ANECDOTES ABOUT CATS 239 



kittens imprisoned in it. In the meantime, the bitch, 

 having gone out of doors, was either stolen or killed, as 

 she never returned to her pups. These were found out 

 and adopted by the cat. A day or two after this singular 

 adoption, the kittens were discovered in the drawer so 

 nearly starved that they all died, except one, within a 

 week. The cat, however, continued to nurse both this 

 one and her adopted pups till they were able to do without 

 her attention/' 



There is probably no kind of food that cats show a 

 greater liking for than fish, and many instances have been 

 recorded of their catching them alive. 



Mr Moody, of Jesmond, near Newcastle, had for some 

 years a cat in his possession that was skilful in catching 

 fish, and frequently brought them home alive. 



Besides minnows and eels she occasionally captured 

 pilchards, one of which, about six inches long, was found 

 in her possession. She also contrived to teach the cat of 

 a neighbour to fish, and the two were often seen by the 

 river's side watching. At other times they were seen on 

 opposite sides of the river, not far from each other, on the 

 look-out for their prey. 



The following still more extraordinary account of a 

 cat fishing in the sea appeared in the Plymouth Journal: 



" There is at the Battery on the Devil's Point, a cat 

 which is an expert catcher of the finny tribe, being in the 

 constant habit of diving into the sea and bringing up the 

 fish alive in her mouth, and depositing them in the guard- 

 room for the use of the soldiers. She is now about seven 

 years old and has long been a useful caterer. It is sup- 



