BIRD ENEMIES INTRODUCED BY MAN 151 



The cat is kept for two purposes, as a pet and as 

 a mouser. As a pet it may be dangerous to health, 

 and there are other pets that are equally or more 

 desirable. As a means of controlling rats and mice, 

 it is only moderately successful, and mice and rats 

 can be more effectually controlled by means of traps 

 and poisons. Mr. Forbush's investigations in Mas- 

 sachusetts seem to indicate that only about one 

 fifth of the cats kept in country towns are efficient 

 ratters. And when these pests are once cleaned 

 out there is no need for keeping a cat. 



Professor Nathaniel Southgate Shaler in his " Do- 

 mesticated Animals," writes as follows of the cat: 



The cat is the only animal that has been tolerated, 

 esteemed, and, at times, worshiped, without having a 

 single distinctly valuable quality. It is in a small way 

 serviceable in keeping down the excessive development 

 of small rodents, which from the beginning have been 

 the self-invited guests of man. As it is in a certain in- 

 different way sympathetic, and by its caressing appears 

 to indicate affection, it has awakened a measure of sym- 

 pathy which it hardly deserves. I have been unable to 

 find any authentic instances which go to show the exist- 

 ence in cats of any real love for their masters. 



Mrs. Alice H. Walter, in " Bird-Lore " for Janu- 

 ary-February, 1915, summarizes the matter in the 

 following list of questions: 



Every person is free to his or her own opinion, but 

 conscientious answers to the following questions may 

 help some who are not decided as to the merits of this 

 question to make up their minds definitely: 



