198 THE MERCANTILE CATS. 
he therefore entered into a solemn league and covenant with ‘junior’ to the following effect : 
It was agreed between these low contracting powers that ‘junior’ should devote his 
energies to catching mice for the benefit of ‘senior, who, in consideration of such feudal 
service, was daily to relinquish his claim to a certain allowance of cat’s meat in favour of 
‘junior.’ 
This curious compact was actually and seriously carried out. It was an amusing and 
touching spectacle to behold young pussy gravely laying at the feet of his elder the 
contents of his ‘game bag ; on the other hand, ‘senior, true to his bargain, licked his 
jaws and watched ‘junior’ steadily consuming a double share of cat's meat, 
‘Senior’ had the rare talent of being able to carry a bottle of champagne from one end 
of the cellar to the other, perhaps a distance of 150 feet. The performance was managed 
in this wise. You gently and lovingly approached the Cat, as if you did not mean to per- 
petrate anything wicked; having gained its confidence by fondly stroking its back, you 
suddenly seized its tail, and by. ‘that member raised the animal bodily from the ground, 
its fore-feet sprawling in the air ready to catch hold of any object within reach. You 
then quickly bring the bottle of wine to the seizing point ; pussy clutches the object with 
a kind of despairing crip. By means of the aforesaid tail you carefully carry pussy, bottle 
and all, from one part of the cellar to another. Pussy, however, soon became disgusted 
with this manceuvre, and when he saw a friend with a bottle of champagne looming in the 
distance, he used to beat a precipitate retreat. So ends my tale.” 
In the course of this description of the Domestic Cat, I shall endeavour to introduce, 
as far as possible, entirely new anecdotes of this animal, which will bring forward certain 
traits of character that have never yet been laid before the public notice. Many of the 
incidents which will be recorded in the following pages are sufficiently wonderful to call 
forth. an incredulous smile on the part of those who have no sympathy with this graceful 
and intelligent animal, and who have not given to its intellectual capacities the credit 
which they deserve. I therefore think it needful to state that every narrative of feline 
character which will be found in this work, either occurred within my own knowledge, or 
is substantiated by the authority of the correspondents who have favoured me with their 
narratives, many of whom enjoy a world-wide reputation in the realms of literature and 
science. 
From putting forward some of these statements I have somewhat shrunk, knowing the 
incredulity which meets any controversion of a popular prejudice. But it seems a species 
of cowardice to withhold the truth through fear of opposition or ridicule, and, therefore, 
the following narratives are laid before the public simply because they are true, and not 
because they are credible. 
The two anecdotes which have been just narrated will convey to the mind of any 
unprejudiced reader a certain respect for the amount of intellectual power possessed by 
both these animals, and for the exceeding good temper of the elder Cat while employed in 
his unwilling task of wine porterage. 
As a general rule, a Cat that is well treated is as kindly an animal as a dog under 
similar circumstances, and towards young children still more so. There is, perhaps, no o animal 
which is so full of trust as a Cat which is kindly treated, and none which, when subjected 
to harshness, is so nervously suspicious. Its very trustfulness of nature seems, when 
rebuffed, to react so forcibly upon its sensitive disposition as to cause an entire change of 
character, and fills it with a shy, timid suspicion. I have had many Cats, and never 
yet found one which would not permit almost any liberty to be taken with it. Indeed, 
there are few dogs which would suffer, without resentment, such unceremonious treatment 
as my Cats were called upon to meet daily. 
One of these Cats, a huge, dignified, portly animal, would let me pick him up and 
carry him about in the most disrespectful manner. Any part of his body or limbs served 
as a handle, and he might be lifted by one or more of his legs, by a handful of his loose 
skin, by his tail, by his head, or by any portion of his person that happened to be most 
convenient, and would endure this ungracious manipulation with unrufiled composure. 
Or he might be pitched into the air from one person to another, and used in the light of 
