RECOIXECTIONS OP THK CAT. 197 



often hear of them, too, displaying attachment to particular individuals, and 

 evincing great pleasure in their society. One of my friends had a Cat of 

 this stamp, which invai-iably presented herself to notice in the bed- room at 

 one particular time in the morning; and if it so happened that the bed 

 "pulled hard," as the saying goes, and induced a longer nap than usual, puss 

 would soon begin to give mouth, jump upon the bed, and there would be 

 little peace until all were up and stirring; when she would jog quietly down 

 stairs, and there await the regular breakfast. Beneath one of the front doors 

 a piece of oil-cloth was laid, which formed a sort of Cat's alarum, for when- 

 ever puss kept untimely hours, and, as an attendant consequence, got bolted 

 out, instead of mewing at the door for perhaps an hour, she would contrive 

 to introduce one of her paws beneath it, get hold of the oil-cloth and drag 

 it about, which never failed to attract attention and a speedy admittance. 

 This Cat was much attached to one member of the family, who with a load 

 of infirmities, consequent on green old age, was confined to bed, by the side 

 of which the poor Cat would sit for hours together, preserving the gravest 

 silence; and when at last it pleased God to remove his servant to a happier 

 world, the Cat remained in the chamber of death for many days after. 



The anxious solicitude displayed for the safety of their young, has often 

 been beautifully exemplified in many well-authenticated anecdotes, replete with 

 a most marvellous amount of instinctive ingenuity, carried out under such 

 peculiar circumstances as could not fail in exciting the sympathies of the 

 most careless observers. I can only relate one little anecdote touching upon 

 this; and it is scarcely worth recording; it was a cat that had had four kittens: 

 three were consigned to a watery grave, consequently the whole of pussy's 

 care had now to be lavished on the one dear object left. Some few days 

 after, a tortoise was brought into the house, set down on the floor, and 

 feeling himself at home, like all other good fellows "came out of his shell" 

 and began to expand his knowledge by a few turns round the apartment. 

 The cat had her ^'twa ees" riveted upon the curious customer for some time, 

 but seemed to understand precious little about him, any further than keeping 

 out of harm's way, at a long range. After shewing some uneasiness, she took 

 her youngster up and ran upstairs, where it was found deposited alongside 

 its mother, snugly incased between the coverlet and blankets of a bed. In 

 due time the cat's fear wore ofi", and at last she began to look on paddy's 

 "walking snuff-box" with sovereign indifference, for constant companionship 

 had demonstrated its harmless habits and friendly disposition. The cat and 

 tortoise were long together, and lived to assert the truth of "use being second 

 nature." 



An instance of ingenious sagacity almost rivalling ^sop's "Jackdaw and 

 Pitcher" was displayed by a cat, who, like many more of his brethren, was 

 particularly fond of stolen sweets. One day, it so happened, that a comical 

 looking old-fashioned cream-jug was left alone on a table, containing a small 

 quantity of the rich fluid, which speedily attracted puss's attention ; who thought 



