60 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 17-No. 4 



Remarks Concerning the Texas Wild 

 Cat Lately Presented to the Society. 



(Read February 2, 1892, before Cincinnati Society of 

 Natural History. 



The Journal of the Cincinnati Society of 

 Natural History, Vol. XIV, Nos. o and 4, 

 presents as usual many ai tides of interest. 

 We notice an absence of ornitliological matter, 

 which we regret. S. S. Scoville's account of a 

 wild cat tliat was presented to the society we 

 believe will be of enough interest to our 

 readers to give space to. 



This cat was about eighteen months old at 

 the time of its accidental death, in September, 

 1891. It was captured near Red Kiver, in 

 Wilbarger County, Texas, when but three or 

 four weeks old, and presented to my little 

 eleven-year-old granddaughter, Bessie Owens, 

 then residing with her parents in the above- 

 na lied locality. It was fed on cow's milk, 

 and at first would not lap, and had to receive 

 its nourishment from a teaspoon. It was not 

 long, however, until raw flesh became its 

 exclusive diet. It never, up to the time of its 

 death, could be induced to take the smallest 

 particle of cooked meat of any kind. It was 

 exceedingly fond of small birds, especially tlie 

 English Sparrow. 



Upon the return of my son-in-law's family 

 to Lebanon, they brought the cat and also a 

 pet prairie wolf with them. These animals 

 were then about four montlis old. Both were 

 kept tied by means of a leather strap passed 

 around the neck. Confinement was necessary, 

 on account of their ungovernable propensity 

 to nab up cliickens. During the cat's life in 

 Texas it was not confined, and was a constant 

 associate of a common house cat, a setter dog 

 and the above-mentioned prairie wolf. Occas- 

 ionally the wild cat would steal off and prowl 

 around the premises, but would soon return 

 to join its companions. Almost from the time 

 of its capture it became very playful, and was 

 fond of being taken into the lap of some mem- 

 ber of the family. Little Bessie was its special 

 favorite, and from her it received the name of 

 Joan, which, in one respect, was quite appro- 

 priate, for we know that the Maid of Orleans 

 was an accomplished fighter. Upon its arrival 

 at Lebanon, and up to the time of its deatli, it 

 manifested this playful disposition. Nothing 

 would please Joan better than to have a romp 

 with children, or some animal that had tlie 

 courage to approach within playing distance. 

 But few dogs, however, would venture near 

 her, and the domestic cat never. Her long, 

 sharp claws often imparted to her playful 

 pranks an unpleasant sensation, and the 



person who courted lively sport with the cat 

 would often draw off, wishing that he had 

 gone at it " with gloves." At the approach of 

 night she would often seem lonesome, and was 

 very fond of being brought into the house 

 with the family. This was frequently done, 

 to the great amusement of all present. After 

 a general tear arc»und the room she would go 

 for the house cat, frightening it nearly out of 

 its wits. And next would be a rough and 

 tumble play with the dog, one of her Texas 

 companions. It was amusing to see how she 

 would manage to spring upon the dog, which 

 was more than twice her weight, and tlirow 

 him sprawling upon the floor. The dog would 

 often get mad and become furious, while flie 

 cat would show no real temper. It could be 

 seen, howevei', by the little flying tufts of hair, 

 that the dog was being severely punished. 

 The fracas would generally end by the dog 

 drawing off for repairs. The cat was always 

 disposed to continue the sport, and it was 

 only by being taken upon the lap of some 

 member of the family that it would quiet down. 

 Bessie would often carry Joan around in her 

 arms, and occasionally lead her out upon the 

 street, to the great <leiight — and sometimes 

 fright — of the town children. Slie had a 

 special fondness for tlie wolf, but this animal, 

 though quite playful, kept very shy of her 

 catship. 



Judging from what I witnessed, respecting 

 the disposition and habits of this particular 

 cat, I am disposed to think that our opinions 

 concerning the wild cat liave been, in many 

 i-espects, quite erroneous. That it can be 

 fairly well tamed, especially when taken 

 young, there can be no question. It has a 

 purr very similar to the domestic cat, but not 

 nearly so loud in proportion to the size of the 

 animal. It never spits and "gets its back 

 up," as does the house cat. Its cry of hungei', 

 of suffering, or for companionship, has no 

 resemblance to the noises made by the last- 

 named animal. Except when mad, it utters 

 but one sound, which is not loud, and resem- 

 bles somewhat the croak of a small frog. The 

 growl, when mad, or when disturbed while 

 taking its meal, is loud and frightful. It is a 

 real tiger growl, having but little or no resem- 

 blance to that of the house cat. This cat, of 

 which I have been speaking, was wakeful, and 

 generally on the move during the day time. 

 It slept, as a rule, during the night. Probably 

 this is not the habit of the wild cat in its wild 

 state. iS. .S. Scoville, M.D. 



Lebanon, O. 



