SIAMESE CATS. 77 



" Their habits are in general the same as the common 

 cat, though it has been observed by strangers, ' there is a 

 pleasant wild animal odour,' which is not apparent to us. 



" Most of the kittens have a kink in the tail ; it varies in 

 position, sometimes in the middle, close to the body, or at 

 the extreme end like a hook." 



This tallies with the description given by Mr. Darwin of 

 the Malayan and also the Siamese cats. See my notes on 

 the Manx cat. Mr. Young had also noted this peculiarity 

 in " the Royal cat of Siam." 



Mrs. Vyvyan further remarks : 



" They are very affectionate and personally attached 

 to their human friends, not liking to be left alone, and 

 following us from room to room more after the manner of 

 dogs than cats. 



"They are devoted parents, the old father taking the 

 greatest interest in the young ones. 



'' They are friendly with the dogs of the house, occupy- 

 ing the same baskets ; but the males are very strong, and 

 fight with great persistency with strange dogs, and conquer 

 all other tom-cats in their neighbourhood. We lost one, 

 however, a very fine cat, in China in this way, as he returned 

 to the house almost torn to pieces and in a dying condition, 

 from an encounter with some animal which we think was 

 one of the wild cats of the hills. 



'' We feed them on fresh fish boiled with rice, until the 

 two are nearly amalgamated ; they also take bread and milk 

 war7?i, the milk having been boiled, and this diet seems to 

 suit them better than any other. They also like chicken 

 and game. We have proved the fish diet is not essential, 

 as two of our cats (in Cornwall) never get it. 



"Rather a free life seems necessary to their perfect 

 acclimatisation, where they can go out and provide 

 themselves with raw animal food, 'feather and fur.' 



" We find these cats require a great deal of care, unless 

 they live in the country, and become hardy through being 

 constantly out of doors. The kittens are difficult to rear 

 unless they are born late in the spring, thus having the 



