THE TAMING OF YOUNG ANIMALS 211 



picked up, and prefer firm, almost rough, handling. As the mother 

 licks them over and cleans them, they like being brushed and 

 scrubbed with a rough damp towel. Most of all they like being 

 caressed and petted and allowed to sleep snuggling in a warm lap. 

 Not food, but warmth and physical contact are the surest ways 

 to their affections. But all of them, and especially the cats, retain 

 a good deal of independence. They like to be left alone sometimes, 

 to retire into a particular dark corner which they have selected, 

 and will be rather unpleasant if they are dragged out when they 

 do not wish society. If they are left alone, they will soon come 

 back. To be fond of companionship is no peculiar gift of the dog. 

 All the carnivores dislike being left alone long, and will scream 

 loudly if they are shut up, or quickly learn the habits of their owners 

 and follow them from place to place. 



It is no part of the domesticated nature of the cat and dog that 

 these are easy to train to cleanliness in a house. In their very 

 young days, the cubs and kittens of the catlike carnivores and of 

 the wolves and dogs and foxes are kept clean by the mothers, but 

 as soon as they are able to move about they are scrupulous in 

 avoiding the soiling of their bedding, or the floor of the room in 

 which they are kept, and if a box with sand, or better still with 

 fresh turf, is kept in a dark corner, they will find it themselves and 

 hardly have to be taught. It is almost a certain sign of illness in 

 any of these creatures if they become dirty in their habits. The 

 various small carnivores that live in trees, like palm-civets and so 

 forth, are a little more troublesome, but they are very easily taught. 

 When the teeth begin to develop, young carnivores naturally try 

 them on every possible object, living or inanimate, within their 

 reach, and it is necessary to teach them not to bite their owners, 

 as even in play they may do a good deal of damage. They even 

 bite their mother, until she teaches them, with rather sharp pats 

 from her paw, what it is permitted to bite and what is taboo. With 

 the different kinds of cats, from tigers to the domestic cat, a little 

 rap on the upper surface of the nose is the safest and most effectual 

 form of punishment. When this has been done once or twice, it 

 is quite enough to lay the finger on the nose, and the little animal 

 will understand and remember. It is more difficult to teach them 

 not to use their claws when they get excited in play, or merely 

 when they are jumping or climbing on one. The claws of small 

 leopards, caracals and so forth are as sharp as needles, and when 

 they are quite young they dig them in automatically. Later on 



