DOMESTIC CAT. 41 



The prices of all cat-skins vary from year to year. 

 Six shillings to eight shillings per skin is sometimes 

 willingly paid for the very best Dutch skins. 



The colour of the cat varies considerably, perhaps 

 more than that of any other animal, excepting the 

 rabbit — black, white, black and white, brindled, tortoise- 

 shell, white and tabby, tabby, dark tabby, blue, blue- 

 tabby, silver-tabby (sometimes called Cyprus), and red- 

 tabby. Tabby colours are most numerous, and dark 

 tabby, to our mind, the most beautiful. Some speci- 

 mens are nearly as finely marked as a miniature tiger. 

 Silver-grey cats are very rare ; we once saw a white cat 

 with a tabby tail, 



Eed-brown and other similar coloured skins are 

 generally topped (dyed on top of the hair) to imitate 

 the natural colour. The difference can, however, be at 

 once detected by an experienced eye. 



In Canada and other cold climates the domestic cat 

 reverts to its original colour — mouse, or yellow, mouse- 

 brown, and black-tabby. Sj^otted cats are not so often 

 seen as in this country. 



The wild cat and tame cat cannot well be broken into 

 different species. The greater length and more taper- 

 ing form of tail of the house cat is explained by the 

 warmer condition and better feeding under which it 

 lives. 



When the coat or fur of a cat is rubbed it generates 

 electricity. The sparks may clearly be discerned in a 

 dark room. The eyes of the cat also gleam and shine 

 in the dark. 



The skin of the cat, like that of the lynx, is much 

 thicker at the head. This thickening is probably a 

 natural defence to protect the males, or tom-cats, when 

 fighting, which is often of a desperate character. 



