ABOUT CATS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1288, 5 November 1896, Page 11

ABOUT CATS.

Nothing whatever is really known about the origin of the domestic cat. When, where, and how it became domesticated not the most learned naturalists can say. You may read about the animal in half a dozen dead languages, and you may find it sculptured on the stone remains and on the various other monuments of all the cities and nations of the past. A book might be written on the cats of ancient Egypt. Darwin says the animal existed long before man. Perhaps, as Dr Gordon Stables suggests, if this be the case, “ it was the cat which first domesticated man."

A belief is held by some naturalists that the “ tabby " of our firesides comes from the wild mountain cat, but there are certain differences between the wild and the domestic cat, notably in the form of the tail, which seem to point to the fact that our pussy is not a relative of the original wild cat. It is not altogether improbable that the Egyptian cat is the real ancestor of our domestic species.

The classification of the domestic cat may be made with every share of reason as follows :—Of the short-haired species, fjve primary varieties tortoiseshell, black, white, blue, or slate-colour, and the tabbies ; of the long-haired, or Asiatic, no division has been attempted, nor would such division be of practical value in the present state of cat-fancying. The European cats are further divided into secondary varieties as follows :—Tortoiseshell pure, tortoiseshell and white, black, pure black and white, blue pure, and blue and white tabbies, red, brown, blue and silver, and spotted. Cats are credited with the greatest number of bad qualities. They have been said to be false, treacherous, cruel, ungrateful, spiteful, and, what is, perhaps, worse than all, thieves. In this last respect they have often been slandered, as in the case of the unfortuuate lodginghouse cat supposed to have taken two bottles of vinegar, half a dozen lemons, smd a pound of sugar ! Qne redeeming quality it is admitted to possess, and that is the love of home. Indeed, so strong is this instinct in cats that it has been stated that the unearthly sounds heard at the dead of night, when puss and his friends meet on their rambles on the fences is but the bewailing of their short absence from home; that they then give yent to their feelings in their peculiar version of “ Home, Sweet Home." It is difficult, however, to distinguish that touching melody amidst the variations. Still, pussy possesses some good qualifies. Cats will often show very strong personal attachment, and they themselves are often warmly beloved by their owners. Mohammed'S cat must have made herself beloved by her master in no common degree, for the prophet cut off the sleeve pf his garment rather than disturb the repose of fiis favourite, which had fallen asleep on it, Petrarch was so fond of his cat, and it showed such affection for him, that he had it embalmed after death, and placed in a niche of his apartment.

It is a well-known fact that a cat will have such a love for a kind mistress as to intrust the care of its kittens to her and her alone. An instance of this kind happened but a short time ago. A lady had a beautiful cat, from its colour known as Whitey, Whitey had three very beautiful kittens, but before these pretty creatures saw the light of day the original owner of Whitey gave her away to a lady who lived some little distance off. Her old mistress was sitting in her drawingroom one day, when a well-known “ meow " caused her to look up from her

work. There was Whitey, with a kitten in her mouth, which she carefully deposited in the lady’s lap, and with another plaintive lt meow;" which seemed to say, “ Just take care of him till I come back," went off in search of the rest, which one by one were brought over and placed, according to Whitey’s notions, in safe keeping. When Whitey’s new owner came to know what had been going on, she procured the return of the kittens, and they were sent back, but the mother had clearly made up her mind on the point, and the next day brought them all back again. That catsh ave the means of communicating ideas one to another seems possible, and a story told by the B>ev J. G. Wood would seem to show it. He says that a friend of his had two cats, which were kept in a wine cellar; one was an old cat and the other a young one. The older cat had a fondness for mice, but, from age and weakness, was unable to capture many. In this difficuUy a bargain seems to have been made between the two, and the young one would frequently present the older one with fresh-caught mice, and always receive a share of the older cat’s meat in return.