CHAPTER XXV 



THE TORTOISESHELL SHORT-HAIRED CAT 



ONE marked peculiarity of this variety is the great rarity 

 of males ; I should think there is not one male to be met 

 with to several hundred females. I have never heard 

 any reason given for this being so, but I have not the 

 slightest doubt about it. In all my show experiences I 

 do not think I have seen a dozen Tortoiseshell male 

 cats, and never seen more than three at any one show. 



My friend, the late Mr Herbert Young, of Harrogate, 

 was very sanguine he had discovered a plan for breeding 

 the males as well as females of this colour, but if so he 

 died without divulging the secret, as I remember only one 

 appearing from his cattery. 



The black red and yellow making up the colour, of 

 which, as a rule, the black is the most prominent, give 

 rather a sombre appearance to them, and they are not 

 admired much by the general public. 



As I have said in another place in these sketches, the 

 females are usually mated with Red Tabby males, and 

 I have found excellent Blacks, Whites and Red Tabbies 

 in some of these litters. 



Of course, it is important there should be no Tabby 



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