Care of Cats 41 



on the other food. As sulfur is practically tasteless, 

 they will not object to its use in this manner. 



"A common cause of sickness, especially in long- 

 haired cats, is clogging of the stomach and intestines 

 with hair in the shedding season. The cat should 

 be brushed daily with a soft bristle brush, removing 

 by this gentle process as much of the hair as possi- 

 ble. This will not prevent the cat from licking itself 

 and swallowing hair; but it will prevent it, to a cer- 

 tain extent, from becoming dangerously injured by 

 it. During the 'molting season,' give daily with her 

 food a dessert -spoonful of fresh olive oil; if she ob- 

 jects to this, mix it with a little juice from a can of 

 salmon. The oil will assist her in disposing of the 

 hair in a natural manner. If the cat throws up casts 

 of hair, congratulate her, as it is one of nature's ways 

 of affording relief. 



''Cats should be kept free from matted clots of hair, 

 for vermin deposit their eggs in these. A comb will 

 disentangle them if used in time, but if thej" do not 

 easily yield, work them full of vaseline, and leave 

 over night; this loosens them so that a comb should 

 remove them;^ but if they still resist, remove them with 

 scissors, taking care not to hurt the skin. This matted 

 hair is usually dead hair and should come out. 



"Washing cats is not a good practice. In case of 

 sickness, for sanitary purposes, dry boracic acid, dusted 

 into the hair and brushed out, will accomplish the re- 

 sult desired with less annoyMuce to the animal. If 

 the cat needs cleaning, fill the fur w4th damp, warm 

 bran and brush it. 



