64 THE DOMESTIC CAT. 



THE DOMESTIC CAT. 



THIS animal is too well known to require any accurate 

 description; it is the only one of its genius that has been 

 taken under the protection of man, or made him the least 

 return for his trouble by its services. The female goes 

 with young fifty-six days, and brings forth five or six 

 kittens at a time. They live till about the age of ten 

 years. 



The kitten is the most sportive of all animals, but as it 

 grows up, it loses every amiable trait of character, and all 

 the innate treachery of its kind becomes visible. Though 

 taught by education to disguise its propensities, it only 

 waits for a favourable moment to throw off the mask, and 

 to indulge its native rapacity. The cat has only the 

 semblance of attachment; and the assiduity which it shows, 

 is rather to gain favour, than a desire to afford pleasure. 

 It hunts for birds, and many of the smaller kinds of 

 animals; but is chiefly useful for clearing our houses of 

 mice and rats. The mouse, indeed, seems to make its 

 favourite meal, and its patient perseverance till the victim 

 comes within its reach is the object of just admiration. 

 It seizes its prey with a bound, and as it can see better in 

 night than in the day, where its activity is equal to its 

 powers, it is seldom in danger of perishing by famine. 



This animal was the object of extraordinary veneration 

 among the ancient Egyptians. " When the cat dies a 

 natural death," said Herodotus, " all the people of the 

 house shave their eye-brows, in testimony of sorrow : 

 the animal is also embalmed, and nobly interred." Among 

 the Mahometans cats are esteemed as particular favourites; 

 while dogs are the objects of their marked aversion. 



The following anecdotes will enable our readers more 

 fully to judge of its peculiarities. 



In Bingley's Animal Biography it is related that a 

 gentleman possessed a dog and a cat, who not being able 

 to agree, the former drove the latter away, and remained 

 master of the field for several months afterwards, when he 

 was poisoned by a servant. The cat, who had long kept 

 watch in an adjoining roof, seeing her enemy laid lifeless 

 before the door, descended, and, when all was quiet, 

 ventured to approach. Having satisfied herself with her 

 paw that he was lifeless, she immediately returned to her 

 former habits and residence- 



