The Book of Cats. 215 



I knew a lady who fed a pet kitten from her mouth, 

 and it grew up extraordinarily affectionate and 

 sagacious. But I have seen many cases where a 

 Cat has- conceived a strong affection towards a 

 person who has never fed it, and scarcely ever 

 noticed it. 



I lately heard, on good authority, of a case of a 

 lady, one of whose Cats came every morning to 

 her bed-room door, at six o'clock precisely, making 

 so much noise mewing, that it would awaken every 

 one in the house, if she did not hasten to get up, 

 open the door, and shake hands with it, after which 

 ceremony it went quietly away. But, as a rule, 

 these animals do not tax their masters' good nature 

 to such an extent : a pat on the head now and then, 

 a kind word now and again, nothing more is re- 

 quired. 



Mr. Kingston says : — " I was calling on a de- 

 lightful and most clever kind old lady, who showed 

 me a very beautiful Tabby Cat, coiled up on a 

 chair before the fire. 



" ' Seventeen years ago,' said she, * that Cat's 

 mother had a litter : they were all ordered to be 

 drowned, with the exception of one ; the servant 

 brought me that one ; it was a tortoiseshell. ' No,' 

 I said, * that will always be looking dirty ; I will 



