256 Vie Book of Cats, 



attachment was thus quite disinterested, and no 

 pains whatever had been taken to train it." 



Here is a curious anecdote, culled from another 

 source : — 



" I have at the present time about my house a 

 Cat that came into my possession under rather 

 singular circumstances. Before we knew her, Ave 

 had a Cat that gave perfect satisfaction, was a 

 good mouser, and an affectionate mother. In the 

 rear of our house, there is a shed, commonly used 

 as a wood store, and frequented, at least, once a 

 day. It is by no means a secluded place, and the 

 door, through a weakness in . its hinges, is con- 

 stantly ajar. 



" One morning there was discovered in the shed, 

 not only a strange Cat, but a strange Kitten, with 

 its eyes open, plump, and about a fortnight old. 

 The strange Cat made no attempt to stir when the 

 maid entered, but lay suckling her baby, and look- 

 ing up with an expression that said as plainly as 

 Cat language could, — 



*' * A persecuted Cat and her Kitten at your ser- 

 vice ; don't drive us out, that's a good creature.' 



" More singular still, before the person appealed 

 to could consider the case, our own Cat peeped into 

 the shed, and after deliberately walking up to the 



