82 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



Nevertheless, there is a species of genealogy 

 kept for cats, quite seriously and in clue form, 

 especially in England. The National Cat Club 

 and the Northern Counties Cat Club, anion-- 

 others, are societies composed princi 

 pally of cat lovers and amateurs, 

 several members of which 

 belong to the Britii 

 aristocracy. These 

 societies, working 

 according to vcr\ 

 precise rules, 

 organize exhibi- 

 tions, establish 

 championships, 

 promote the 

 breeding of pure- 

 races exclusively, 

 and spend much 

 money in so 

 doing. Whatever 

 may be thought 

 of such a fancy, 

 as soon as com- 

 merce and indus- 

 try draw profits 

 from an innocent 



mania we cannot but approve it. Besides, it 

 contributes to protect, support, and succor 

 this particular animal in its struggle for ex- 

 istence, thus lending a hand to the progress 



Lrn LE MlSCRE.ANTS 



of civilization. The late Queen Victoria said 

 a true word on this point : " No civilization is 

 complete which does not include the dumb and 

 defenseless of God's creatures." 



This English rearing of cats has its 

 own reasons ; nevertheless, it 

 w ill not readily cross the At- 

 lantic with its rules and 

 regulations, and take 

 Kit in the United 

 States. It will be 

 long before a very 

 noble lady in Am- 

 erica will distrib- 

 ute with her own 

 hand prizes for 

 cats at a cat show. 

 Yet that very 

 thing happened 

 lately in England, 

 and the prizes 

 were not mere 

 pounds and shil- 

 lings, but objects 

 of art in precious 

 metals. But to 

 win these prizes 

 the breeder, man or woman, must exhibit cats of 

 the finest and purest races, and this demands 

 a great expenditure of time and mone\', and 

 also a certain amnunt of scientific knowledge. 



