A NOVEL INDUSTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11901, 26 May 1899, Page 7

A NOVEL INDUSTRY.

(Melbowne Orgies.) ■ It is a far step from the time when the cat was a subject of worsMp, with all the pomp and grandeur of an Eastern ceremony, equalled only by-the solemnity of ritual-ob-served at its subsequent demise, embalment, and burial, to' the often execrated, but “harmless, necessary cat” of the present day, when whatV Professor St G, Mivart terns thrir “emotional language” is de-

scribed by Josh Billings as “ gitting on the top ov the woodhouse when other folks hav gone tew bed and singing dewet-s till their voices spile.” .Of. all pets the subjects of this article give-least trouble. They forage for themselves largely, wash themselves, take regular outdoor exercise, and are less dependent upon their owners than dogs, while they are capable of great attachment. Above and beyond these qualities, which endear tliem to women, they are invaluable in houses where mice and rats abound, while Darwin has proved that the presence of a good “ monger ” in a field of clover is the turning-point between a good and bar* crop. Anybody can own a common oat, and because of this a numerous class of well-to-do people will not rest content with the pet of the million, but seek a rarer breed of “ furred serpents.” It to meet this demand that one of Victoria’s oldest colonists— a lady who landed in Port Philip in 1840—has during the last two years established the Waratah Cattery on one of the highest of the mounts known as the Christmas Hills. This Lady explained in the course of an interview that when in England some four years ago she attended a Crystal Palace exhibition of cats, and there met a stranger, who, by AN EXTRAORDINARY CO-INCIDENCE,’ turned out to be a ..school chum of her daughters. The fortuitously-found friend secured several valuable prizes -with her Persian cats, and insisted upon giving two of them to the elder lady. A newspaper announcement to the effect that some titled lady had made £7OO a year by the rearing and sale of fancy cats led her to think that money might be made out of a cattery in Victoria. . As poultry-breeders need their houses and runs, dogs their kennels, pigeonfanciers their lofts, and rabbit-breeders their hutches, so this lady thought that her prize Persian cats should have their own house, pens, and runs. The cattery to-day consists of a .weatherboard building, about 25ft by 14ft by 12ft high, divided in the centre by a passage, and with two side additions. Another - prize-winner has been recently imported, and the two heads of the family occupy the new buildings, which include snug boxes, and plenty of floor space,' while opening off each are strips of grassy lawn about 12ft by 14ft wide, where the lord of the manor can disport himself at will. About 4ft from the ground is a balcony ontside each of these rooms, running the full length,- and covered in with wirenetting, up which vines and rose trees are creeping. On these balconies the cats take their sun-baths, and the royal looking animals, with their great size, long and delicate hair, full, shifting, rich, bright, ambercoloured eyes, and stealthy tread, look exactly like the caged. tigers in the Royal Park —with this difference, that they are perfectly amenable to discipline and petting. The rank and file are housed in one large room during the night, and to this there is also a balcony. Prisons are provided for the troublesome. One bad to be shot, and the local cabbage man—a Chinese —hearing the report, inquired as to its cause, and then begged for the body. It was given him, and when asked next day as to its disposal, he replied, “Him made welly ni- stew. Any more 1 ” Ever since he has regarded the cattery as an epicurean preserve, and its owner as A SPECIALLY FAVOURED MORTAL. The Persion is popularly considered the prince of Eastern cats. And it would be difficult to find handsomer animals than the well-bred and matured Persians at Christmas Hills. They are, like Joseph’s coat, of, many colours—white, black, blue chinchilla, smoke, tortoiseshell, red, brown, tabby, grey, or silver tabby, blue,’ slate, orange, orange and white, and golden. With many, the white Persian, which describes itself j is a great favourite, and if in grand condition is verily “ a thing of beauty ” so lr.no; as it retains its spotless condition of coat but it takes a lot of time, patience, and’ability to keep it in order. Orange and white and golden tabbies are highly esteemed, the beautiful marking and evenlybalanced gradations of colour, with the silken coat, rendering them very conspicuous. The tortoiseshell which is a mixture of red, yellow, and black patches, in place of the striped tabby marking, have the patches well broken to show each colour clear and distinct, though not too large in each patch, the red and yellow being less in evidence than black. Though colour is a desideratum of no mean importance, nevertheless it must not be overlooked that the chief characteristics of the breed are length of hair, which must be fine in quality and evenly distributed over the body and legs, covering the toes ; good pads to the feet; a large, well-developed frill behind the head, extending round the neck, and covering as far as possible the chest ; and last, but by no means least, an exceedingly bushy tail, swelling out larger toward the extremity, and then terminating with a,graceful taper point. But the Persian is not only ornamental; it is useful.

All of the breed are bom monsers, and hunt their prey like a dog, while their size and strength enable them , to wage war to the death with THF LARGEST RATS TO BE MET WITH. After breakfast, wMch is at 9 a.m., and consists of bread and milk, the cats at “Waratah” are allowed to roam at large around the extensive grounds till the evenfig meat at six, when they have, nolens volens, to retire after a substantial meal of cooked pluck or liver. When milk is plentiful, an ample allowance is set apart for the cats, and in its absence water is substituted, and apparently they are quite satisfied with it. The rooms have at present a flooring of piles, but it is the intention of the proprietress to replace this with a hardwood floor, in order, to expedite the process of thoroughly scouring them out. In the summer months the boxes are bedded” with eucalyptus leaves, which are healthy and entirely free from vermin ; while in the winter-time blankets, frequently washed, are provided for every box. The proprietress personally superintends the daily ufe of the cats, but the work in connection with the cattery is easily performed by a youth of fifteen, who works as “ generally useful ” about the place. September and October are the litter months, a litter averaging from two to six, and it has been found expedient to take away at least half the litter in every case, and give them to a plebian foster mother, otherwise the staple and texture of the hair suffers. Nearly all the kittens are afflicted with distemper in the firs! month of their existence, which is the crucial period of their lives, for ones past thirty days, they generally live to a ripe old age. Oii an average 25 to 30 per cent of the kittens have been lost, but with greater experience tMs will no doubt be A DIMINISHING QUANTITY. An advertisement in “ The Argus ” is the only means that the proprietress adopts to dispose of her woolly wares, but this is sufficient to elicit inquiries from all the Australasian colonies. Melbourne ladies think nothing of proceeding to Yarra Glen, the nearest railway station, by train, and driving up to personally inspect the denizens of the cattery if they can return with a descendant of English and Victorian prize Persians. A female Persian brings from £1 10s, while a male or neuter ranges from £2 10s, the latter being the finest and most sought after. Barely two years have pased since the cattery was inaugurated, yet the proprietress has the satisfaction of knowing that Lost season she cleared -uoo from the sale of her stock, and starts the winter with twenty-five finely-developed cats on hand. About the beginning of March the moulting season begins, and for a brief space the much-prized Persian is robbed of his hair, and thereby loses some of his glory; but the eclipse is transient, and the long silken staple soon renews its beauty. That Persians are not mere automata-, but possessed of “consciousness,” the proprietress of the “Waratah” cattery fully believes, and relates how, on one occasion, she ventured to separate two cats that were fighting. One of them turned upon her, and fastened teeth and daws in the forearm. Having the other hand occupied, she was unable to thrust him off, but stooped to the ground, thinking that he would then release his hold, but he clung on tenaciously, and the pain caused her to ejaculate, “Oh, you brute; let go! ” With a rush her pet cat, Annie, a fine, big animal, jumped out of her box, and leaping upon the back of the offender, literally dragged him off by the back of the neck, and beat him unmercifully.