The Book of Cats. 5 



trouble, and sincerely hope that I shall be able to 

 amuse you by my version of what other people 

 have had to tell, with a good many things which 

 have not yet appeared in print, that I have to tell 

 myself. 



One thing I found out very early in my researches, 

 and that was, that nine out of ten among my 

 authorities were prejudiced against the animal 

 about which they wrote, and furthermore, that they 

 knew very little indeed upon the subject. Take for 

 instance our old friend Mavor, who thus mis-teaches 

 the young idea in his celebrated Spelling Book. 

 "Cats," says Mr. Mavor, "have less sense than dogs, 

 and their attachment is chiefly to the house ; but 

 the dog's is to the persons who inhabit it." Need 

 I tell the reader who has thought it worth his 

 w^hile to learn anything of the Cat's nature, that 

 Mr. Mavor's was a vulgar and erroneous belief, and 

 that there are countless instances on record where 

 Cats have shown the most devoted and enduring 

 attachment to those who have kindly treated them. 

 Again, nothing can be more unjust than to call 

 Cats cruel. If such a word as cruel could be 

 applied to a creature without reason, few animals 

 could be found more cruel than a Robin Redbreast, 

 which we have all determined to make a pet of 



