Ihe Book of Cats. 251 



hardly ever to notice it, and to punish severely any 

 fault it may commit, are not ways to attach it to 

 you. The writer has heard of more than one in- 

 stance in which, on its master's death, a favourite 

 Cat has gone away and not been seen again. There 

 is a great diversity of character in Cats, as, indeed, 

 in all animals. As to the colour, this is not of 

 such importance as the shape. She should be 

 well rounded, compactly formed, with small ears 

 and fur of fine texture. It sometimes happens that 

 ordinary-looking Cats have some very good qua- 

 lities. Cats are very much afraid of each other : 

 two of them will often look at one another over a 

 plate for a long time, neither venturing to move or 

 to take anything. At other times they are great 

 bullies. One will get close up to another, and 

 scream into his ear until the other gradually shrinks 

 back and runs off when he has got clear." 



"The Chinese, it seems," says another writer, 

 "learn the hour of the day by looking into the eyes 

 of their Cats ; but I imagine that if Cats could 

 speak Chinese, they would tell us, not only Avhat 

 o'clock it is, but also what is the day of the week. 

 When a boy, I was a great pigeon-keeper : pigeon- 

 keeping in a town leads to excursions on the roofs. 

 Excursions over roofs lead sometimes to neck- 



