200 CURIOUS ANTIPATHIES. 
No animals seem to require human sympathy so much as Cats, or to be so capable 
of giving sympathy in return. “Pret” knew but one fear, and had but few hates. The 
booming sound of thunder smote her with terror, and she most cordially hated grinding- 
organs ‘and singular costumes. At the sound of a thunder-clap poor Pret would fly to 
her mistress for succour, trembling in every limb. If the dreaded sound occurred in the 
night or the early morning, Pret would leap on the bed, and creep under the clothes as 
far as the very foot. If the thunder-storm came on by day, Pret would jump on her 
mistress’ knees, put her paws round her neck, and hide her face between them. 
She disliked music of all kinds, but bore a special antipathy to barrel organs ; probably 
because the costume of the organ grinder was unpleasing to her eyes, as his doleful 
sounds to her ears. But her indignation reached its highest bounds at the sight of a 
Greenwich pensioner, accoutred in those grotesque habiliments with which the crippled 
defenders of the country are forced to invest their battered frames. It was the first time 
that so uncouth an apparition had presented itself to her eyes, and her anger seemed only 
equalled by her astonishment. She got on the window-sill, and there chafed and growled 
with a sound resembling the miniature roar of a small lion. 
When thus excited, she used to present a strange appearance, owing to a crest, or 
ridge of hair, which used to erect itself on her back, and extend from the top of her head 
to the root of her tail, which latter member was marvellously expanded. Gentle as she 
was in her ordinary demeanour, Pret was a terrible Cat to fight when she saw cause, and 
seemed to be undaunted by size or number. She was amusingly jealous of her own 
territories, and if a strange Cat dared to come within range of her special domain would 
assault the intruder furiously, and drive it away. 
She had a curious habit of catching mice by the very tips of their tails, and of carry- 
ing the poor little animals about the house, dangling miserably from her jaws. Appa- 
rently, her object in so doing was to enable her to “present her prey uninjured to her 
mistress, who she evidently supposed would enjoy a game with a mouse as well as her- 
self; for, like human beings, she judged the character of others by her own. 
This strange custom of tail-bearing was carried into the privacy of her own family, 
and caused rather ludicrous results. When Pret became a mother, and desired to trans- 
port her kittens from one spot to another, she followed her acquired habits of porterage, 
and tried to carry her kittens about by the tips of their tails. As might be supposed, 
they objected to this mode of conveyance, and sticking their claws in “the carpet, held 
firmly to the ground, mewing piteously, while their mother was tugging at their tails. 
It was absolutely necessary to release the kittens from their painful position, and to teach 
Pret how a kitten ought to be carried. After a while she seemed to comprehend the 
state of things, and ever afterwards carried her offspring by the nape of the neck. 
At one time, while she was yet in her kittenhood, another kitten lived in the same 
house, and very much annoyed Pret by coming into the room and eating the meat which 
had been laid out for herself. However, Pret soon got over that difficulty by going to 
the plate as soon as it was placed in her accustomed spot, picking out all the large 
pieces of meat, and hiding them under a table. She then sat quietly, and placed herself 
as sentry over her hidden treasure, while the intruding Cat entered the room, walked u 
to the plate, and finished the little scraps of meat that Pret had thought fit to leave. 
After the obnoxious individual had left the room, Pret brought her concealed treasures 
from their hiding-place, and quietly consumed them. I never saw a more dainty Cat 
than Pret. She would not condescend to eat in the usual feline manner, but would hitch 
the talons of her right paw into the food that was given to her, carrying it to her mouth 
as delicately as if she had been accustomed to feed herself with a fork. 
One curious little trait in her character is deserving of notice. She detested to see a 
pin, whether belonging to the hair or the dress, and devoted her energies to extracting 
the offending articles of costume, and laying them on the table. 
In her friendships as well as her antipathies she was somewhat peculiar. She made 
acquaintance at one time with a puppy, a rabbit, and a game cock, and for the time was 
very affectionate in her conduct towards these strange allies. 
She had curious tastes for a Cat, preferring well sweetened tea to milk, and bread crusts 
