BLUE-BLOODED PERSIAN TABBIES DEVELOP CALM TEMPERAMENT OF ALLEY CATS WHEN ALLOWED TO ROAM, SAYS OWNER OF FIVE
The Bridgeport Telegram, January 3, 1925, Bridgeport, Connecticut

SILVER SHAGMOOR - An excellent example of sensible well regulated training, Shagmoor is so devoid of ail “nerves" that he struts nonchalantly about the streets oblivious to tooting automobiles.

Cats, born of aristocratic parent, and bred in an environment of silken pillows, much petting, and fussed about food, almost always turn out to be nervous temperamental creatures. So says Miss Lilla M. Brown, of 1773 East Main street, owner of five marvellous Persian cats, all of which boast family tree famous enough to stagger the best of feline society. The best known is Silver Shagmoor, eighteen months old, weighing quite fifteen pounds. He is the grandson of champion Sapphire who in turn was the son of the famous Turk’s Cap of Hyver and of Mollie of Hyver, named by Miss E G Hydon of New York.

“This is Silver Shagmoor, commonly called ‘Buster’” said Miss Brown as a great mass of silver fur came gracefully to the room and two great eyes peered cautiously around. The following ensued: ‘Come Buster, stand on your hind legs’ Buster promptly sat down. ‘Put up your paw,’ Buster rolled on his side and shut his eye. ‘Buster do your little jump now’ Buster yawned in a bored manned and blinked.

After some persuasion he consented to do his little hoop stunt after which he proudly strutted around the room showing off his bushy tail, the silver stripe down his back, the beautiful apron beneath his chin, and his cute little black feet. This valuable Persian won first prize at the cat show held in Bridgeport, December 1923, first prize at the cat show held in New Haven February, 1924, two prizes at the cat show in Norwalk June, 1924, and both special and first prizes at the last cat show held in Bridgeport, December 1924.

Chubby Has an Appetite

"Chubby,” also a grandson of Champion Sapphire, is only eight months old, and quite black without a single mark on him. He took a blue ribbon at the last cat exhibit in Bridgeport which happened to be his first show.

“Chubby is the greatest eater of them all," said Miss Brown. "There isn’t a thing that he won't cat. Ice cream, eggs, bacon or apple pie. All are equally acceptable. Winter Bell is the one with which I have the most trouble, for she was pampered a great deal before she came to me. But look at her beautiful coat,” and she turned about a kitten almost pure white with long fluffy hair, as soft as silk. This cat, but five months old is the granddaughter of Winter Pax known as King of the Cat World and reputed to be worth $5000. Winter Pax is owned by Miss Carrol Macy of New York, well known breeder of Persian cat Winter Bell. Her granddaughter recently won a blue ribbon In the “kitty class” at the Silver Society show held in the Waldorf Astoria, the beginning of the month.

"Winter Bell is a fine example of a pampered, over-petted Kitten,” claimed Miss Brown . “When I got her, she turned her nose up at half food the offered, and fretted and grumbled most of the time. Nor is she half as strong as the rest of my cats, for her luxurious life, lined with silken cushions so to speak, prevented her developing any of the hardiness which she ought to have. Her disposition nervous, inclined to irritability and she is what would be termed very temperamental in a human being. She is so excitable that when I took her to the cat show last week, she almost created a riot. When first arrived I noted that she was fussying in her basket and so I tied her in. Then, all of a sudden she got loose and tore up the length of the aisle rushing up onto the stage. There she foiled all my efforts to catch her, not even recognizing me. Terror-stricken she dashed from one corner to another and when I succeeded in finally getting hold of her, I was severely bitten on every finger she could grab.

Had to Have Bromide

’‘Only after the administration of some bromide, did the poor pussy at all quieten down. Even then, it seemed as though she trembled for hours just from fright. I was not the only one, however, who experienced trouble with a frightened cat. A friend of mine who intended showing her pet at the show, never even got as far as far as the door. Her charge became so panicy that she was forced to return home with it. This cat is so highly strung the sound of any sort of a motor, auto or trolley car, sends it.into a regular fit.

“Some time ago, this same friend tried to train her cat into a harness, similar to the one which I use regularly for Silver Shagmoor. Now Shag is quite at home in his, and proudly struts down Main street, perfectly unafraid, and very conceited about his appearance. My friend thought to do the same thing. But she no sooner got her cat into the harness than it became quite paralyzed through fear and she found that it couldn't walk at all. Upon calling the doctor, she discovered that the shock had paralysed the cat’s two hind legs. It was a long time before poor pussy recovered sufficiently to go outside the door again.

That will show you just how excitable are high bred cats, whereas the average alley cat wouldn't, turn a whisker throughout the same circumstances.” Miss Brown continued.

“This high strung condition of course the result of two things, training anti Inherent characteristics. I am doing all I can at the present time to make Winter Bell as sturdy and as oven tempered as Silver Shagmoor. Silver Shagmoor, or Buster, as I generally call him is as hard as iron, with a stomach that will stand anything. He is so blasee, in fact, that he refuses to get out of the way of an approaching automobile, but just trusts to luck that the car will run around him instead of over him

Get Soap and Water Baths

“He has a great habit of sneaking out of the house when I am not looking and going across the street to stare in the store window. Not but that I allow my cats to go when and where they wish. I think perhaps that is the secret of my success with them. I want them to grow up natural cats, and so I give them free rein. ‘ They come and go, they play and fight among themselves, sometimes pulling out each other's hair until they cry. But withal they grow up strong and sturdy and I have never yet lost a single cat.”

Besides the three prize winning cats, Miss Brown has two others; Patsy a tabby, and Ruffles, a shaded silver. Both have won minor blue ribbons. Each of the five cats appears so well groomed, one might think they never did a thing but sit around on silk cushions. Yet there isn't a single silken cushion belonging to the cats.

However, they do receive a lot of care. The younger ones are given many soap and water baths to which they seem to grow accustomed in time. The older ones however, get powder baths, a sort of dry cleaning" process.

“But mine don’t receive half the care that some of the pampered 'show’ pussies get,” said Miss Brown, "yet they are far stronger than the average Persian cat shown at the cat exhibit, which only goes to prove that after all a natural training is far better than an artificial training."