212 PERFORMING CATS. 



been, and is looked on as a thing that is not to be cared for, 

 or domesticated, but often absolutely ill-treated, not because 

 there has been wrong done, but because it is a cat. I heard 

 a man of " gentle blood " once say that there was no good 

 in a cat, and the only use they were, as far as he could 

 see, was as an animal to try the courage of his terriers 

 upon. 



Happily all are not alike, and so the cat survives, and 

 by the present generation is petted and noticed with a 

 growing interest. Though long closely connected with man 

 in many ways, still, as I have before said, it has been left to 

 itself to a certain degree. In no way, or but slightly, has it 

 been guided ; and thus, as a domestic animal, it has 

 become what it is — one repelling most attempts to make it 

 of the same kind of value as the dog ; its great powers of 

 observation, coupled with timidity, make a barrier to its 

 being trained into that which its nature dislikes ; and its 

 natural and acquired repugnance to confinement and tuition 

 prevent it — at least at present — from being " the humble 

 servant/' as the dog, " past and present," has been and is. 



Studying closely the habits of the cat for years, as I 

 have, I believe there is a natural sullen antipathy to being 

 taught or restrained, or made to do anything to which its 

 nature or feelings are averse; and this arises from long- 

 continued persecution and no training. Try, for instance, 

 to make a cat lie still if it wants to go out. You may hold 

 it at first, then gently relinquish your grasp, stroke it, talk 

 to it, fondle it, until it purrs, and purrs with seeming 

 pleasure, but it 7iever once forgets it is rest?'aiTied, and the 

 first opportunity it will make a sudden dash, and is — 

 gone. 



However, all animals, more or less, may be trained, and 

 the cat, of course, is among them, and a notable one. By 

 bringing them up among birds, such as canaries, pigeons, 

 chickens, and ducklings, it will respect and not touch them, 

 while those wild will be immediately sacrificed. 



One of the best instances of this was a small collection 

 of animals and birds in a large cage that used to be shown 



