42 ROUND THE YEAR 



relatively fixed point against which the fore legs can 

 act. Then the fore legs are extended and the hind 

 legs gathered up close to the body, when the inertia of 

 the fore legs furnishes a fulcrum for the rotation of 

 the hind ones. The cat can right herself, and alight 

 on her feet in a very short space. A cat, let go back 

 downwards, with only six inches of clear space 

 beneath her, alighted on her feet. Those who are 

 inclined to repeat the experiment may be warned 

 that the cat dislikes the operation extremely, and 

 that repeated trials are apt to cause vomiting. 



A cat will show something which looks like affec- 

 tion. But I fear she is utterly selfish at heart, even 

 when she is happy, even when she affects to love you. 

 Theta is quite demonstrative before meals, and bids 

 you notice how much she enjoys your company. 

 But when the meat is carried out, Theta follows it to 

 the kitchen. She never tries to ingratiate herself 

 when she has been fed within an hour or two. 

 Chamfort detects selfishness in her very gestures, 

 " II ne vous caresse pas ; il se caresse sur vous." 



I have set down my general impression of cat 

 nature. But I make haste to add that not every cat 

 is hopelessly selfish. The kindness of the mistress 

 now and then meets with an affectionate return, and 

 the maternal instinct has been known to incline the 

 cat to love an animal of a different species. Mr. 

 Hammond, to whom the readers of my books owe so 

 many excellent figures, tells me that a puppy was 

 brought into his house just at the time when the cat 

 had been robbed of her kittens. She bestowed upon 

 him some of her maternal regard, and to this day will 



