grass, and their beds are the only dry spots in the winter months, but they never catch colds or coughs, and always look fat and sleek. Needless to say, they are fed entirely on raw meat.

A MISTAKE was made in the issue of December 8th, in which Mrs. W.H. Strick was given as the owner of the Japanese cats, which are the property of the Hon. Mrs. McL. Morrison. The photograph was the work of Mr. W.H. Strick, probably hence the mistake.

THE following paragraph, taken from FUR AND FEATHER, is both interesting and amusing:-
Mrs Dean writes: "Having been out of England since February, and therefore obliged to miss all the chief cat shows of 1900, I hailed with delight the announcement that LE JOURNAL was holding a show, at the end of November, in le Jardin d'Acclimatation. I went early so as to really see the 234 cats, and it was well I did, for the crush late on was tremendous. The show, held in a large palm house, was prettily arranged. The cages, made like ours, were placed on higher tables, and nothing allowed under them. Neither were there any draperies to the tables, so the air passed freely all round the animals. The bedding was sawdust or chaff, the food tins much as in England, raw meat and milk being given. Males, females, and neuters competed together, and as which was not objected to on any cat, almost every animal in the show was partly white. In all the classes eyes were of no account; all the winners would have failed to score in England on that point alone. The Siamese were a strong class, but outside that any of out third-class cats would have come out easy winners provided they had some white upon them, for that is evidently a sine qua non. A perfect but small blue female and a lovely cream were both passed without notice, but brown tabbies with white chins, chests, and paws received prizes. Coats were very poor, but the cats were a good size, though many showed no trace of their reputed Angora breed, and often appeared quit short-coated."
From the foregoing paragraph it may be concluded that the cat fancy in Paris is still in its infancy.

MIS CAMPBELL, of Woodside Crescent, Glasgow, owns two handsome Persian cats, Con and Buttons. Buttons, aged three years and three months, I a fine blue son of Mrs. Young's Blue Jacket, and Con is a really magnificent smoke whose pedigree is unknown, as he was won in a raffle at a bazaar.

MESSYBEAST - OLD CAT BOOKS

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