The Book of Cats. 295 



murmur has never yet reached our darlings' ears. 

 And our dumb pets, where shall they find a home, 

 and kind hands to wait upon them ? It is a 

 thousand times better when we die that they 

 should die too ; and you, whose roof has sheltered 

 a Cat, should you change your home, and be 

 unable to take the creature with you, would act a 

 more humane part by having it killed at once than 

 leave it to the questionable mercy of the new 

 comer. The too often carelessly uttered words of 

 " Oh, the Cat will get on well enough," have sealed 

 the poor dependant's fate, and it has been left to 

 shift for itself, with what fate its late owners have 

 but rarely troubled themselves to enquire. What 

 fate would many of us meet w^ith were not a 

 helping hand stretched forth in time of need } To 

 how many of our poor brothers and sisters is the 

 help never tendered ! 



There is a hospital for dogs, which is, I am told, 

 in a flourishing condition ; and a lady of the name 

 of Deen established a sort of asylum for lost Cats 

 at Rottingdean, in consequence of the large 

 number which she saw lying dead upon the beach, 

 and, indeed, offered premiums to anyone who 

 would bring animals of the feline species to her 

 city of refuge. But such kind friends are scarce. 



