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diff --git a/43930-0.txt b/43930-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bbc0cde --- /dev/null +++ b/43930-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2532 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43930 *** + +THE CAT + + + + +[Illustration: WHITE CAT AND KITTENS.] + + + + + THE CAT: + + _ITS NATURAL HISTORY; DOMESTIC + VARIETIES; MANAGEMENT AND + TREATMENT._ + + (_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS._) + + + BY PHILIP M. RULE. + + + _WITH AN ESSAY ON FELINE INSTINCT, + BY BERNARD PEREZ._ + + + London: + SWAN SONNENSCHEIN, LOWREY & CO., + PATERNOSTER SQUARE. + 1887. + + + + + Butler & Tanner, + The Selwood Printing Works, + Frome, and London. + + + + + TO JOHN COLAM, ESQ., + + SECRETARY TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE + PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, + + THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, + IN RECOGNITION OF THE NOBLE AND UNFAILING + DEVOTION DISPLAYED BY HIM IN ADVOCATING + THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY; + AND IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE AUTHOR'S + APPRECIATION OF HIS REGARD FOR AND INTEREST IN + THE SUBJECT OF THE FOLLOWING PAGES. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + CHAPTER I. + + GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 1 + + CHAPTER II. + + GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS (_continued_) 10 + + CHAPTER III. + + FOOD 31 + + CHAPTER IV. + + ON THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF CATS 45 + + CHAPTER V. + + DOMESTIC VARIETIES 58 + + CHAPTER VI. + + ON THE DISEASES OF CATS 80 + + CHAPTER VII. + + ON THE DISEASES OF CATS (_continued_) 102 + + ESSAY ON FELINE INSTINCT 133 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Before sending forth this little book, I consider it my duty to request +the attention of the patient reader to a few introductory and explanatory +remarks. During some portion of the past year I contributed a series of +short papers upon the cat to that most admirable monthly _The Animal +World_. Through the kind and hearty manner in which the Editor brought the +papers out from month to month, and also by the expressed desire of many +friends, I have been encouraged to reproduce the papers in the present +form. Some slight revision has, of course, been found necessary; but very +little addition has been made, it being my desire to produce a small and +attractive volume, with the hope that it may reach to many homes where the +hints it contains can perhaps be of some practical service. Nevertheless, +I hope there may be found enough interesting or instructive matter to +excite in the mind and heart of some a deeper interest in or regard for an +animal that too often is esteemed worthy of but slight attention. + +I am indebted to Mr. Harrison Weir for his kindness in supplying me with a +few particulars connected with the organization of the first Cat Show, +held at the Crystal Palace, in 1871. + +In the last chapter the reader will see that I have made several +quotations, somewhat at length: I have done so with the very kind and +ready permission of the writer, MR. HAROLD LEENEY, M.R.C.V.S. + +P. M. RULE. + +MAIDSTONE. + + + + +THE CAT. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +_GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS._ + + +The origin of the domestic cat (_Felis domestica_) is a subject about +which there has been much conjecture and scientific discussion, but +without any positive issue. Very long before the cat was kept in this +country as a domesticated animal it was possessed by the ancient Egyptians +in a tame state, and was, moreover, held in reverence by that remarkable +and superstitious people, being regarded sacred to the goddess Pasht. At +death the body was embalmed with devout care, and specimens of cat mummies +may be seen in the British Museum. The Egyptian cat (_Felis maniculata_) +may, however, be regarded as probably the original source of our familiar +puss. This wild cat is of a sandy-grey or tawny colour, and with more or +less indistinct markings of the tabby character. It is of about ordinary +size; the tail is in form somewhat like that of most of our cats, and the +ears are largish and pointed in a slightly lynx-like fashion. It is +supposed that domesticated animals spread from Egypt with the tide of +civilization westward. I may here notice that, unlike the dog, the cat +has never been tamed by the savage races of mankind. But by the +civilized, or even the semi-civilized, peoples of the world the cat is at +the present day more or less valued as a useful mouser or as a cherished +household pet. It is remarkable that at a time when the wild cat (_Felis +catus_) was very abundant in England, the house-cat was unknown. It was +evidently an animal of foreign importation, and so highly valued as a +mouser as to have been protected by royal statute. The earliest record of +the tame cat in this country is as remote as A.D. 948. Prince Howel Dda, +or Howel the Good, enforced the very just but primitive fine of a milch +ewe, its fleece and lamb, or as much wheat from the destroyer or robber +of a cat at the Royal granary as would cover it to the tip of the tail, +the animal being suspended by that member, with the head only touching the +ground. + +As the domestic cat in different parts of the world will breed +occasionally with the wild races of the locality, and as cats are conveyed +from country to country, it is probable that our cats are of somewhat +compound pedigree. It is considered probable that our fine English tabbies +have a trace of the British wild-cat blood in their veins, although it may +be obscure. The domestic cat is not regarded in zoology as the typical +form to represent the beautiful group known as the _Felidæ_, or the cat +family, as might naturally be supposed; and it might have justly been so. +But the animal chosen as the generic example is the common wild cat, and +therefore known in science as _Felis catus_, _felis_ being the generic +title and _catus_ the specific name, which every reader will understand to +signify cat. It will be beyond the scope and aim of this chapter to +describe all the known distinct species of wild cat. In describing the +true cats, such as the Pampas cat, or the Colocolo of America, the Chaus, +or the Serval of Africa, the Viverrine, or the Leopard cat of India, our +subject would lead us on from these and other "tiger cats," as the Ocelot, +and the Riman-Dahan, without power to define a clear line of distinction, +up to the leopards, and finally to the "King of Beasts" himself. Of all +these _Felidæ_ there are upwards of half a hundred distinct species known, +to say nothing of the permanent varieties--which, with regard to domestic +animals, are termed "breeds"--and the casual "sports," and variations of +colour, etc. But the true wild cat (_Felis catus_) is deserving of notice, +being the only form that is a native of this country, and often termed by +us the British wild cat, although now almost totally extinct on our +island. Its last haunt here is in the remote parts of Scotland; and so +scarce has it become, that its existence, even there, is now somewhat +doubtful. But it is still now to be found, with but slight local +variations, on the continent of Europe and Northern Asia, and is, +therefore, also known as the European wild cat. It is not found very far +north, and neither in Norway nor Sweden; there the lynx reigns supreme. +The wild cat is a fine animal, of larger growth than the cat of our +familiar acquaintance, and stands tall. It is a strong, muscular, +well-built cat,--a perfect tabby,--and so fierce an animal as to have been +justly termed the "British Tiger." An adult male measures about +twenty-eight inches in length from the nose to the root of the tail, and +the tail is about thirteen inches, which is proportionately short, and it +does not taper at the end, as does that of our domestic cats, but is about +the same thickness throughout, resembling somewhat that of the Serval. +When the animal is excited, and the tail enlarges, after the manner of all +cats, it presents a splendid brush. + +[Illustration: WILD CAT.] + +In country places, where rabbits are abundant,--and, we may add, the +smaller, but not less destructive, rodents, and a variety of feathered +game,--the barn-door cat is sometimes tempted to abscond and take to a +romantic and semi-wild life in the woods. Kittens born of such parents +have no desire for the domestic hearth, and are wild and suspicions to a +degree. Were it not for the vigilance and unremitting persecution of +gamekeepers and others, which has robbed our land of the noble _Felis +catus_, in common with many other rare and interesting creatures, it is +probable that but very few consecutive generations would suffice to +produce a truly wild race. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS._ + +(_Continued._) + + +A short time ago I had two kittens which were born in the Zoological +Gardens, Regent's Park, and bred between the domestic tortoiseshell and +the British wild cat, that have for several years occupied together a cage +in the winter aviary. This crescent-shaped row of cages, although +originally an aviary, has for some years been occupied by animals of a +decidedly bird-fancying character. There the animals in question may have +been seen, and in an adjoining cage a specimen of the Viverrine cat--so +named from the somewhat civet-like form of the muzzle. But it is a true +cat, every inch, and bears every cat in countenance by its love of fish. +Being most unusually adroit at capturing fish from shallow water, it is +commonly named the Fishing Cat. The specimen I allude to was brought from +India by the Prince of Wales, and graciously presented to the Zoological +Society. These cages contain also other animals of interest, such as the +Civet, Poradoxure, etc.[1] But to return to the kittens. When only able +to crawl, as I examined the litter, the little things spat most +vigorously, for probably they had not before seen anybody in the cage +except their keeper. The two I selected were a red tabby and a +tortoiseshell. The red tabby was a male, as red tabby cats generally are, +and he decidedly resembled his father, if not in colour, in disposition +and temperament. I took them from the litter at the early age of nearly +seven weeks. The contrast between their behaviour and that of tame kittens +was most remarkable. At the slightest surprise or displeasure they would +spit with wide-open mouth and a display of ivory fangs in a most +threatening manner. When I gave them milk, they would in a very unpolite +fashion growl together. They never ate near each other, but pouncing upon +their meat and carrying it to a far corner apart, would growl in a most +warning tone, and answer back again and again till the last morsel should +be consumed. On one occasion they had quite a desperate tug of war over +the same piece of meat, and it was with some difficulty that I could part +them, for fear of using too much force and hurting their young teeth. But +when not feeding, the tortoiseshell became not only docile, but most +affectionate and pleasing, in her little ways. She would fondle and purr +in a manner that won the affection of my heart. On the other hand, the +tabby was, at the best, passively composed, but always watchful, and never +certain in mood. I can hardly say which of the two I prized most. In the +one I admired the manifestations of its inborn nature, and would on no +account check or discourage such signs of high blood. Towards the other I +felt there was a mutual and spiritual bond of affection, which I can +better conceive than describe. Dryden's lines upon a tame leopard express +very nearly my feelings respecting these two little beasts (see page 21). +Unfortunately, the kittens died very suddenly, and at the same hour, after +a short career of three months. There is reason to suspect that poison was +the cause of their untimely end. Nothing now remains but the stuffed +skins, mounted in admirable style, under a glass case. + +Probably the veneration with which the Egyptians regarded the cat was in +no way diminished by the probable utility of their revered favourites in +keeping under the increase of such remarkably prolific and fast-growing +rodents as are mice and rats; and it is reasonable to suppose these little +animals must have been harmful in the vast stores of grain which are +recorded in ancient history. Pussy's valuable qualities as a mouser are to +the present day too well known to need much comment. A friend of mine told +me the other day that once, when he removed to another house, and had +also deposited his favourite cat, with the usual precaution of buttering +paws, and consolation of a more solid nature in addition, the servant, on +entering the kitchen in the morning, found fourteen mice lying dead on the +hearth-rug, most of them decapitated. The usual preference which cats have +for the heads of their prey is remarkable, and has been noticed in both +tame and wild animals. One of the most noticeable characteristics of the +cat kind is the silent tread. Even the footfall of the huge tigers, as +they pace to and fro in their roomy cages or in their open-air enclosures +at the Zoological Gardens is hardly to be heard. For not only is the cat a +digitigrade animal, walking absolutely "tiptoe" in the most perfect +manner, but the toes are furnished with a most elastic membrane, +constituting what are commonly called pussy's "pads." She is thus enabled +to skulk stealthily in search of her desired prey, and can on all +occasions move with that unobtrusive grace and silent ease peculiarly +characteristic of her race. The retractile construction of the peculiarity +sharp claws is also a beautiful adaptation to the requirements of these +Nimrods of creation. Generally these useful weapons are held back, nicely +sheathed and safe from harm. They are readily, however, protruded at will +when required for offensive or defensive service, in holding secure an +unfortunate victim, or as hooks to assist in climbing trees, etc. The +senses of the cat are all highly developed. That of hearing is most acute. +The sense of smell is not so acute as in the dog and some other +animals--at least, it is assumed so; but it is quite evident that the ear +and the eye are put to the best service by the cat. But dirt and bad +smells are much disliked, while, on the other hand, there is a remarkable +partiality for some smells. Cats appear to enjoy the perfume of many +flowers, and their fondness for the odour of cat-mint or valerian is +remarkable. As may be noticed by the prompt, unerring manner in which a +cat will dart at a mouse or any small moving object in almost total +darkness, she has the power to see near objects without the light required +by ourselves and most animals. Absolutely total darkness is evidently not +advantageous to pussy's vision, and the assertion that the cat can see +better in the dark must not be regarded in an abstract, but in a +comparative, sense. The pupil of the eye has the round shape, as in +ourselves, only during darkness, when it is dilated so as to receive every +ray of light available. By day, on the other hand, when there is more +light than the eye requires, the pupil contracts to an ellipse, or, in the +strongest light, to a mere line. This peculiarity is absent in the lion +and tiger and a few others. A peculiarity in the cat and some other +animals may be noticed in the highly-developed bristles, commonly called +"whiskers," but more appropriately termed "feelers." These are not, as +some may suppose, only common hairs of larger growth, but are deeply +implanted, having large swollen roots, somewhat in the form of young +onions, and are connected with highly sensitive nerves which communicate +with the brain. By means of these bristles the cat is enabled to feel its +way the more stealthily, avoiding the clumsy disturbance of surrounding +objects that might impede its progress. + +It will be seen by the foregoing brief description of its leading physical +characteristics that the cat is, of all animals, the most perfectly and +beautifully formed for the fulfilments of the instincts and requirements +of its nature. The silent, soft tread of the velvet paw, with the finely +pointed and carefully preserved claws, the terrible fangs, the keen eye, +and the light, easy, soft, yet powerful and unerring, action of the whole +body--all these render the cats, from the great Bengal tiger downwards, +the most charming and graceful creatures in animated nature. + + The panther, sure the noblest next the hind, + And fairest creature of the spotted kind; + Oh, could her inborn stains be washed away, + She were too good to be a beast of prey! + How can I praise or blame, and not offend, + Or how divide the frailty from the friend? + Her faults and virtues lie so mixed that she + Nor wholly stands condemned, nor wholly free. + +But there is yet another physical peculiarity worthy of passing notice; +viz., the remarkably loose skin. This is connected with the flesh by a +layer of very loose fibres. The cat's loose skin serves her well on many +occasions as a shield of protection, especially when scuffling with her +neighbours--an occurrence which will sometimes take place. This +peculiarity may be occasionally seen well exhibited in the jaguars and +other great cats at the Zoological Gardens, more especially when they are +young and sportive. To see the powerful manner in which these animals +embrace each other with their great hooked claws may cause some +apprehension that serious consequences are about to result. If the skin +were tightly fitted to the body, as with the horse, hog, ox, and other +herbivorous animals, the result of such violent scufflings would be very +serious. But, as may be seen, the animals do not get good hold of each +other, as the skin is dragged round with the claws, and the hold is lost. + +The following account of the sagacity of a young black-and-white tom-cat, +which occurred about twenty years ago, is, I think, worth relating as +illustrative of the retentive memory and the remarkable prescience which +many cats appear to possess as a peculiar mental endowment. + +The house being covered with corrugated iron, and the spaces formed by the +corrugations where the roof met the walls not being stopped, but left open +to admit air into the roof, the whole space of the unused interior of the +roof was a favourite breeding-place for countless broods of sparrows and +starlings. The roof was accessible to human and other intruders by a small +trap-door above the lobby at the top of the staircase. It was a square +house, of good dimensions, but of only two stories. I have described these +particulars in order to be better understood in narrating the +circumstances. + +It so happened that we wanted some small boards which had been stored away +in the roof, and we entered by the aid of a light ladder; and it also +happened that puss, unobserved, followed the example of the man-servant +and myself, but from quite another motive, prompted, doubtless, by the +chirping of the birds, it being early summer. As soon, however, as we +could get Tom down, we closed the trap, and returned the ladder to its +proper place. About a month afterwards, I had to resort to the roof again, +and accordingly went for the ladder, which was kept against a fence at +another part of the premises. As soon as I brought the ladder into the +back yard, and laid it on the ground, in order to unfasten a door leading +straight into the hall, Tom became suddenly most excited with delight. He +must have seen the ladder often since he entered the roof by it, as it was +used for various purposes, such as lighting the outdoor lamps, +window-cleaning, etc. But now he at once conceived, by a most sagacious +inference, my intention. He paced about the yard, close to the ladder, +tail erect, and talking as only an earnest and happy cat can talk. +Immediately I took the ladder in and hoisted it through the well of the +staircase, he scaled it like a squirrel, and was waiting for me to follow +upstairs. As soon then as I drew the ladder up, and raised the trap with +the end of it, and while it was in my hands, he clambered up and out of +sight. Before going up myself I thought it best to await Tom's return, and +there was but little time lost before he came down, stile by stile, with a +sparrow in his mouth. Then I at once brought down what I wanted, closed +the trap, returned the ladder to its place, and the birds afterwards +enjoyed undisturbed safety and peace. + +There was, about the same time, a tortoiseshell cat at the house of a +relative which became much attached to me. Her affection was so strong +that she even knew my knock at the front door from that of anybody else. +On hearing my knock, she would speak in her loving and expressive tone, +and meet me in the hall. She was an adult cat, the mother of many kittens, +and yet, notwithstanding the cares of life, she delighted in a most +remarkable little eccentricity of her own. It was the peculiar habit of +taking the pendent lobe of my ear into her mouth and sucking it with +charming avidity. The peculiar sensation felt under the operation, though +not unpleasant to me, was not enjoyed or tolerated by other persons, and +she was sometimes rather rudely repulsed when trying to practise upon +strangers. + +Those who admire and observe the habits of cats may have noticed that when +two are snugly engaged together in dressing their fur, they are often +mutually pleased in paying particular attention to the face and ears of +each other. A short time ago I was pleased and amused with two charming +kittens upon my knee. They were each equally resolved to lick the face and +ears of the other, and tried hard to prevail. Eventually, one became +resolute, and placing her left arm round her brother's shoulder and her +right paw upon his cheek, she licked and nibbled into his short, round +velvet ear (for they were little over two months old at the time), to her +utmost satisfaction and his evident enjoyment. + +As is well known, the cat often evinces to a remarkable degree an +instinctive power, if such it may be called, of finding its way back to a +home from which it has been removed. Some years ago, an officer of the +Royal Marines, upon promotion, removed from his private quarters at +Stonehouse, Plymouth, to Portsmouth. Having a favourite cat,--a black male +of about twelve months old,--he resolved to send it to Portsmouth by rail +in a hamper. It arrived at its destination safely enough, but on the +afternoon of the day following, which was Sunday, it was missing, but was +actually found in the garden of its beloved home at Stonehouse on the +evening of Wednesday in the ensuing week. It was at once recognised and +taken charge of by a kind neighbour, who knew the cat well. Considering it +went by train, secured in a hamper, it is difficult even to conjecture by +what means it was guided homewards, a distance of about a hundred and +thirty miles as the crow flies, and within ten or eleven days. I was +living at Stonehouse at the time this strange occurrence took +place,--about nineteen years ago,--and narrate the particulars from +memory. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_FOOD._ + + +Although the cat is in many respects so hardy an animal as to have the +popular reputation of possessing nine lives, we must bear in mind that +puss is not of such an iron constitution as to be entirely independent of +all care. No animal better repays its owner for the attention rightly +bestowed upon it than does the cat. Pussy's wants are not many, and are +very simple indeed. It is the duty of every owner of pet animals first to +ascertain the nature and requirements of his charge, and then to use that +knowledge with thought and right feeling. Subsequent experience also +proves a good teacher, and especially so when it is supported by previous +knowledge. + +Being normally a purely carnivorous creature, the cat requires to subsist +principally upon animal food. But, nevertheless, owing to its long +established association with mankind, the domestic cat has acquired a +constitutional capacity for subsisting upon a somewhat miscellaneous bill +of fare. Consequently, the intestines of the tame cat are said to be +slightly longer and somewhat wider than in the wild races--the latter +requiring a rather less lengthened process in digesting the simple and +highly nutritious diet which instinct teaches them to select. But still +our puss is, as God created her, a perfect beast of prey. There is no +complicated stomach, as in the ox, antelope, sheep, and other +ruminants--no perfect grinders, like mill-stones, as in the mouth of the +horse, elephant, hog, etc. The dentition of the cat, as also that of the +lion, leopard, ocelot, lynx, and other _Felidæ_, is beautifully adapted by +the all-wise Creator for holding, tearing, or devouring their living prey. +On inspecting the teeth of a cat, the four large, powerful, and sharply +pointed canine teeth, or fangs, will naturally attract attention. With +these the prey is seized, and is usually carried, or the piercing and +fatal bite is effected. It will be noticed, by the way, that a cat, if +possible, always carries a mouse or a bird, quite away from the spot where +it may have been captured. The attack is, however, made with the claws +first, and the cat does not seize with teeth only, as does the dog. At the +front, between the tusks, will be seen six small incisors, and back, +behind the tusks, on fangs, are the molar and premolar, or crushing teeth. +The dentition of the cat is as follows (the letters _i_, _c_, _p_, _m_ +signifying incisor, canine, premolar, and molar):-- + + _i_{3--3 _c_{1--1 _p_{3--3 _m_{1--1} 30. + {3--3 {1--1 {2--2 {1--1} + +The milk dentition in the kitten is the same as to number, with the +exception of the molars, which are absent, and appear only as permanent +teeth. The incisors appear between two and three weeks after birth, and +are followed by the canines and molars, which are all cut by the time the +kitten has attained the age of six weeks. They are shed, and replaced by +the permanent teeth, after the seventh month. Therefore the teeth in a +kitten are twenty-six in number. It may be easily noticed that the teeth +of the lower jaw bite within those of the upper. The jaws are so +articulated as to allow of up-and-down motion only, and accordingly the +cats and other carnivora are unable to grind their food by a sideway +motion, as we do ourselves, and as is most noticeable in a horse when +feeding, but crush and chop the flesh and bones upon which they feed by a +jerking motion of the head. + +We are all familiar with the rough nature of the tongue--a peculiarity in +the cat and all her kind. It is in dressing the exceedingly beautiful and +sleek fur that the tongue is of important service, as comb, brush, and +sponge in combination. + +The domestic cat being almost a purely carnivorous animal, to say the +least, requires food of a character congenial to the instincts of her +nature. It is difficult to state in measured terms the needful quantity of +a cat's daily allowance. The amount may be regulated by observation, right +judgment, and experience. It is not so needful with cats that live in the +country, especially at a farm, where mice of different kinds and other +small game are plentiful, and a liberal supply of milk, to feed them +largely upon meat; but under less favourable circumstances the common +house cat often suffers much privation. Where there is a large family, and +but one cat or so, there may generally, with a little thought, be odd +pieces of various kinds gathered together sufficient to meet pussy's +wants. But in a small household, where limited and strict economy is +rightly observed, the poor cat may fare but badly. Under such +circumstances, in order to maintain a vigorous, happy, and respectable +cat, it will be found needful to buy cats'-meat of some sort. For this +purpose boiled horseflesh is commonly supplied, the peculiar call of the +cats'-meat man being a well-known sound in our large towns. There is, +however, but slight risk of animals fed upon this meat becoming diseased +by eating the flesh of unhealthy horses. Horseflesh is to be recommended +as convenient and cheap, and cats are also very fond of it. When in a +state of putrefaction it is most unwholesome, and if those who buy +horseflesh will be a little careful in the selection of it, the +horse-slaughterer, or "knacker," will be accordingly regardful of the +condition of the meat he supplies. + +Bullocks' or sheep's lights are excellent, especially the latter. These +are usually boiled, as they will then keep longer, and when given largely, +are better so prepared. But they are good raw, occasionally. Too constant +and abundant feeding upon raw lights, or even raw flesh of a more solid +kind, especially if not quite fresh and healthy, is liable sometimes to +scour the cat. The poor animal, however clean and regular in its habits, +may then become offensive in the house. Boiled lights are very +unsubstantial, and can be given liberally. Raw meat, however, in +moderation, is often good for a cat, especially where there are no mice or +other game, and it tends to improve the spirit of the animal. + +Cats generally prefer mutton to beef, but they will not touch fat meat, +unless they are famished, and it is most unsuitable, and should never be +offered. Fish is exceedingly good for a change, and the cat's love for +such light and cooling diet is well known; and as to rabbit or hare, there +can be no greater treat. We may also say the same of feathered game. + +An adult cat will thrive well with one feed per day, in addition to a +little good, pure milk in the morning. To this a little sweet, stale white +bread may be added. The rest can be left to chance. + +But I may here warn the owner of a pet cat against over-feeding. It is +well to be regular as to the time of feeding, for this reason: an animal +that is fed at all hours of the day will be always expecting, and always +asking and looking in a very expressive manner, and it, of course, +receives the attention of its affectionate guardians; whereas, an animal +that is regularly fed will enjoy its food with hungry relish, and will not +at other times be over-troublesome. Two errors have to be guarded against +in the feeding of animals generally, and the cat in particular: careless +neglect or grudged attention on the one hand, and, on the other, +thoughtless tampering and weak-minded indulgence. + +A supply of pure water should be kept within the cat's reach. Although of +by no means a thirsty nature, there are times when water will be sought +after, as during very dry and hot weather, or after food of a +thirst-producing character; and we never know what a cat may pick up. + +Notwithstanding that the generality of cats are very badly attended to, I +may here remark that large, strong, high conditioned animals are much +benefited by an occasional fast. This remark I make, however, with +caution, and rely upon the good sense of the reader. + +Be careful never to feed in a stale dish, and always give milk in a well +washed saucer or other vessel. Never let what the cat may leave stand +about, but dispose of it otherwise. The savour of onion is very +distasteful to all cats, and they will often loathe good meat that is +strongly seasoned with it. + +It may here be observed that the cat is even sometimes of a slightly +insectivorous propensity. Young, sportive cats, more especially, have much +amusement in playing with cockroaches, and sometimes eat them. But they +appear to eat them more from accident or idleness than from desire; much +the same as a schoolboy will eat acorns. Occasionally, pussy will be +fortunate in catching such rare game as a cricket. Flies are not easily +caught, except in a window; and they are said to make cats thin. Beetles, +I think, do a cat no harm. Lions and other beasts of prey are known to +feed largely upon locusts, which occur in such vast swarms in the great +African continent. + +It should be observed, respecting milk, that for animals generally, as +for ourselves, it is decidedly improved by boiling. Pussy will, therefore, +readily partake of bread and milk prepared for the family breakfast or +supper. And she will not often refuse a little plain baked rice-pudding, +or other simple preparation containing milk as the principal ingredient. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_ON THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF CATS._ + + +Having briefly considered the general feeding of our fireside favourite, +we may proceed to discuss the consideration of its proper care and +treatment during the different stages, conditions, and circumstances of a +life that can be made happy or wretched at the mercy of those who +undertake, or may pretend to undertake, to be its possessors and +guardians. + +To begin towards the beginning, we may suppose that a charming little +kitten, of about ten or twelve weeks, has been deposited in its new home. +Being an innocent, simple, happy tempered little creature, it will make +itself at home in so pleasing a manner as to gain the approval, if not the +affection, of every kind-hearted person in the house. Supposing it to be a +well conditioned little animal, of good parentage, and from a comfortable +home, it will probably be found to prove itself a clean and nicely behaved +little innocent, if rightly managed with care and quiet attention. No +animal is instinctively cleaner in its habits, in every way, than is the +cat. It is this natural virtue which renders pussy so generally a favoured +inmate of the household. As is well known, cats are guided by a peculiar +instinct to scratch up earth for the purpose of hiding their excrements. +Where there is no access to a garden, they will resort to cinders or +coal-dust, and although not, perhaps, desirable, will meet with better +approval than the carpet. For the accommodation of a kitten indoors, it is +a good plan to have a large flower-pot saucer--the larger the better, but +not less than fifteen inches in diameter--kept in some suitable corner, +with a little clean garden-earth or sand in it. It need not contain much +earth, and it can be changed at will; but should not be allowed to become +so foul as to offend the cat. This plan, once tried, will be found to +answer well. + +Week by week the kitten increases in strength and vivacity. Do not +discourage or check the young cat in its sportiveness, although it may be +a little too rough in its vivacious evolutions. The most skittish kittens +usually make the best cats. They are generally the delight of young +children, and make charming playmates when treated gently, and not simply +made toys of. Although cats differ in disposition very considerably, they +are alike as regards a common dislike for noise and confusion, and the +little folks will sometimes require guidance and instruction in their +treatment of most pet animals. The cat is an animal of naturally a very +strong will, being most impatient of control, and the kitten that is +allowed quietly to enjoy unmolested freedom of purpose in its queer +little ways and freaks will develop, under good treatment, into a noble +spirited and well behaved cat. + +The kitten will, of course, be kept indoors at night, and as it grows, +continue the good practice. It is a common custom--but, for many reasons, +a very bad and cruel one--to habitually shut the cat out of the house at +night. If you wish pussy to have a good, sleek, unsoiled coat,--to be a +nice pet, not to be dull or asleep all the day,--and, especially, if you +wish the house kept clear of mice, keep her in at night, and let her have, +as much as may be convenient, the range of the premises. Persons who are +quite ready to complain about the nightly disturbance caused by cats in +the back-gardens of their neighbours' houses are apt to forget that their +own gentle pet may possibly be a leading performer in the nocturnal +concert. A cat will play truant occasionally, but this will not often +happen with a well cared for animal, which will prefer human society and +the comforts of a good home on most occasions. It is well, however, to let +the cat out of doors the very first thing in the morning. + +There is seldom any thought or attention given to the breeding of the cat. +This is left to nature, and with very natural result. But, +notwithstanding, those who possess a cat of a choice sort, and wish to +continue or improve the strain, or to effect a cross, can do so with less +trouble than may be supposed to be needful. Watch the cat well, if a +female, and upon the first indication of the well-known sign be very +careful to prevent her from straying in the least. Then introduce the +approved "tom," and allow them to remain together--say for a night--in +some outbuilding or spare room. He can afterwards be returned with thanks; +but be careful to keep "kitty" quite safe for more than a week afterwards, +or as long as may be considered needful. All will then be right, and there +need be no more thought or care upon the subject. At the completion of a +term of fifty-six days, the litter may be expected. As is well known, +kittens are born blind, and remain so till about the ninth day. The +domestic cat is more prolific than the wild species, having often three +litters in the year. A cat of mine, some time ago, gave birth to +twenty-two within twelve months. The age of sterility commences about the +ninth year. The wild cat reproduces about twice a year, and the period of +gestation is said to be as long as sixty-eight days, which may be correct, +and if so, is remarkable. + +It is usually expedient to destroy some of the new-born kittens--of +course, the least handsome and promising of the litter. But it is +exceedingly cruel to rob the fond mother of all her little ones. When thus +deprived, a cat often suffers exceedingly, as may be evident by the +symptoms which ensue; and her lamentations are painful to hear--much too +expressive to be misunderstood. Always retain one, if not two or more, of +your selection--the whole litter, if you really wish it. If there be a +numerous litter,--say, five,--it is better not to remove all at once, but +two the first day and two the next day; or, better still, a third kitten +the second day, and afterwards the fourth. Take them as much unobserved by +the mother as possible. Drowning is the usual and probably the simplest +and best method of ending the brief existence of the little creatures; but +it must be properly and completely done. Have ample depth of water in a +pail or other vessel, with the addition of just enough hot water to take +off the chill--not more. They must be put completely under, and on no +account allowed to rise for one second. If you have nerve and patience, +simply keep them down with your hand till they cease to move, or else +place some article above them in such a way as to serve effectually. They +must remain under water for some time, even though life may appear to be +extinct. Many years ago, I learned by sad experience the danger of being +too expeditious in executing this duty. In drowning a large, powerful +animal, care and tact are especially required. Be quiet, cool, prompt, and +firm. + +The loving and devoted attachment to her offspring is remarkable in the +cat. She will face any danger in defending them, and will, above any other +animal, often delight to foster kittens not her own, and has been known to +cherish and rear the young of animals of quite a distinct kind, such as +puppies, the young of the squirrel, rat, hedgehog, etc. The following +touching incident took place at the destructive fire that burned down +Lusby's Music Hall, London, on the 20th January, 1884. I give the account +as related in _The Animal World_ for March, 1884:-- + +"Mr. Crowder, one of the proprietors of the hall, possessed a favourite +tabby and tortoiseshell cat, which was well known to the frequenters of +the hall. The cat had a family of four kittens, which she was allowed to +keep in a basket at the rear of the stage. Soon after the fire was +discovered, the cat was seen rushing about frantically. She several times +attempted to make her way down the corridor in the direction of the stage, +but each time was beaten back by the smoke. Presently she reappeared with +one of the kittens in her mouth. This she laid carefully down at her +master's feet in the small hall which the fire had not touched. Again she +rushed through the smoke, and again reappeared with a kitten, and this +manoeuvre she repeated the third time. She was now apparently half-blinded +and choked by the smoke she had passed through, and it was thought that +she would be content; but she seemed unable to rest while she knew that +one of her kittens was still in danger; and, giving a look at the little +struggling group on the floor, the cat, evading some one who tried to stop +her, once more dashed down the corridor towards the seething mass of +flames, which by this time had enveloped the stage and the lower end of +the hall. Her return was anxiously awaited, but she did not come back. +Afterwards, when examining the ruins, some of the firemen came across the +charred and blackened remains of the mother and kitten, lying side by side +where the fire had overtaken them." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_DOMESTIC VARIETIES._ + + +In the estimation of persons who have no appreciation of the beautiful in +animal life, a cat is a cat, and nothing but a cat. I have often observed +some surprise expressed by visitors at a large cat-show on seeing an +assemblage of so many different sorts of cats. These same persons had +often seen examples of every class before--in the houses of friends, in +shops, gardens, etc., etc.; but the beauties had been passed unobserved. +At a good show, where well-selected specimens of the common house cat are +arranged in line, and classed according to colour, sex, etc., a novice +cannot but be surprised at the unexpected sight of so interesting an array +of feline beauty. At the leading shows the animals are arranged in two +main divisions; viz., long-haired and short-haired cats. These two +divisions are again sub-divided into he-cats, she-cats, kittens, and +gelded cats. The he and she-cats are again divided in classes according to +colour, as tortoiseshell and tortoiseshell and white, brown, blue or +silver, and red tabby, tabby and white, and spotted tabby; also cats of +unusual colour, and Manx, or tailless cats. A brief description of the +characteristic points of the different classes, as at the Crystal Palace, +will be given in this chapter. + +The 13th of July, 1871, was a memorable day in the cat world, and an +eventful one at the Crystal Palace, for it was then and there that the +very first cat-show took place. Mr. Harrison Weir, F.R.H.S., the +well-known animal painter, has the honour of being the originator of these +interesting exhibitions; and he has kindly placed at my disposal a few +particulars respecting the primary arrangements. He suggested the idea to +Mr. Isaac Wilkinson, manager at that time, drew up the schedule of prizes, +the way in which the classes were to be judged, the amount of prize-money, +etc.; and he also acted as judge. The show was put under the management +of Mr. Wilson, of the Natural History Department, who very ably conducted +it; and the whole affair proved a gratifying success--so much so, that Mr. +Weir received the thanks of the Directors, and a very handsome, large +silver tankard, with suitable inscription. So great a success did the +exhibition prove, that it was immediately decided to repeat it later in +the year.[2] The show was also held twice in the year following (1872), +and has been continued annually ever since. "My idea," Mr. Weir remarks, +"for holding a show was that the cat was a truly useful domestic animal, +though a much neglected one, and if I could only induce the multitude to +take a pride in their cats, and select them more for their beauty and +ultimate value in the market, I might achieve a good result in the way of +kindly treatment to an animal much neglected by some." + +The great success and the good example of the Crystal Palace show was very +naturally soon followed up at Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, and many +large centres of population, and now even the smaller provincial towns can +boast an annual exhibition of feline favourites. + +The varieties of our short-haired cat will now deserve our attention. + +_Tortoiseshell._--Cats of this breed are also sometimes called Spanish +cats, and display a very marked contrast to the tabby varieties. The +general colour is a kind of reddish tawny, or sandy, more or less thickly +covered with blotches or dabs of black. So very irregular are the markings +in these cats, that some individuals are very handsome creatures, and +some, on the other hand, are far from prepossessing in appearance. +Tortoiseshell cats are of somewhat smaller growth. But, in our comparative +estimate of size, we are apt to be somewhat misguided, from the fact that +all the tortoiseshell cats we meet with are she-cats, and can never attain +the large size of the tom tabby cats, with which they are often compared. +The tortoiseshell male cat is a treasure often sought for, but very, very +seldom found. Ever since the commencement of the shows just alluded to, +there has been only a single specimen of the pure tortoiseshell male cat +exhibited. Experiments have been tried in every way to breed to this +colour, but without the desired result. But tortoiseshell and white +he-cats are occasionally to be seen. At the last Crystal Palace show there +were two very fine toms of this description. + +Our common favourites, the tabby cats, are, on the whole, the handsomest +and the best. They are of every shade, but three distinct varieties are +known as brown, blue or silver, and red. + +[Illustration: TABBY CAT.] + +_Brown Tabby._--Although there is considerable individual variation in +these cats, the general characteristics are as follows:--The +ground-colour should be a deep, rich brown grey, striped with black. These +markings converge from a central stripe of black, more or less broken, +which follows the line of the spine, a mark in some degree characteristic +of the whole feline race. The tail is barred with black, and a line of +narrow stripes runs from the forehead, passes between the ears, and, +passing down the neck, it disappears. The face is adorned with little +swirls and stripes, so disposed as to give the general expression of the +countenance that air of satisfaction so peculiar to puss. The under parts +of the body may be of a paler colour, but no pure white is seen in a true +tabby tom-cat. The tip of the nose, the lips, and the pads of the paws +are to be desired of a dark colour. One, if not two, bold swirls of black +across the chest are to be looked for in these cats. They have been +appropriately termed "the Lord Mayor's chain." These tabby cats are +generally large, portly animals, if properly reared, very intelligent, and +often most affectionate. The females are most gentle, and the best of +mothers. + +_Blue or Silver Tabby._--This is a pale variety of tabby, which is +sometimes beautiful. The ground-colour is a silver grey, with the stripes +of a darker shade. + +_Red Tabby._--In bold contrast with the blue, these fine cats are of a +bright sandy yellow, with the usual markings of a deeper shade. Some of +these cats are of very good colour, so much so as to be distinguished by +their proud owners under the very aspiring title of "Orange Tabby." These +cats, in the main points, are like the brown tabby. The fur should be +short, but full and thick, the ears rather short and round. In the tabby +breeds the female is seldom without white, which generally appears upon +the muzzle, throat, paws, etc. This is, most remarkably, a characteristic +in the red tabby cats, a female of that colour without white being almost +as rare a zoological curiosity as the wonderful tortoiseshell tom. + +_Spotted Tabby_ cats are distinguished from the others by having, instead +of the usual stripes or cloudings, a pattern of quite a distinct type. The +markings are broken up into small, well-defined spots, being more or less +elongated upon the sides, transversely to the stripes along the back. + +In the class of spotted tabby he-cats at the Crystal Palace there might +have been seen a specimen named "Coppa," which was justly awarded first +prize. The owner of this cat, Mr. J. Scott, has kindly favoured me with +the history of Coppa, which is of some interest when regarded +zoologically. The father of Coppa was a leopard-cat (_Felis Bengalensis_), +picked up at an East Indian coffee plantation, and brought to England by a +gentleman, who handed it over to Mr. Scott. He kept it for two years, and +bred ten kittens by two mothers. Coppa is one of these kittens. As his +mother was an English tabby, and as the pedigree of the sire is so +unmistakably pure, and of the spotted kind, it is not surprising that he +was the model of a spotted tabby. + +It will not be out of place here to give a brief description of the +leopard-cat, as delineated in "Cassell's Natural History." + +"This is another of the numerous Indian cats, and is a very beautiful +species. Its hide is of a yellowish grey, or bright tawny hue, quite white +below, and marked with longitudinal stripes on the head, shoulders, and +back, and with large irregular spots on the sides, which become rounded +towards the belly. The tail is a spotted colour, indistinctly ringed +towards the tip. The body, from the end of the snout to the tip of the +tail, attains a length of from thirty-five to thirty-nine inches, eleven +or twelve of which are made up by the tail. + +"The leopard-cat is found throughout the hilly region of India, from the +Himalayas to the extreme south, and Ceylon, and in richly wooded +districts, at a low elevation occasionally, or when heavy jungle grass is +abundant, mixed with forest and brushwood. It ascends the Himalayas to a +considerable elevation, and is said by Hodgson even to occur in Tibet, and +is found at the level of the sea in the Bengal Sunderbunds. It extends +through Assam, Burmah, the Malayan peninsula to the islands of Java and +Sumatra, at all events. It is as fierce as any of its savage kin." + +Mr. Scott sold his leopard-cat to the Zoological Society, and also +presented with it the mother of Coppa and one kitten. But they +unfortunately took a form of distemper, and all died, and other cats by +the side of them. Coppa, Mr. Scott remarks, is probably the only one left. + +Mr. Scott also remarks that he keeps Coppa confined, for fear of losing +him. He was marked as dangerous at the show, on account of his pedigree, +but is really "perfectly tame and very fond." I judged so myself from his +appearance and manner. He did, certainly, spit at a lady who blew in his +face; but any good cat, with a spark of self-respect, would do so. + +_Black._--These fine cats are not so commonly met with, of entire colour, +as the brown tabbies, but are more plentiful than either the red or the +blue. This colour is probably never met with in any of the wild cats, and +would, I am inclined to think, be rare in the domestic races but for a +prevailing superstitious notion, to be met with even in our enlightened +age, that in some way good fortune or luck attends the homestead where a +black cat dwells. And, moreover, that to destroy a black cat, or even a +black kitten, from the purest motive, is an act likely to be followed by +some misfortune. May I be allowed to endeavour to dispel this notion from +the mind of any reader who may cherish a vestige of belief in the old +charms of witchcraft, by boldly asserting that the black cat is simply a +tabby. In some black cats, and commonly in black kittens, the tabby +character of the fur may be distinctly seen. Black leopards and jaguars +are occasionally, but rarely, to be met with; and this natural melanizm +has been attributed to a larger proportion of iron in the blood. There is +more iron in the blood of negroes, it is said, than in that of Europeans. +Now, in these black leopards the distinctive pardine livery of the species +is always present, and visible upon minute inspection. "Can the Ethiopian +change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" (Jer. xiii. 23). Likewise, in +our black cats, although not visible, the normal tendency of the species +to maintain and reproduce its characteristic livery is inherent in the +blood. + +The black cat, like the black leopard, if well bred and properly reared, +is a most perfect specimen of its kind, having all the powers and +instincts of his nature most strongly developed. When in good health and +properly managed, and not shut out of doors at night, the black cat is +generally a splendid creature, with a coat like satin for lustre. + +_White._--In bold contrast to the black cat is the white. Albinos, or +abnormally colourless animals, are generally deficient in strength of +constitution. It is owing to this fact that white cats are often more or +less deaf. In selecting a kitten, I would never choose a white one. There +is something very charming about a snow-white kitten, but, when it becomes +a cat, expect disappointment, more especially if in or near London, or +some large town, where its purity is sure to be sullied by fog or smoke. +It will, moreover, probably become dull and listless, and more liable to +colds and other ailments than its more robust relatives. + +_Manx_ cats, as is well known, are remarkable for having no tail, or +rather, only a very rudimentary tail. The breed is curious, and it is +doubtless on that account alone that it is preserved. In other respects +these cats are like the ordinary animals. + +_Siamese._--The handsome royal cat of Siam is at present but rare in this +country, and is worthy of careful preservation as a breed. It is a curious +cat, of one colour, a clear tawny or buff, with the exception of the +muzzle, face, ears, and feet, which are black; and the fur is short, but +thick and sleek. It is a cat of average size, and of compact build. At +first glance it almost suggests to the mind the figure of a pug dog. + +Cats are occasionally met with, in the unusual variety class at shows, of +very extraordinary colour, as slate colour, uniform grey, or mouse colour, +brown, tawny, etc. Such as these may be regarded as simply unfinished +tabby cats--if I may be allowed to use the convenient expression. And, +occasionally, cats may be seen with six claws. + +[Illustration: LONG HAIRED CAT.] + +_Long-haired cats_, as Angola (or Angora) and Persian.--These cats, +especially the Angola, are sometimes very fine animals. The hair is very +long and silky, forming a thick mane upon the neck and upon the cheeks, +and hangs from the sides in a manner which somewhat reminds one of the +musk ox. The long tail is likewise pendant with long, silken hair, and +when in good order looks very handsome. A good cat of the kind seems +almost aware of its own beauty; and we know that puss has the universal +reputation of being proud. But these cats require care and a good home. If +neglected, exposed, or ill-treated, no animals sooner degenerate. They +are, moreover, disposed to become lazy and listless, and, although +fashionable in a drawing-room, are not such pleasing companions, or of the +same utility as mousers, as are the sleek, agile, graceful, and +intelligent animals with which we are more familiar. + +_Gelded cats_ often grow very large, and, if properly kept, sometimes live +to a great age. They make good, sociable pets, are not inclined to play +truant, and they do not smell. The process is not a painful one if +properly performed, and an animal thus treated will escape the temptation +to stray or to combat with his fellows. At the age of six months, or even +a little earlier, is the time at which a kitten should be sent to the +veterinary surgeon. But on no account whatever must the operation be +attempted upon an animal of more advanced growth. As I have just +intimated, one advantage gained is that it will not secrete and eject that +characteristic fluid, the pungent odour of which is well known, and is, to +some persons, very offensive. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_ON THE DISEASES OF CATS._ + + +I must now endeavour to describe a few of the ailments to which pussy is +liable, and by pointing out the cause, when possible, may hope to assist +the kind reader in avoiding the evil effect, bearing in mind the +well-known proverb, Prevention is better than cure. + +Considering the careless feeding to which the cat is often subjected, her +digestive organs must be somewhat enduring; but, on this account, they +must not be overtaxed or disregarded. There is a very simple medicine to +which puss will instinctively resort occasionally, which is grass. In an +old translation of Pliny may be found the following quaint prescription +for the cure of a sick lion:-- + +"The lion is never sicke but of the peevishness of his stomache, loathing +all meat: and then the way to cure him is to ty unto him certaine shee +apes, which, with their wanton mocking and making mowes at him, may move +his patience, and drive him, from the very indignitie of their malapert +saucinesse, into a fit of madnesse, and then, so soon as he hath tasted +their bloud, he is perfectly wel againe: and this is the only help." + +Now, without the aid of a violent remedy such as the above-prescribed, +Miss Puss can stroll quietly out of doors and help herself to a small +quantity of selected grass. This simply acts medicinally as either an +emetic or as a purgative. It has been my practice, when keeping cats +confined, to have some fresh, healthy grass in a large flower-pot in the +most sunny spot, and sometimes put out in the open garden, so as to +receive the benefit of all the light, air, and sunshine available. + +_Diarrhoea_ is a complaint to which the cat is sometimes subject in a mild +form, and may attract but little notice; or it may be so severe or +protracted as to cause great distress, and even prove fatal. As in +ourselves, it may be brought on by violent changes of temperature, +together with unwholesome food or drink, irregular feeding, too much fat +meat, putrid matter, too much liver, sour milk, etc. But in the cat the +excrements may occasionally appear slightly loose without the animal +seeming in the least unwell. This need cause little concern, although +slight attention to the general diet and requirements of the animal will +not be unwise. In this respect cats differ somewhat from dogs, which are +constitutionally of rather constipated habit. When the cat is really ill, +it will look so. Puss is a comfort-loving creature, and in nursing, +comfort is to be the main consideration. Be careful to attend to the +accommodation of clean habits, and allow a fresh supply of earth or sand, +as alluded to in Chapter IV. + +There is a very simple remedy, and which I have proved to be a sufficient +one, prescribed by the Honourable Lady Cust in her little book upon the +cat, and I may here quote her own words:-- + +"In the commencement give new milk, with mutton-suet melted in it; the +proportion of a piece of nice fresh suet, without skin, the size of a +large walnut, to a teacupful of milk. Keep the cat warm and quiet in a +comfortable nest, and if it be too ill to lap, give it, every two hours, a +teaspoonful of the mixture, only just warm enough to melt the suet. Put it +gently into the mouth with a small spoon. You need not swathe the cat, as +after the first spoonful is swallowed it will feel the benefit, and +swallow another; but do not give much; it is better to give very little +that will remain and do good, than a large quantity which will return. +Treat the complaint in other ways as in the human subject. Observe if +there be no bile; and if there is not, give to a full-grown cat a grain +and a half of the grey powder (_Album. cum creta_) used in similar cases. +As I before observed, you must watch the effect of your remedy, as the +complaint may change at once; if it does not, and there is still no bile, +give, in about two hours, another dose. + +"If the diarrhoea continue, give a teaspoonful of chalk mixture, used for +the same complaint in human beings, with seven or eight drops of tincture +of rhubarb, and four or five of laudanum, every few hours, until it +cures. Cats will continue as ill as possible for a few days, their eyes +even fixed; but still, with watching and care, can be cured. A teaspoonful +of pure meat gravy at a time should be given now and then (but not until +near two hours after medicine), to keep up the strength until appetite +returns; then be careful what food you give, and in small quantities at a +time, as the digestion will be weak." + +If, however, under fair treatment, the poor cat does not quickly recover, +or if dysentery ensue, no hope can be entertained of its restoration; and +the wisest and most merciful act will be to end quickly the life that must +undoubtedly perish. + +In administering medicine to a cat, be careful not to alarm or excite it +by needless fuss and ado, nor try its patience by delay. Have what you +require ready to hand, and the assistance of one person. Take a large, +coarse cloth, such as a round kitchen towel or coarse apron, and seat +yourself with your face or left side to the window. Then, with the cloth +across your knees, take the cat from your assistant, and lightly gathering +up the cloth, wrap it round the cat. The reason of this is twofold: to +assist in gently holding the cat secure, and also to prevent its fur from +getting soiled by any of the medicine that may drop, and, moreover, save +your clothes also. With the cat facing towards your left hand, carefully +open the mouth. This must be done with the left hand. The mouth will be +easily opened by finger and thumb, the palm of the hand being under the +cat's throat. Gently feel with finger and thumb between the loose skin of +the lips, and then, with very slight pressure just behind the molar teeth, +the mouth will be opened wide, like magic. So long as you gently but +steadily retain the hold, the mouth will remain open. But don't allow the +cat time to become impatient, and mind your fingers. When the mouth is +opened, your assistant must promptly and carefully administer the +medicine. If it is a liquid, it must be poured in very little at a time +from a small spoon. This must not touch the mouth, or the cat will +instinctively bite at it. The instant the medicine is given, remove your +hold of the mouth and leave the head at liberty, in order that the cat may +swallow at ease. A pill should be placed well back, so as to go the right +way. A simple powder may be placed upon the tongue dry, mixed with butter, +or, if not unpleasant, can be put in a little milk, to be drank as usual. + +_The Yellows._--The cat is liable to a form of distemper known as +cat-sickness, or the yellows, which is analogous to jaundice in the human +subject. It occurs more generally in large, high-conditioned animals, and +I think it is more common in he-cats than in those of the other sex, and +it more generally occurs in early life, but seldom before the attainment +of full growth. On the approach of the malady, the cat appears unusually +dull and sleepy, and disinclined to touch any kind of food, but may +attract little attention. Soon, however, the complaint will be +self-evident by the vomiting of a peculiar yellow, frothy fluid. This +sickness will recur at intervals, and the poor animal will loathe all +food, and drink nothing but water. Sometimes the malady will run its +course, and an unexpected recovery may follow; but in many cases the +unfortunate cat becomes weaker and weaker, and ultimately dies. + +Two or three months ago, from the time I am now writing, I nearly lost a +splendid young cat named Colocolo; and I consider the unexpected recovery +due to the great strength of his constitution. He is totally black, and +was, at the time of the attack, just over eight months of age. And as the +circumstances connected with this individual case may perhaps be +interesting to any who may have a cat similarly affected, it will not be +out of place here to narrate the symptoms and the treatment, such as it +was, from first to last. + +Colocolo had been to the Crystal Palace Show, was highly commended, and +the best behaved cat in his class, often ready for a little skittish sport +with an attentive visitor. He had been home just a week when he was taken +ill. Whether he had been made a little too much of after his return from +the Palace, I cannot say for certain; but I may here remark that I do not +in the least think the show disagreed with him. He stood a four-day show +at the Albert Palace well, was very highly commended there, and returned +in high spirit. At these exhibitions the cats, many of them animals of +considerable value, have the best and most careful attention on the part +of the management. But they are sometimes pampered by their fond owners, +and I may here suggest that after the confinement and restraint of even +two nights and two days, it will be wise to be a little careful to avoid +undue feeding for a day or two if the cat be in high condition, as show +cats often are. [This mistake is equal to the folly, described with +telling effect by the late Albert Smith, of supplying blankets to a +beloved son to keep him warm while ascending Mont Blanc!--ED.][3] + +But to return to the subject now under consideration. Colocolo was as +bright as a lark, romping about, at times, with surprising vivacity and +great bodily force. He was not less lively on the evening of Tuesday, +October 27th, but the next day, however, he was observed to be listless, +and disposed only to sleep. He declined to eat throughout the day, and +about dusk his first sickness came on. For the next two days he continued +to vomit occasionally, in less quantity, however, and the bowels were +also disordered. He became weak to a degree most distressing to behold, +and the whole skin was tinged with yellow. Nature was left to work her own +cure. For five whole days and nights the poor creature ate absolutely +nothing, but he frequently manifested a desire for water. A supply was +kept constantly within his reach, and often completely renewed, for his +mouth was very foul. On the forenoon of the Monday following, the weather +being unusually mild, he crept into the garden and basked in the sunshine +for some hours. It was sad to see a fine, noble, happy-spirited animal so +altered. He was unable to move without staggering, and his hind limbs +appeared as if paralyzed. He mounted a step with difficulty, and in +descending it he tottered and rolled, or rather sank upon his side. When +he came indoors again, he returned to his bed, and fell into a most +unusually heavy sleep--in fact, I never knew a cat to sleep so heavily. +There was not a sign of life, and the eyes even appeared fixed. We thought +he had at last slept the sleep of death, and felt a pang of regret, but +not without a feeling of relief to think that the poor cat was thus +released from its distress. But, strange to say, we shortly afterwards +found that he had aroused and altered his position from on his left side, +being coiled in a ball upon the right. After some time, he left his +cushion and actually partook of a little milk, but only four or five +laps. Probably the strong air in the garden had overpowered his weak +frame, and caused that extraordinary sleep, which was the turning-point, +apparently, in his illness. But scarcely anything would he touch until +Thursday (November 5th), when I offered him some fresh raw sheep's lights, +full of blood. To my agreeable surprise, he ate what I gave, and looked +for more. I allowed him a good sized piece, as much as I considered safe +to give at first, taking into account his very weak state. On the strength +of this he picked up as by magic, and forthwith began to recruit strength +at a marvellous rate, and in a few days he became as well as ever. All his +former energy had now returned; his coat, which had become dull, dirty, +dry, and staring, is now as soft, sleek, and pure as it ever was. +Fortunately he appeared to suffer no acute pain during his illness, +although, he certainly was very miserable and dejected. But I have seen +more distressing cases of this malady in cats, and it is often most humane +to put the wretched animal out of its misery by a speedy destruction. +Fortunately the yellows is an ailment that occurs but once. + +It is, I consider, both unwise and cruel to tamper with strong drugs, and +certainly it is mistaken kindness to force milk, or any other food, down +the throat of a cat suffering from sickness. Let the poor animal be as +quiet as possible, in a comfortable nest, but not so near a fire as to be +hot. Sick animals require air, but are very sensitive to cold or the +slightest draught. As the cat is such a remarkably clean animal, it will, +whether ill or well, often take a dislike to a favourite resting-place, if +it become in the slightest degree foul or tainted. + +At the very commencement of the sickness, however, an emetic may do good +in clearing the stomach. But it should be administered at the beginning or +not at all. I have tried it with good result, and have found simple salt +and water most handy: it is harmless, at any rate. It may be mixed in the +proportion of about one-fifth part of salt. Sulphate of soda (Glauber's +salt) is sometimes preferred to salt. It must, however, be diluted in a +much larger proportion of water, and less than a teaspoonful of the +mixture will be as much as should be given. To allay an undue continuance +of sickness, arising from irritation, about half a teaspoonful of melted +beef-marrow may be found to give relief. + +_Fits._--The cat is liable to fits of a distressing nature, and they occur +in young animals--more generally about the time they attain their full +growth--and are more common in male than in female cats. When seized with +a delirious fit, the poor animal suddenly appears to go wild, dashes about +in a frantic manner, with staring eyes, often darts through a window, open +or shut, and then hides in some corner. The symptoms of a convulsive fit +are somewhat different. In such a case it utters a cry, with staring +eyes, and falls upon its side. The whole body appears stiffened, the limbs +struggle convulsively, and the mouth foams. The cat is quite harmless, +however, during the fit, and there need be no fear in handling it. But be +gentle and quiet with the poor animal. The best way to give relief is to +cut a very small slit in the thin part of the ear with a sharp pair of +scissors, or to make slight incisions with a lancet; not enough to hurt or +disfigure the ear, but just sufficient to draw a few drops of blood. It is +well to encourage the bleeding by carefully fomenting the spot with warm +water, but be very careful not to let any water enter the ear. If, +however, the bleeding is free, there will be no need for the warm-water +applications. The loss of only a few drops of blood will afford relief. +After the fit the cat will generally be timid and nervous, and should +therefore be treated with consideration. Be careful to avoid overfeeding +it; in fact, for a short time let its feeding be slightly lowered, if in +high condition. The cat will quickly outgrow these fits. Many young toms +have one attack, and a she-cat never has a fit after having once +littered. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_ON THE DISEASES OF CATS._ + +(_Continued._) + + +_Pneumonia, or Inflammation of the Lungs_, is not an uncommon malady in +the cat, and the tendency to pulmonary weakness appears to be transmitted +from generation to generation, and is certainly more generally met with in +cats of foreign origin, as Persian, etc., than in our own native kind. In +fact, all the felines are evidently much more liable to lung disease than +are the dogs. Nor are the larger forms exempt, for many a majestic lion, +or a beautiful leopard in our best-managed zoological collections, has +succumbed to this fatal distemper. Exposure to cold and damp, poor +feeding, etc., are generally the immediate causes of lung disease in the +feline, as in the human subject. The symptoms in pneumonia are a dull, +uneasy restlessness; the poor cat looks miserable, as doubtless it feels, +and mopes about in a very dejected manner. It is less disposed to lie than +it is to squat about. Pneumonia is usually accompanied by pleurisy, and if +this complaint is as distressingly painful as I have experienced it to be, +I am sure the cat must at times suffer the most acute pain. Inflammation +of the lungs, although so generally fatal, may nevertheless be overcome by +good nursing under favourable circumstances. It occurs more generally in +winter and spring--the most trying time, in our English climate, for both +man and beast. Keep the cat indoors, and in a room of comfortable +temperature, but not too warm, at, say, not much over 55° Fahr. A +troublesome cough distresses the poor cat frequently, and the laborious +breathing is manifest by the heaving of the flanks. In the treatment of +the disease, apply, in the first instance, a stimulating liniment composed +of equal parts of compound camphor liniment of the British Pharmacopoeia +and soap liniment. Rub it in upon the sides of the chest, and do not +spread about more than is necessary, as cats are made miserable by the fur +being soiled or tainted. The operation may be repeated the next day if +the liniment has not produced tenderness. Administer, internally, the +following mixture every four hours, in a dose of ten drops:--Syrup of +chloral, forty drops; syrup of squills, forty drops; ipecacuanha wine, ten +drops. + +As, probably, the cat will not eat, it will be well to keep up its +strength by administering beef tea or good milk at intervals. + +_Bronchitis_, or inflammation of the lining membrane of the bronchial +tube, arises from much the same causes that produce inflammation of the +lungs and pleura, and often accompanies these affections. Bronchitis may +be readily distinguished by the peculiar wheezing and rattling sound which +is made when the poor cat is coughing. It may be treated the same as +inflammation of the lungs, but the mixture to be given may contain twenty +instead of ten drops of ipecacuanha wine, and also, in addition, ten drops +of antimony wine; and fifteen drops may be given every four hours. + +_Mange_ is caused by a minute insect which burrows into the skin and there +multiplies. The sarcoptic mange is the most common form that attacks the +cat, and generally appears first upon the head and neck, and will, in +time, if not destroyed, spread over other parts of the unfortunate animal. +It is both humane and prudent, therefore, to check it at the outset. The +disease is, moreover, contagious, and if a mangy cat is allowed to wander +at large, it will communicate its trouble, to the ultimate distress of +its fellows, and the annoyance of their owners. Sarcoptic mange may be at +first detected by an irritating itching, but it soon breaks out into +painful sores, which are aggravated by the repeated efforts of the poor +cat to ease itself by rubbing and scratching. Fortunately, however, this +disease is not difficult to cure in the cat, and with but little trouble. +The principal agent employed, both externally and internally, should be +sulphur. On no account use the strong dressings that are prepared for the +skin diseases of animals of a different nature. An ointment composed of +flowers of sulphur and fresh lard, rubbed upon the spot with the finger, +is a very simple remedy, and I have proved it to be a very effectual one. +It is well, however, before applying this simple compound, to foment the +spot with tepid water, and dry it with a soft, clean rag. Apply the +flowers of sulphur and lard once or twice a day until it has taken effect. +As it is not in the least unpleasant to the taste, the cat is sure to +swallow more or less of it in dressing the fur, and more readily so if +within direct reach of the tongue. The sulphur swallowed acts upon the +system from within, most effectually poisoning the offending intruders in +course of time. Mr. Harold Leeney, M.R.C.V.S., remarks that "a proof of +this eccentric behaviour of sulphur may be found in the blackened watches +and silver coins carried in the pockets of persons taking the drug." In +the _Animal World_ for October, 1882, Mr. Leeney alludes to the +application of sulphur as follows:--"Sulphur in almost any form will +destroy the parasites, but used as an ointment, much difficulty is +experienced in washing it off again, and sulphur pure and simple being +insoluble, and more active remedies dangerous, there is nothing better +than a solution of sulphuretted potash, which should be applied warm, in +the proportion of half an ounce dissolved in a quart of water. In using +any skin dressing, whether for mange or fleas, or any other parasite, it +is always advisable to begin at the head, as the opposite course leaves +open a retreat to the ears and eyes, where the application is less likely +to reach the enemy. That fleas take refuge round the animal's ears when +in the water was, no doubt, early observed, and gave rise to the story, +current in sporting circles, that foxes rid themselves of fleas by +swimming with a piece of wool in their mouths, to which the insects betake +themselves for safety, and find out their mistake when it is too late. + +"The sulphuretted potash lotion need only remain on the cat an hour or +two, when it should be washed off with more tepid water, to which some +glycerine has been added, to about the proportion of one ounce to each +quart of water used. The animal should be carefully dried, giving special +attention to the face and ears." + +_Follicular Mange_, so named from its being caused by the presence of a +parasite distinguished as _Demodex folliculorum_, is of a different nature +to the sarcoptic mange, and is less readily expelled. + +"Unlike sarcoptic mange, which oftenest affects the hairless parts of the +body, the follicular mange is found upon the back from the neck, down the +course of the spine, to the tail. I think the reason of the selection on +the part of the demodex is that the hair follicles, or little bags from +which the hairs grow, and in which the parasite lives, are much larger, +and afford better accommodation. The first symptom of anger in a dog or +cat is usually the elevation of these hairs, showing them to be stronger, +and consequently having a larger base, than at other parts of the body. + +"The unfortunate cat affected with this malady soon begins to arch her +back and rub it against the staves of the chairs or the under part of a +low couch or other convenient furniture; then the hairs are observed to be +broken, and their condition attributed to this habit of rubbing, so that +the real cause is often not suspected till great mischief is done and the +parasites thoroughly established, the back becoming sore all the way down, +and the animal rapidly losing condition. + +"_Treatment._--Since the cause is parasitic, destruction of the offenders +is the object to be attained, and the best method is by laying bare their +stronghold, by removing the scurf, etc., with soft soap, before applying +any remedy. The reason for using soft soap is that the potash it contains +causes the outer cuticle to swell up and become detached, and thereby +permits the remedies to come in close contact with the insects, who are +tenacious of life, like most low forms of animal life. Having thoroughly +washed the sore skin, apply gently, but with a good deal of persistence, a +lotion composed of one part of oil of tar to four parts of olive oil, +taking care to cover the infected area, but not using any more than is +necessary, as it is most easy to excite nausea in the cat, but not easy to +allay it. This should be repeated alternate days, washing it off in the +intervals with plain curd soap, until the skin begins to look dry and +scaly, and loses its redness. The administration of small doses of sulphur +(milk of sulphur, two to three grains) daily will facilitate the cure, +because it is found to make its way through the skin from within, +rendering the cat a less desirable host." + +_Eczema_ (from the Greek, _ekzeo_, I boil out) is another form of skin +disease to which the cat is sometimes subject, and is the effect of an +unhealthy condition of the blood. Unlike mange, eczema is not caused by +the intrusion of an insect parasite. The disease, being of quite a +different nature, requires treatment of another character altogether. +Again I use Mr. Leeney's words:-- + +"Those parts of the skin which have upon them the least hair, as the +belly and thighs, and under the elbows, are the most frequently attacked. +It commences with a simple reddening of the skin, and a few days +afterwards little watery bladders or vesicles are observed. These +breaking, and their contents drying upon the skin, form an offensive, +unctuous matter, which becomes mixed with dirt and the _débris_ of broken +hair, etc., and reacts upon the already inflamed skin. It is caused by an +arid condition of the blood, or perhaps it would be more correct to say an +insufficiently alkaline condition of it, since in health that fluid should +have an alkaline reaction. Whatever doubt may be cast upon this theory as +to the origin of the malady, there is no doubt but that alkaline +bicarbonates produce a speedy cure, and the recovery is much facilitated +by soothing applications to the abraded parts. + +"I would advise as a mixture, bicarbonate of potash, two grains; water, +thirty drops; mix for one draught; to be taken twice a day. If the nurse +cannot give the medicine as a fluid, the same quantity of potash may be +mixed with a little butter or honey, and smeared upon the cat's toes or +shoulders, for she will soon lick it off there. Many cats will not detect +it dissolved in a saucer of milk, as it has only the slightest saline +taste. If neither of these methods is successful, two grains of exsiccated +carbonate of soda may be made into a tiny pill and given in a piece of +fish. + +"The skin should be well fomented with warm water and a sponge, with a +little curd soap and glycerine added to the water. After carefully drying +with a piece of lint or old, soft calico, an ointment of zinc (benzoated +zinc ointment of the British Pharmacopoeia) should be carefully applied +for several minutes, careful manipulation being of more service than a +large amount of ointment. We have spoken of the condition of the blood +which gives rise to eczema, and of remedies likely to cure it; but +prevention is, of course, better still. + +"I have been able to trace the disease in some cats to access to a +neighbouring fishmonger's dust-hole, where offal has been thrown and +allowed to decompose; in others it is traceable to milk. It is difficult +enough to keep dogs from eating filth in the streets after refusing good +food at home; but who shall restrain the cat? The removal of the offending +material, rather than any additional restraint upon pussy, will be, if +permissible, the best remedy. + +"I have known many cats quite cured without any other remedy than an +abundant supply of horse-flesh, as retailed by the cats'-meat men. + +"While the subject of food is under consideration, I may mention that a +very unfounded prejudice exists against horse-flesh; and while our French +neighbours are making it an article of human food, we retain our insular +prejudices to such an extent that many people do not even like their dogs +and cats to eat it. As a general rule, horses are slaughtered because lame +or incapable, and their flesh is in a healthy state, and affords good, +sound muscular fibre, while those who die generally do so from acute +diseases, as colic, inflammation of the lungs, hernia, etc., etc., the +flesh or muscular parts being in no way injured or rendered deleterious. A +noticeable example of flesh-fed cats is to be seen in the many large and +handsome cats at the Royal Veterinary College, who feed themselves on the +donkeys and horses in the dissecting-room." + +Before concluding this chapter I may suggest that, with fair attention, a +good cat may be expected to live out a fair term of years, and perhaps +without any special ailment. Certainly the causes of disease and death are +not a few, sometimes obscure, or of a complicated character; yet the cat +is not singular in its liability to pain and death, for such is the +portion which falls to all creatures, man not excepted. But when we +consider that the cat is a rather fast-breeding animal, and has fewer +natural enemies than many other creatures--the rodents, for example--it is +evident that the feline race, both in its wild and domesticated state, +must be subject to such a constant check upon its undue increase as is +justly required to maintain the right balance in creation. Few cats live +to old age, which may be estimated at fourteen years. I have heard, +however, of two cases at least in which the extraordinary age of +twenty-two years has been attained. But what a vast proportion are not +permitted to survive as many hours! The irrefutable assertion in the Book +of Ecclesiastes, that there is "a time to be born, and a time to die," +having reference to the limited duration of human life, may with equal +truth and propriety be considered respecting the whole animal creation. +Death is one of the essential laws in nature. Disease and violence may be +regarded as but instruments of destruction in the hand of the Almighty. No +thoughtful student of nature can fail, however, to be deeply impressed by +the evidence that the great God that made all things is not only infinite +in power and wisdom, but a God of love. To use the words of Isaac Walton: +"The study of the works of nature is the most effectual way to open and +excite in us the affections of reverence and gratitude towards that Being +whose wisdom and goodness are discernible in the structure of the meanest +reptile." + +_Worms._--It may be difficult, however, to comprehend, or to regard +without disgust, such loathsome forms of life as are the different worms, +in some form peculiar to, perhaps, every species of mammal, bird, or fish. + +As Mr. Leeney observes:--"Cats are subject to wandering parasites, which +pierce the tissues and cause much pain and illness in seeking 'fresh +fields and pastures new.' Pussy is not exempt from the _Trichina +spiralis_, which, as my readers are probably aware, is the cause in man, +in swine, and other animals, of the dreadful malady known as trichinosis. + +"It is during the wandering of these minute worms that the fever and pain +is produced in the subject, be he human or any other animal. + +"That cats should be more liable to this parasite than man is readily +understood when we take into account the liking they have for raw meat, +while cooking generally obviates the danger from man. The prevalence of +trichina, and the disease produced by it, in Germany, is to be accounted +for by the custom of eating uncooked ham and other things. I have myself +eaten this 'schinken' in Germany. I am afraid if trichinosis could be +detected in a cat no remedy could be suggested; but in speaking of worms, +it ought to be taken into consideration, and may, perhaps, account for +some of the obscure causes of death in our domestic pet. + +"There are, again, worms whose habitat is the blood-vessels, and whose +choice for a nest is the junction or branch of some artery--a favourite +one being that vessel which is given off from the great trunk (_posterior +aorta_) to the liver (_hepatic_). The presence of such a nest occludes the +vessel, and produces changes in the structure of its coat, which, +together with the diminished calibre of the vessel, seriously affects the +liver, by depriving it in a great measure of its nourishment, its +substance, like all other parts of the body, depending for its maintenance +and repair on the constant circulation of fresh blood, charged with +material for supplying the daily waste. + +"The ducts or passages from the liver through which the bile should pass +are the favourite haunt of another kind of parasite--the fluke; here 'they +do most breed and haunt,' producing dropsy, a condition well known in +sheep, and called the 'rot.' + +"These, like the strongylus occasionally found in the kidneys, are most +fatal to their bearers, and unfortunately beyond the reach of remedies. + +"A great many remedies have been suggested for sheep suffering from their +presence, but the chief difficulty consists in the fact that any remedy, +in order to affect the parasite, must enter first into the circulation of +the bearer, and the turpentine which would kill the fluke would first kill +the cat; and again, the salt, which ruminants enjoy, could not be given to +the cat, because vomition is so easily excited, and so much would be +required. + +"Fortunately for cats and dogs, the kind of worms to which they are most +subject are generally situated in the stomach and bowels, and are to be +dislodged without much difficulty. It may be taken as a general rule that +round worms can be expelled by santonin, and flat worms by areca-nut; but +some care should be exercised in the administration of these drugs. + +"If a cat is found to be very thin, and her coat is stiff and harsh, +accompanied with vomiting of round worms, or they are observed in the +excrement, a pill should be made of half a grain of santonin, and ten +grains of extract of gentian, and two or three grains of saccharated +carbonate of iron, and given fasting, at intervals of two or three days. +The best way of giving a pill to a cat is to stick it on the end of a +penholder, and, having opened her mouth, push it back on the tongue +without any fear of its going the wrong way, and withdraw the penholder +suddenly. The pill will almost certainly be swallowed, as the rough, +papillæ on the cat's tongue will have prevented the pill being withdrawn +with the holder, and it should have been placed too far back for the +patient to do anything with it but swallow it. + +"If tape-worm has been observed, from one to three grains of areca-nut +(freshly grated) should be given in the form of a pill, mixed with five +grains of extract of gentian, and two grains of extract of hyoscyamus. +Areca-nut will probably produce the desired effect given alone, but it too +often produces acute colic, and even fits, if not mixed with some +sedative." + +There is a worm peculiar to the feline race only, and known as _Ascaris +mystax_, or the moustached worm, so called from the four projections at +the head. This worm more generally infests the intestines, but often +lodges in the stomach, and grows to a considerable length, and is then +usually vomited up, to the relief of the poor cat. + +"The presence of this or other guests within the stomach is often a cause +of gastric derangement, and the cat will be at times voracious, and at +others 'very dainty,' no doubt feeling faint and nauseated by the +irritating presence of the worms, and desperately hungry sometimes from +being robbed of its nourishment; for it must be remembered that worms do +not simply eat the food as it reaches the stomach from time to time, but +they live on the all but completely digested food, or chyle, which is +just ready to enter the circulation, and contains all the most nutritive +part of the food in a condition fit for building up the animal structures, +and replacing the waste which is always taking place. It is only by the +consideration of this fact that we can understand how a few small worms +can so rapidly cause the bearer to waste away." + +And now, in concluding, may I suggest that there is "a time to kill, and a +time to heal," and that when a favourite cat is really ill, in pain, or +has met with a serious accident, it is often both wise and merciful to +drown or shoot the poor animal effectually, and without delay. Drowning, +as I have before observed, is, perhaps, the simplest and the least painful +of the ordinary methods of destruction. Shooting must be resorted to with +care and forethought, and no possibility allowed of the cat escaping but +only wounded. Poison is at all times to be avoided. + + + + +FELINE INSTINCT. + + +I. + +Mitis and Riquet are two tom-cats saved from a litter of five; their +mother is an Angora, slate-coloured, with the neck, breast, and tips of +the paws white. Mitis has a large head and limbs, and a coat which +promises to be Angora and the same colour as his mother's, a white muzzle, +and white underneath his eyes, while his lips and the tip of his nose are +bright pink. Riquet's body and tail are black, with grey marks; his head, +which is smaller than his brother's, is grey, with zebra-like bands of +black crossing longitudinally and laterally; two white streaks branch out +from the upper end of the nose, and on the forehead two curved lines, +starting from the corners of his eyes, surround a disc of black and grey. + +No sooner has their mother licked them over than they set off whining and +seeking for her teats. I made some observations of their movements on the +first and second days; but as I am afraid of not recording them with +sufficient accuracy from memory, I will begin with the third day, when I +took to writing down my observations. + +_12th May._--They are perpetually moving about, even when sucking and +sleeping. Sleep overtakes them in the act of sucking, and then, according +to what position they were in at the moment, they either remain ensconced +in their mother's silky breast, or fall over with open mouths into some +graceful attitude. The little gluttons, Riquet especially, who seems to be +delicately organised, are often troubled with hiccoughs, reminding one of +young children who have sucked too copiously. It is curious to watch them +when searching for a teat, turning their heads abruptly from right to +left, and left to right, pushing now with their foreheads, now with their +muzzles; tumbling and jumping one over the other, sliding between their +mother's legs, trying to suck no matter what part of her body; and +finally, when they have settled down to their meal, resembling leeches, +whose whole activity is concentrated on the work of suction, and who, as +soon as they have thoroughly gorged themselves, let go their hold and fall +back into _inertia_. + +Whenever their sensibility is unpleasantly excited, as, for instance, if +their mother leans on them too heavily, or leaves them alone, or performs +their toilet too roughly, they give vent to monotonous--I had almost said +monosyllabic--plaints; sounds which can scarcely be called _mias_, still +less _miaows_; they are best described as trembling _mi-i-is_. They also +emit these plaintive sounds when they have been searching long for a teat +without finding one, or if they annoy each other during the laborious +search; or if I take them up too quickly, or turn them over in the palm of +my hand to examine them. If I set them up in my hand in a standing +position, they will remain motionless for a few seconds, as if enjoying +the warmth of my hand; but very soon again they begin clamouring with loud +whines for their home in the mother's warm, soft stomach, which is at once +their shelter and their dining-room, the familiar, and perhaps the loved, +theatre of their nascent activity. + +_13th May._--This morning Mitis appeared to be ill. He was languid, did +not whine when I took him up, and made no attempt at sucking; he had an +attack of hiccoughs, accompanied by shiverings all over his body, which +made me anxious. It only lasted an hour, however: there may have been some +temporary cause of indisposition; or perhaps excessive sucking, or a very +great need of sleep, had reduced him to a semi-inert mass. + +Riquet's head is prettier than it was yesterday; the white spot has +increased in size, the grey marks have spread and grown lighter, and the +head and neck are rather larger; but Mitis has still by far the finest +carriage. + +_Twelve o'clock._--The two leeches have been operating for twenty minutes +without desisting. They are now brimful of milk, and settling themselves +down, no matter where--one on the mother's stomach, the other on her paws; +no sooner have they placed themselves than they fall asleep. + +_Two o'clock._--They have no fixed position for sucking; any does that +comes first. + +When the mother leaves them alone for a moment they turn in rapid +gyrations round and round, over and under each other, delighting in the +mutual contact of their bodies and the warmth which it engenders. If the +mother remains absent for some minutes, they end by falling asleep one +over the other in the shape of a cross. If I lift up the top one, the +other soon begins to whine: they are not accustomed to solitude, and it +produces a painful impression of cold. Very young animals are easily +chilled, and sometimes die of cold in a temperature which is not very low. +This is owing to the smallness of their bodies and the feebleness of their +respiratory organs. + +Between four and five o'clock Riquet seemed to me very lively. He was +searching for a teat which he could not find, and for ten minutes he +crossed backwards and forwards over his brother's body, giving him +frequent slaps with his paws. + +Riquet's nose is a pink-brown, but tending to red-brown. + +This evening (ten o'clock) I showed the mother a saucer full of milk; she +left her kittens to go and drink it, and afterwards she took a turn at a +plate of porridge; her absence lasted barely five minutes. The kittens, +during this time, went through their usual manoeuvres: Riquet turned three +times running round his brother; the latter, who is more indolent, or +perhaps has more need of sleep, stretched himself out full length on his +side. Riquet, however, cannot rest till he has found what he is searching +for--viz., the body of his mother. He is still in a state of agitation +when the cat comes back, raises herself with her front-paws on the edge of +the box, and drops quietly down by the side of her little ones without +touching them. Instantly they start up, raising their little waggling +heads; they know that their mother is there--the slight noise she made in +getting into the box, and the movement she imparted to it, are associated +in their memory with the idea of her presence. + +The mother's first care is to see to their toilet, and she proceeds to +turn them over with two or three strokes of her tongue, and then operates +on them with the same natural instrument. Both have their turn; and at the +end of the operation, which seems to worry them, they whine considerably, +though not at all loud. A few minutes after, the melodious snoring of the +mother informs me that the whole family is at rest. I take a peep at them: +the mother is laid on her left side, describing a large and elegant curve; +Mitis, half on his hind-paws, half on his stomach, is stretched across +Riquet, and both are sleeping, or sucking--perhaps doing both at the same +time. + +_14th May._--My kittens seem to grow as I watch them, especially Mitis' +head, neck, and back; he is a massive heavy kitten, but his forehead is +broad and high: he will probably be an intelligent cat; his leonine chin, +large and well developed, indicates energy and goodness. He begins to show +more vivacity than during the earlier days; when he encounters his brother +in searching for a teat, or if the latter disputes with him the one he has +got hold of, he deals out at him rapid strokes with his paw, which remind +one of a dog swimming. His mother has just been performing his toilet in +the manner aforesaid, and has no doubt kept him longer at it than he +liked; he shows his displeasure by striking out his hind paws, one of +which knocks against his ear, and uttering two or three impatient _mis_. + +These very occasional and but slightly emphasised cries are the only ones +which Riquet--even the brisk and lively Riquet--gives out, even when I +take him in my hand. I have seen other cats that were more unhappy +complain more: one, for instance, which was the only one I had kept out of +a litter, and which died at ten days old, just as it was beginning to open +its eyes; in her grief at having lost all her other kittens, the mother +used to carry this one about from place to place, and even leave it alone +for hours at a time; I believe it died from bad treatment and insufficient +feeding; the poor little thing frequently uttered loud moanings. I cannot +feel the slightest doubt as to the causes of its death when I see the +mother so happy with the two that I have left her this time; she has not +once called or searched for the other three which I drowned. Does this +proceed from a want of arithmetical aptitude? _Two_, for her, are _many_ +as well as _five_. However this may be, she is very happy, very _repue_, +very attentive, and her little ones are habituated to comfort, ease, +satisfied desires, and tranquil sleep and digestion. If they do not know +how to complain I think it is because they have had no reason to learn to +do so. + +The colour of Riquet's hair is changing sensibly: the grey-white now +preponderates on his face. The velvety black of his neck, back, and sides +is silvered with whitish tints, which have spread since the morning. + +Often when they are alone, or even if their mother is with them, they will +mistake no matter what part of their bodies for teats and begin to suck +it, as a child of six months will suck its finger or even the tip of its +foot. + +_15th May._--To-day I held Riquet on my hand for three minutes. I was +smoking a cigar; the little creature stretched out its neck, poked its +nose up in the air, and sniffed with a persistent little noise. A sparrow, +whose cage was hung up over us, frightened at my smoking-cap, began to fly +round the cage and beat at it with its wings. At the sound of this noise +Riquet was seized with a sudden fit of trembling, which made him squat +down precipitately in my hand. Movements of this kind are reflex ones, the +production of which is associated in the organism with certain auditory +impressions; but the animal is necessarily more or less conscious of them, +or will soon be so. From five minutes' observation I have thus learnt that +Riquet is sensible to strong smells, and that he already goes through the +consecutive movements of sentiment and fear. + +Riquet's head is visibly changing to silver-grey; the marks on his back +are also assuming this shade. + +I took Mitis in my hands, stretched them out and drew them up again. He +does not seem to know quite what to make of it; he attempts a few steps, +feels about uncertainly with his head, and comes in contact with my coat +smelling of the cigar; he appears to be scenting my coat, but not with so +much noise and vivacity as Riquet does. He waggles his head about, feels +about with his paws, and tries to suck my coat and my hands; he is +evidently out of his element and unhappy. The mother calls to him from the +bottom of the box; this causes him to turn his head quickly in the +direction from which the sound comes (what a number of movements or ideas +associated in the intelligence and organism of a little animal four days +old!); he starts off again, making a step forward, then drawing back, +turning to the right and to the left, with a waddling movement. I give him +back to his mother. + +I thought I noticed once again this evening that the light of my lamp, +when held near the kittens' box, caused rather lively excitation of their +eyelids, although these were closed. The light must pass through these +thin coverings and startle the retinas. The kittens were agitated during +a few seconds; they raised and shook their heads, then lowered them and +hid them in the maternal bosom. + +The noise of carriages, the sound of my voice, the twittering of the +sparrow, the movements imparted to the box by my hand--all throw them into +the same kind of agitation. These movements may be coupled with the +movements, unconscious no doubt, but determined by external causes, which +are observed in the young. + +_16th May._--Mitis' tail is thickening at the root; the hair of its head +and neck is close and silky; he will no doubt turn out a considerable +fraction of an Angora. + +When I place the kittens on the palm of my hand they inhale strongly and +with a certain amount of persistence; this is because their sense of smell +operates no doubt with tolerable completeness, in view of the species, and +in the absence of visual perception, and by reason of the imperfect +operation of their touch. + +This evening Mitis, having escaped from the constraint in which his mother +holds him to perform his toilet, half _plantigrade_ half _gastéropode_, +dragged himself slowly, though as fast as he was able, along his mother's +paws, and at last nestled down in the soft fur of her stomach. While in +this position his head, rolling like that of a drunken man, knocked +against the head of Riquet, who was in the act of sucking. Instantly Mitis +lifts a paw and brings it down on his brother's head. The latter holds on, +as he is very comfortably spread out on the bottom of the box, and is +sucking a teat placed low down. A second attempt of Mitis' fails equally. +He then performs rapid movements with his head, searching vigorously for +his cup, but not finding it. The mother then places a paw on his back, and +his centre of gravity being thus better established, he at last +accomplishes his object. Here we have several actions which are no doubt +in some degree conscious, but which come chiefly under the head of +automatism: the scent which helps in the search for the teat, the instinct +to dispute the ground with another who is discovered to be sucking, the +movements of intentional repulsion, of struggle, of combativeness. What an +admirable machine for sensation, sentiment, volition, activity, and +consciousness, is a young animal only just born! + +_17th May._--I have observed--or think I have observed--in Mitis, the more +indolent of the two brothers, the first symptoms of playfulness: lying on +his back with his mouth half open, he twiddles his four paws with an air +of satisfaction, and as if seeking to touch some one or something. It is +eight o'clock in the evening, the window is open, the sparrow is singing +with all its might in its cage, we are talking and laughing close to the +cat's box. Do all these noises in some way excite the sensoriums of the +two _repus_ kittens? The fact is, that they have been in a state of +agitation for more than a quarter of an hour, travelling one over the +other and walking over their mother's stomach, paws, and head. Mitis, the +heavier of the two and soonest tired out, was the first to return to the +teat. Riquet's return to the maternal breast has been a long and +roundabout journey from one corner of the box to the other, and round and +round his mother. + +At nine o'clock I went to look at them with the light. This threw them +into dreadful consternation. I observe in them both something like +intentions to bite, while rolling each other over, they keep their mouths +open, and snap instead of sucking when they come in contact with any part +of each other's bodies; but it is all mechanical. Here we have an increase +of activity produced by an accession of powers and temporary +over-excitement. + +_18th May._--They are lying asleep on their sides, facing each other, with +their fore-paws half stretched out against the hind ones. Riquet's sleep +is much disturbed; his mouth touches one of his brother's paws, which he +instantly begins to suck. Is this a mechanical or unconscious action? Is +he not possibly dreaming? After four or five attempts at sucking he lets +go the paw, and sleeps on tranquilly for four minutes; but the noise of a +carriage passing in the street, and perhaps the consequent vibration of +the floor and the bottom of the box, cause violent trembling in his lips, +paws, and tail. + +The mother gets back in the box; and the kittens, instantly awake and +erect, utter three or four _mis_ to welcome the joyful return. + +In settling herself down the mother leans rather heavily on Riquet; the +latter, who used formerly to extricate himself mechanically, and who +already knows from experience the inconvenience of such a position, moves +off brusquely, goes further away than he would have done formerly, and +Mitis, on the lookout for a teat, hears close to him the noise of his +brother's sucking. He pommels his head with his hind-paws, rolls up +against him, striking out with his fore-paws, and knocks him over with the +weight of his body; he is now in possession of the teat which his brother +had first tried, and, finding it as good as the one he was sucking before, +he sticks to it. + +_18th May._--Mitis was trying to worry Riquet who was busy sucking. I hold +out my hand to make a barrier between the two; Mitis pushes it back with +his paw, but soon perceives the difference between the two bodies which he +is pushing against, gives over his excitement, and looks out for another +teat. No doubt in this case there was no comparative perception of +difference, but different sensations producing different muscular actions; +that is all, I imagine, but this is nevertheless the germ of veritable +comparison. + +_19th May._--Both the eyes of both kittens are about to open; the eyelids +seem slightly slit, and are covered with an oozy film. At the external +corner of Mitis' right eye there is a little round opening disclosing a +pale blue speck of eyeball, the size of a pin's head. At the internal +commissure of the left eye there is also a round opening, but much +smaller, and showing no eye-ball through it. Riquet's right eye is also +opening slightly; the edges of the left eyelids are stopped up by a +yellowish discharge. + +I fancied that Mitis was playing in the box; I tumbled him over on his +back, tickled his stomach, and stroked his head; he struck out his paws +without attempting to pick himself up; this was evidently a more or less +conscious attempt at play. His mother came to lick him in this attitude, +and he performed with his fore-paws as previously. Riquet, too, shows a +tendency to play, but not of such a pronounced nature. + +_21st May._--Riquet's left eye is beginning to open at the inside corner. + +I took them both up on my hand, and waved my fingers in front of their +partially opened eyes; but I did not observe any movement from which I +could infer the power of distinguishing objects. + +Mitis, placed close to his mother's head, nibbles at it and plays with his +paws on her nose; the mother does not approve of this amusement; she lays +a paw on her son's neck and teaches him respect; soon he escapes from her +grasp, and begins searching for a teat. + +Some streaks of fawn-colour have mixed with the zebra-like black and grey +on Riquet's neck: he is now quadri-coloured. + +Mitis is seated on my hand. I kiss him on the head, three times running, +making a slight noise with my lips; he shakes his head twice. This is an +habitual movement of the mother cat when one kisses her or strokes her +head and it displeases, or if she is occupied with something else. + +When I pass my hand in front of their heads, at about four _centimètres'_ +distance, they make a movement with the head and wink their eyes; I am not +sure whether this means that they see, though their eyes have been more +or less open since yesterday evening. + +They have not yet begun to purr. + +_22nd May._--I went up to the box towards twelve o'clock. Riquet's left +eye, the light blue colour of which I can see, seems to perceive me, but +it must be very indistinctly. I wave my hand at ten _centimètres_ from his +eyes, and it is only the noise I make and the disturbance of the air that +cause him to make any movement. + +Both Mitis' eyes are almost entirely open; I hold my finger near his nose +without touching it, I wave it from right to left and left to right, and I +fancy I perceive in the eyes--in the eyes more than in the head--a slight +tendency to move in the direction of my movements. + +_23rd May_, 7 P.M.--Their movements are less trembling, quicker, and +fierce not only because of increased strength and exercise, but because +intention, directed by eyesight, is beginning to operate. + +The more I observe young animals, the more it seems to me that the +external circumstances of their development--alimentation, exercise (more +or less stimulated and controlled), ventilation, light, attention to their +health and their _affective_ sensibilities, care in breeding and +training,--are perhaps only secondary factors in their development. +Actual sensations, it seems to me, serve only to bring to the service one +set of virtualities rather than another; a sentient, intelligent, active +being is a tangled skein of innumerable threads, some of which, and not +others, will be drawn out by the events of life. This it is that marks out +the precise work, limits the power, but at the same time encourages all +the pretensions of educators. If all is not present in all, as Jacolot +asserted, who can say what is and what is not present in a young animal or +a young child? + +I placed Mitis on a foot-warmer, the contact with which produced two or +three nervous tremblings, somewhat similar to slight shiverings; he seemed +pleased, however, and stretched himself out on the warm surface, with his +eyes half-closed, as if going to sleep. Afterwards I placed Riquet there; +he went through the same trembling movements, but then proceeded with an +inspection with his muzzle--scenting or feeling, I do not know which, the +article on which he had been deposited. He then gently stretched out a paw +and laid himself down flat, the contact with the warm surface inducing +sleep, by reason of the familiar associations between the like sensation +of warmth experienced on his mother's breast and the instinctive need of +sleep. + +When they trot about in their box, some of their movements appear to be +directed by sight. + +Their ears have lengthened perceptibly during the last two days, and so +have their tails. + +When any one walks about the room, if they are not asleep or sucking, they +begin frisking about immediately. + +The mother, whom I sent to take a little exercise in the courtyard, has +been absent for half an hour. Mitis is asleep; Riquet, lying with his head +on his brother's neck, was awakened by the sound of my footsteps, all the +more easily roused no doubt because he was hungry, and because his mother +had been absent so long. I stroke his head with my finger, and he puts on +a smiling look. I make a little noise with my lips to rouse the sparrow, +and this noise pleases Riquet, who listens with the same smiling +countenance. + +They now attempt to climb higher; they do not knock their noses so +frequently against the partitions of the box, they certainly direct their +paws at certain points determined by their vision; eyes, noses, and paws +now operate in concert on the teats or any other objects that come across +their way; for they do not go much in search of objects as yet. Their +field of vision does not stretch very far; what they see is matter of +chance and accident rather than of real intention. If I wish to attract +their attention by waving my hand, I must not hold it further than fifteen +_centimètres_ from their eyes. I must go very close to them before they +appear to distinguish my person. I am not sure that they see the whole of +it; I rather think that only certain portions are visible to +them,--amongst others my nose, because it stands out in relief, and my +eyes, because they reflect the light vividly. + +_24th May_, 9 P.M.--The orbits of their eyes seem to me rather more +expanded than this morning, possibly because the light makes their pupils +contract. I placed a candle on a chair by the side of their box; the light +evidently annoyed them, but it stimulated them to exercise their limbs. +Mitis, after having promenaded and struggled about in a corner of the box, +and grown accustomed to the lively sensations on his retina, directs his +steps towards the most brightly-lighted point of the box. A band of light +falls full on the upper part of the partition on the side facing me. +Mitis, and Riquet after him,--more from imitation than personal +excitement,--tries to climb up this luminous board; he does not succeed, +but the attraction continues undiminished. I thought involuntarily of the +plants which struggle up walls to reach the light. + +Mitis, still somewhat disconcerted--though much less so than at +first--when he looks directly at light, retires into a corner, and tired, +no doubt, with the exercise he has just been taking, places himself, or +rather falls back, on his mother's tail. I take him up gently, and set him +in front of his mother's stomach, and by the side of Riquet, who had just +finished his gambols also, and was sucking. Then began a scuffle, the +front paws working away perceptibly like the _battoirs_ of a washerwoman. +I come to the rescue, placing my hand between them, and this calms them +down; they favour me, however, with a few ridiculous little taps. Mitis, +meanwhile, has taken possession of the contested teat, and celebrates his +victory by the first _purr_ that to my knowledge he has produced. + +Riquet is now in a great state of agitation; he is lying in the dark, +behind his mother's back, and close to the side of the box facing me. I +hold my finger to him; he lifts himself up and leans his head slowly +forward to touch or scent my finger. He can now distinguish people, but +more by touch, scent, or hearing than by sight, the latter sense being +very imperfectly developed and little exercised. When I make a slight +noise with my lips the little creature starts and jumps about, but does +not lift up his eyes to my face, which he has seen close to him, has +looked at with attention, but which he is very imperfectly acquainted +with, and does not accurately localise with respect to my hand and my +body. + +Riquet is close to his mother's head. He has stretched a paw over her +neck, and is looking at some part or other of her head, I don't know +which, while playing gently with his little paw. Here we see an +intelligent development of affection; he now loves his mother in a more +conscious way; his visual and tactile perceptions are becoming +co-ordinated, are amplifying his knowledge, and giving strength and +precision to his sentiments. + +I stretch out my finger to Mitis, who is still lying on the spot where I +found him at first. In return, either from curiosity, or from instinctive +impulse and movement, he holds out his little paw, which seems to enjoy +the grasp of my finger, and sticks to it. + +_25th May._--I place my kittens, one after the other, in the hollow of my +hand. Mitis squealed when I lifted him out of the box, and during the +three minutes that I kept them in my hand they both seemed almost +indifferent. The instant, however, that I put them back in the box they +seemed quite delighted to get back again, or else they were stimulated to +play by the various sensations--muscular, visual, tactile, and +thermal--which I had occasioned them. Standing and walking about on my +hand had stimulated Mitis to an extraordinary display of strength. In his +desire for prolonged exercise, and no doubt also wishing to renew the +vivid sensations of light he had just experienced, he set to work to climb +up the perpendicular wall of his dwelling, making all the time a great +noise of scratching. All movement produces sensations; and all sensations +produce movements. + +_26th May._--They both play with their paws and their muzzles, but +frequently, as if by chance, only without very marked intention, and with +very uncertain movements. + +I seem already to distinguish in them two different characters. If one can +go by appearances, Mitis will be gentle, patient, rather indolent and +lazy, prudent and good-natured; Riquet, on the contrary, lively, petulant, +irritable, playful, and audacious. Noise and contact seem to excite him +more than his brother. But both of them are very affectionate towards +their mother, or perhaps I should say very appreciative of the pleasure of +being with her, of seeing, hearing, and touching her, and not only of +sucking from her. + +I hold Mitis up to the edge of the box; he evinces a desire to get back to +his mother, but does not know how to manage it. His muscles have not yet +acquired the habit of responding to this particular psycho-motive +stimulus; he crawls up to where my hand ends, advances first one paw, then +another, and finds only empty space; he then stretches out his neck, and +two or three times running makes an attempt with his paws at the movements +which are the precursors of the act of jumping. He would like to jump +down, but cannot do so; instinctive intention is here in advance of the +adaptiveness or the strength of the muscular apparatus fitted to execute +it. He retreats frightened and discouraged, and whines for help. + +Riquet placed in the same position, goes through almost the same +movements, but he is able to do more; he has managed to seize hold (chance +perhaps assisting him) of the edge of the box, he sticks to it, leans over +without letting go, and would have got down, or rather tumbled down, into +the box, if I had let him. + +_27th May._ Every day they get to know me better. Now, after I have taken +them in my hands, or stroked their head, neck, or lips, they go back to +their box quite excited; they walk about in it faster than before, snap at +each other and strike out their paws with much more spirit. Play has now +become a matter of experience with them, and grows day by day a little +more complicated; they seem to be aware of their growth in strength and +skill, and to derive pleasure from it. To-day, for the first time, Riquet +scratched the piece of stuff on the bottom of the box, and he did it with +playful gestures and an expression of delight; first he stretched out one +paw, then the other, with his claws turned out, and, being pleased with +the noise produced by drawing back his claws, he renewed the operation +twice, but no more. It will be necessary to go through the same experience +two or three times more, in order to fix the idea of this game in his +little head. + +They have already tried several times running (either by accident or with +a vague idea of ascending) to hold on to, or climb up, the sides of the +box; if they were not slippery, or were covered with a cloth, I think they +would have strength enough to lift themselves up to the edge. + +They lift their head and paws as high as they can, in order to see better. +All the inside of the box seems to be sufficiently well known to them, but +all the same they are constantly making experiments in it, either by +touch, sight, hearing, scent, and even taste; for they frequently lick the +board, and try to suck the cloth at the bottom. They would no doubt gladly +extend the area of their experiences, but I shall leave them habitually +in the box until they are able to get out of it by themselves; they can +get quite enough exercise in it, and they have enough air and light, and I +think the prolongation of this calm, happy, retired existence makes them +more gentle. The mother prefers their being in the box, and I am of the +same opinion, though not perhaps for the same reasons. They would become +too independent if allowed to follow their caprices, and exposed to the +dangers of adventure, instead of being accustomed to the restraint of the +hand which they love and which _humanises_[4] them. I want them to become +so thoroughly accustomed to my hand, that, when they receive their +freedom, they will still recognise it from a distance, and come to it at +my will. My hand is a very precious instrument of preservation and +education for them. + +_28th May._ When, standing close to the box, I take Mitis in my hands, he +looks at the box, bends his head, stretches out his paws, and shows a +considerable desire to get down, but without making any effort towards +this end. I hold him a little lower down, at a few _centimètres_ from his +mother, and he no longer hesitates but lets himself glide down to her, +his movements, however, only turning out a success thanks to my +assistance. Can it be that he had (what Tiedemann does not even allow his +fourteen-months-old child to have possessed) a vague perception of +distance, of empty and inhabited space, anterior to personal experience? +"He had not yet any idea of the falling of bodies from a height, or of the +difference between empty and inhabited space. On the 14th October he still +wanted to precipitate himself from heights, and several times he let his +biscuit fall to the ground when intending to dip it in his cup." + +The kittens endeavour to climb along the sides of the box, but their idea +of height (perhaps an instinctive idea) is not sufficiently determined; +they seem quite astounded at not reaching the goal with the first stroke. +At the same time I may be mistaken in my observations; perhaps they went +up these four or five _centimètres_ mechanically, because in walking along +horizontally they found under their paws the surface of the partition +which may have seemed a natural continuation of their road. Perhaps they +have no wish to get up to the edge of the box. + +_28th May._--The grey spots on Riquet's back are now almost as large as +the black ones. + +The eyes of both kittens are getting less and less blue; they are assuming +an indistinct colour, between dirty grey and light brown. Their +expression is frank and sympathetic; they seem to direct their looks +consciously and voluntarily. + +Riquet is looking at me with an expression of pleasure, seated upright, +with his paws lifted languidly. I hold my finger near him, and he extends +his left paw. I stroke the left side of his head, and he leans the part +which I caress on my finger, as a full-grown cat would do, and rubs +himself two or three times running against my finger. These are _invented_ +movements--I mean movements furnished all of a sudden by the stimulus of +hereditary virtualities, and which seem to astonish the young animal as +well as to please him; it is thus that we see automatic movements at one +moment coming under the control of consciousness, and the next escaping +from it, refined, simplified, adapted, and perfected. Life invents but few +new movements; but there are many, no doubt, ready to appear if the +influences of surroundings permitted it. + +_29th May._--They are learning more and more to exercise their muscles and +perfect their movements; they are daily acquiring fresh powers and +_adaptations_, and in their games with each other and their mother they +show intention and pleasure; they are learning more and more to +distinguish people; if any one presents a finger to them, they always +hold out their nose, or else a paw; this seems to have become a reflex +action with them. They also appear to localise certain sensations which +are in some sort artificial. I touch the tip of Mitis' left paw, (he has +been sucking for the last ten minutes); he stops sucking, and instantly +turns his head in the direction of his paw; but this is perhaps because he +has seen my hand, and the muscular sensation associated with this visual +sensation may have determined his movement alone and almost automatically. +I vary the experiment, however, and pass my finger two or three times +running across his neck; he raises his head and looks behind him, as if +understanding where I had touched him. However this may be, I should not +like to affirm in him the faculty of localising pleasure or pain, except +as a sort of automatic localisation of sensations, which would be the +result of certain anterior _adaptations_. + +The mother is engaged on the toilet of Mitis, who neither looks pleased +nor displeased; he makes a sound which is neither a cry of pain, nor the +whining of complaint or anger; if he is giving expression to a mental +condition well defined to himself, I cannot guess at it. It is a tremulous +noise which might be represented by the following letters: _mrrrimr_.... + +_2nd June._--Riquet's ears grow more than those of Mitis. The hair of the +latter has ceased to grow, and his tail is scarcely more bushy than his +brother's. He will not be more of an Angora than Riquet, in spite of the +long silky hair, which during the first days grew so abundantly on his +neck, stomach, and thighs. + +Riquet has become more patient, and Mitis more lively during the last few +days. It would be very presumptuous to pretend to found precise inductions +as to the future on observations taken during the first days; hypothesis +itself must maintain the most scrupulous reserve, especially as regards +predictions concerning intelligence and character. A cat which appears +very intelligent at the age of one or two months, often shows very +mediocre intelligence when a year or two old, and _vice versâ_. As to the +colour and nature of the hair, six weeks must have elapsed before one can +give any certain opinion as to the real shade that it will be, and as to +its flexibility, abundance, brilliancy, and waviness. As for the ears I +have often erred in my predictions ... which are scarcely perceptible at +birth, and during the first eight or ten days, will sometimes grow to a +disproportionate length afterwards. With regard to the paws and the tail, +half a _decimètre's_ length at the moment of birth indicates undoubtedly +an appreciable length later on. One can also determine on the first day +the future firmness of the muscles and bones by the relative resistance of +these little velvety lumps when held in the hand. A strong voice, which is +more especially the appendage of male kittens, indicates at any rate good +lungs. + +Mitis, who is so gentle, has more flattened ears than Riquet; the latter's +stand up more like those of foxes and wolves. The little complementary +_pavillion_ ... which is attached to both edges of the ear, slightly +towards the bottom, and which in man is designated by a slight rudimentary +excrescence, is beginning to appear in both my kittens. + +They are now well advanced in the art of play; they fence well with their +paws, lick each other, and tumble and roll each other over. Riquet, who +has some difficulty in standing upright on his legs, has attempted a jump. +They try to bite each other at play, specially aiming at each other's +paws. Often by mistake they seize their own paws with their teeth and gnaw +at them; but they are not long in finding out their error. + +I place them on the ground. They tremble, seem frightened, or rather +astonished, or undecided, and make a few uncertain movements. One of them +perceives the mother at a distance of about a _mètre_, looking at them +from under a chair. He goes straight up to her, but very slowly, and with +a great deal of waddling; all of a sudden he stops. He has heard his +brother's voice, the latter having whined on my touching him to rouse him +out of his persistent immovability; he turns his head in our direction, +distinguishes me, turns straight round, and comes up to me with much +greater rapidity and assurance than he had shown in going to his mother. +The reason of this is, that the road to me was shorter and surer, and the +stimulus to traverse it greater, owing to the larger proportions of my +body. I place them back in the box, and they begin playing again with +zest. The one who had only moved feebly on the floor, walks, and even +jumps, much better this morning. This little outing seems to have +stimulated him to an effort which he had not made before. In like manner +we sometimes note progress in young children from day to day. + +They can now climb up to the middle of the box. + +A board, a few _centimètres_ wide, is nailed to the top of the box, and +covers about a fourth part of it. Mitis looks at it with longing eyes; he +makes up his mind, draws himself up as erect as he can, stretches up his +paws to the partition and within five _centimètres_ of the upper plank; +he is longing to make an upward leap, and finally he ventures on it; but +his heavy abdomen and his weak legs play him false, and he rolls over +ignominiously. In like manner a young child, not yet firm on his legs, +leaving the support of the chair to venture a step alone, falls in a soft +heap on the floor. + +_4th June._--They play more and more with my finger, bite at it and lick +it. They seem to look at all objects more attentively, and more +sympathetically at their mother and me. + +When they are playing about under their mother, one sees only a confusion +of white paws, pink noses, shining eyes, and whisking tails. I have put +them on my bed. They walk much better there than in the box, and +infinitely better than on the floor; they studied everything in this new +locality, walking, climbing up and down, sliding and rolling about. +Riquet, having reached the edge of the bed, would have fallen over if I +had not held him back. His more circumspect brother, finding himself in +the same situation, leant his head over for a moment, and then, as if +defying a danger more or less realised; turned round and precipitated +himself at the other side of the bed. + +_11th June._--They frisk and bound about, and catch at all objects +indiscriminately with their claws to try and climb. They look into each +other's eyes as if trying to discover the expression of sentiments and +ideas. This may proceed from astonishment and curiosity, and the delight +of the ever new impressions which the movement of the eyes cannot fail to +produce in them. But must it not also be partly the result of an +hereditary predisposition of their organisation, which leads them to seek +in the eyes for the meaning which they express? We know that adult +animals, as well as man, are endowed with this tendency which proceeds +from instinct rather than individual experience. + +Partly from imitation of their mother and sister, partly from the teaching +of their instinct, they went off one day to a certain out-of-the-way spot, +where was placed a pan full of ashes, the object of which does not require +to be explained. Observing this, I carried them from time to time to this +pan. The smell proceeding from it was in itself sufficient to excite them +to satisfy their needs. Three or four such experiences sufficed to +associate with the idea of this smell the idea of the pan, of the place +where it was, and of the need to be satisfied. I do not say that this +habit of cleanliness, so quickly acquired, may not as quickly be lost, by +means of new associations taking the place of the first. There is no +doubt, however, that if the people would make it a rule to watch over the +formation of habits in cats during the first weeks (and probably also in +other animals and in children), it would not afterwards be necessary to +have recourse to a system of barbarous, and often useless measures, in +order to obtain from them by violence that which nature will manage alone +with but very slight assistance. + +The shutters are closed on account of the extreme heat, so that the room +is in semi-darkness, and all the objects in it steeped in mysterious +shadow. Riquet, frisking about at a little distance from the box, sees a +footstool at about a _mètre's_ distance. This object, with its four feet +and their shadows would easily produce in my mind the illusion of some +mysterious animal. This, however, cannot be the case with the kitten, +unless we suppose in it a mental confusion of the inanimate with the +animate, that is to say, the animalisation of the inanimate. My opinion is +that the surprise, and presently, too, the terror which Riquet manifests, +and which keeps him transfixed to the spot, have their origin rather in a +certain indeterminate tendency to fear in the presence of all sudden and +unusual impressions. Such an apparition would have had no effect whatever +on him a few days ago; but to-day it is so much out of harmony with his +now numerous experiences, that it contradicts and jars against all his +familiar habits. This is, in my mind, the sole cause of his terror. +However it may be, he draws himself up on his small paws, bristles his +tail, humps up his back, and without either retreating or advancing, sways +right and left in the same attitude. I make a movement; this noise brings +his paroxysm of fear to a crisis, and he gives expression to it by a +fretful _fû_; he then turns round and goes off as fast as his legs will +carry him, the first way that comes, which happens to be to the side of +the bed. + +_12th June._--They are attracted by the noise which I make in crumpling +paper, in scratching the wall, or tapping a piece of furniture; but +metallic sounds, if soft, do not have the same effect on them; the noise +of objects being knocked, dull heavy sounds, or the noise of sharp voices, +astonish them and make them prick up their ears, but not lift their paws. +They take pleasure, however, in all the noises which they make themselves, +provided they are not too reverberating, or caused by the displacement or +fall of some large object. The loudest voice that I can put on pleases +them almost as much as the little playful tones I generally address them +in; they also delight in the strings of articulated consonants, which I +repeat to them; but they do not like whistling, although they are not so +much annoyed by it as is their mother, who comes up to me and rubs her +head under my chin and over my mouth, and gives me little taps on my lips +with her paw directly she hears me whistling. What specially delights them +are the dry sounds which their claws make on wood, linen, paper, the straw +seats of chairs, and the covering of the bed. + +Mitis has drunk some milk this morning for the first time. I put the tip +of my finger, moistened with this fluid, under his nose, and he licked it +several times running. Enticed by the smell, he dipped his nose into a cup +of milk, but did not know how to set about drinking; up came the mother +and took his place, as if the milk was her rightful property. She +generally tries to take away from her little ones anything fresh, when it +is first given to them, perhaps out of maternal precaution, not thinking +them strong enough to digest anything but her milk. As she laps in a great +hurry, she always spills a certain quantity of milk round the saucer. I +placed Mitis in front of what had been spilled, and whether by chance, or +because he was incited by the smell, he fell to licking and cleaned it all +up. A quarter of an hour later he drank out of the cup, very awkwardly +however, and very little, plunging his nose so far into the milk as to +make him sneeze. + +Riquet, to whom the same advances were made, licked the tip of my finger, +but did not touch the milk in the cup. He is less strong than Mitis, and +possibly less precocious in this respect. + +When I come back into the room after an absence of even half an hour, the +mother raises herself on her paws, as if moved by a spring, and her two +satellites with her,--all at the same instant and with the same movement. + +They still continue to be very fond of us, and not to be startled by +strangers. + +I have tried to make Riquet drink: I put his nose into the milk, and he +then dipped his paw in himself and licked it, but would not lap. He went +so far as to approach the cup with his nose and just touch it with his +lips, but he then started off again. + +He is now under the chimney, sniffing and then scratching the ashes, +which, as his movements indicate, remind him of his ash-pan. If I once or +twice tolerated an infraction of my rule, the habit of cleanliness so +easily formed in him would perhaps be hopelessly lost; this is why I +hasten to carry him to his pan. + +At 3 o'clock we repeated with Riquet the experiment which had failed in +the morning; we smeared his nose with milk. He then licked it, and +afterwards put his nose in the cup, and drank a good teaspoonful. + +This morning they are more vigorous and nimble than yesterday, and they +have been disporting themselves on my bed for more than an hour, whilst +their mother and elder sister were engaged, by way of recreation, in +snatching tufts of hair from each other's coats, in scratching and +throttling each other. The mother gives a cry to indicate that this sport +has reached its limits. Mitis has tumbled off the bed with affright, +uttering a plaintive cry. + +A ludicrous incident very nearly parted me from my two little pets. An old +laundress, whose sight is very feeble, as well as her mind, shut them up +in her bundle of linen, on which they had been playing whilst she was +counting it. I gave them up for lost, having searched for them everywhere, +even in my boots. Three hours later they were brought back to me safe and +sound. This is what had happened: on opening the bundle, out walked a +kitten (Mitis) who seemed very much surprised, he was put in a basket with +a cup of milk beside him; the other was only found an hour later, to the +great astonishment of the laundress, squatting under a cupboard and +showing nothing but the tip of his nose. He refused all manner of +consolation, and would not touch the milk, in spite of the example of +Mitis who did not wait to be pressed. + +As soon as they were safe back with me they both ate some bread soaked in +milk. + +The mother was very much dejected by their absence. When, after calling +them in vain with her most caressing voice, and making pretence to play to +entice them to come to her, she became convinced of their absence, she +filled my rooms with agonised screams. She then begged to be let out to +look for them in the court-yard, but soon came in again and began +screaming and hunting about as before. She came up to me and got up on my +knees, looked me fixedly in the eyes, and then curled herself up on the +bed where the kittens often sleep with her. Her eyes went beyond the +expression of profound despair; her eyelids quivered, a slight moisture +covered the eyeballs, and at the inside corners there was the appearance +of tears. There is no doubt that cats cry. + +I have several times noticed, but in a specially distinct manner to-day, +on lifting them away from any place where they are comfortable, an +instinctive, or perhaps intentional, tendency to lean either with the +stomach or the paws, in order to remain fixed to the spot. An analogous +movement may be noticed in young children, when one tries to take them out +of the arms of some one they are fond of. I might no doubt have observed +this fact in my kittens long ago. + +I was holding Mitis in my hands, and I lifted him near to his mother and +Riquet; he made a precipitate movement to get down to them, instinct +urging him to spring--and that all the more since he is now stronger;--but +his experience and his strength not sufficing to enable him to adapt his +efforts to the distance he had to cross. Thus it is that falling from the +bed often means in his case a bad attempt at jumping down. It is also +possible that it is the example of his mother and big sister, as much as +his increased strength, which suggests these somewhat impulsive bounds, +which moreover belong to the organic habits of the species. The little +unfledged bird also falls from its nest, when attempting a premature +flight. + +Nothing in the shape of food comes amiss to Riquet: soup, meat, potatoes, +pease, lard--he snaps at, and devours whatever he comes across and +whatever is offered him; but one must beware of the little glutton's sharp +claws. Mitis takes his food more gently. + +_18th June._--Riquet is playing with me on the sofa. A sole is placed on +the table. The smell of the fish excites and puzzles him, for he does not +know whence it comes; he travels over me in all directions, trying to +follow the scent, and is soon perched up on my left shoulder, which is +tolerably close to the table; he works towards the table, and I stoop my +shoulder to let him slide on to it. He rubs his nose first against a spoon +and then against a glass; the plate containing the sole is only a +_decimètre_ from the glass, but as he does not know that a plate contains +food, and that it is from there that the savoury smell proceeds, he does +not direct his steps towards it. Finally, however, he finds himself in +front of the plate, puts his four paws on it, and instantly disposes +himself to eat the whole fish. I instantly carry him off. What a small +number of experiences he will need (two or three only I have determined) +in order to adapt to actual practice these judgments and movements which +unite instinctively with certain sensations! We call this _reasoning_ in +man, and, nevertheless, it closely resembles a piece of subjective +mechanism, which is blind at starting, and which adapts itself to +objective representations with such promptitude, that consciousness seems +to follow, not to precede, its operations. + +Whilst I was at my breakfast they climbed up my legs, and I had the +weakness to let them stay for a moment on the table. They invaded my +plate, Mitis going so far as to bite into the fish, and Riquet licking and +gnawing the edge of the plate; the smell of the fish is so penetrating +that he confuses it with the plate. Moreover, he has no idea of +_containing_ and being _contained_. Soon he comes across a mouthful of +fish which I have prepared for him: he flattens himself out on the plate, +and eats with courageous and deliberate precipitation, inclining his head +now to the left, now to the right, sometimes closing his eyes from +delight, but oftenest keeping them open and fixed attentively on the +plate,--one would say he was afraid of losing his precious morsel; and +here we see a result of the preservative instinct which he has received +from his ancestors. + +Mitis has got into a round earthen pan, and from association of +impressions tries to satisfy a need which he would not otherwise have +felt. The vessel, however, being small, and his movements causing it to +totter, he jumped out and ran off to his own pan. + +_20th June._--Mitis suddenly springs from the table to the floor, first +feeling his mother with the end of his paw, and then passing over her +without touching her: is it a personal or a social motive which makes him +act thus? Does he wish to avoid walking on ground that is not firm, or is +he trying not to hurt his mother? In like manner will a horse, on the +point of trampling a live body, hastily withdraw his foot. + +They have been playing for a long time on my bed; before I go to sleep I +shall carry them to their own bedroom, to their mother who awaits them +somewhat sadly. They came back into my room as soon as I did myself. I sit +down in front of my table, they climb up along my legs, and I determine to +place them back on my bed. Twenty minutes later I reinstate them a second +time in their domicile, but they do not stay there two minutes. I had just +got into bed again when back they come, spring at the bed-cover, the +chairs, the wall, with a noise of scratching and rustling which excites +them to continue their difficult ascent; at the end of two minutes the +siege is accomplished, and I am seized upon, trodden over, scratched and +gnawed. I cannot be master in my own room except by shutting the door, at +which, however, they come and scratch, but without much persistence. + +So there they are, now pretty well masters of their movements, taking +headers to get down from the bed to the chair, from the chair to the +floor, climbing up along the curtains and the tapestry, and even +attempting to climb the furniture and polished objects. A few more days +and their mode of descending will be less like tumbling, their ascents +less like scrambling: they will spring and they will bound, and will be +real individual cats. + + +Butler & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome and London. + + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] The Zoological Society has now fitted up the building, which was +formerly the Reptile House, with new cages, and to this "Cat House" the +specimens above alluded to have been removed, together with other forms +which were kept within the "Small Mammals' House," such as the Pampas Cat, +the Ocelot, the Geoffroy's Cat, Serval, etc. + +[2] The number of visitors admitted on the occasion of this one-day show +amounted to the grand total of 19,310. + +[3] The above editorial note was added when the chapter appeared in _The +Animal World_. + +[4] The Latins had the happy expression _mansuetus_ to express this idea. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cat, by Philip M. Rule + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43930 *** |