The Book of Cats. 219 



in a woeful plight ; indeed, we afterwards supposed 

 that it could not even lap ; but at the time, although 

 we made several examinations of the sufferer, we 

 could not discover what ailed it. At last, some one 

 suggested seeking the aid of a veterinary surgeon, 

 whose dignity seemed just a little bit ruffled by 

 being called in for a Cat, and who, when he did 

 come, did not bring his instruments with him. 

 Nevertheless, he found out what was wrong, and 

 forcing open the Cat's jaws, put in his finger to loosen 

 what he called a fish-bone. Being rather fearful of 

 getting a bite, he was somewhat hasty, and the bone 

 jerked out, flew into the air, as he released his hold 

 of the Cat's head, whereupon the Cat caught the 

 bone as it fell, and instantly swallowed it, leaving 

 us until this day in the dark as to the size and 

 nature of the bone, and indeed, rather doubtful 

 whether it was a bone at all. 



In cases where the Cat is accidentally crippled, or 

 should be so ill that it were better to put it out of 

 its misery at once, the best plan is to send for a 

 chemist, who for a small sum would administer the 

 poison upon your own premises. I have known 

 cases where men servants entrusted to take the 

 animal to the chemist's shop, have thrown it down 

 in the street, or killed it with unnecessary torture 



