394 Life and Immortality. 



has, perhaps, some ground of truth, for the nature of a cat is 

 not so easy to understand as that of a dog. But when a cat 

 is not understood, it is very probable that she cares less for 

 the inhabitants of the house than for the house itself. Fre- 

 quent instances are known by the writer where cats have 

 been in the habit of moving about with their owners, and 

 have been as much unconcerned as dogs would have been. 

 True they have, like women, a curious and prying disposi- 

 tion. I have seen them in new and strange quarters go 

 sniffing about every room of a house, and at last settle down 

 in some cozy, comfortable place, well satisfied with their 

 tour of investigation. Where the house fell short of their 

 expectations, if they have been cats that have received due 

 consideration from their mistresses or masters, they have 

 tried to live down their objections and to learn to be happy 

 and contented with their lot. Only cats that have not been 

 much thought of are inclined to show their disapproval to 

 changes of residence which they deemed unsuitable by 

 refusing to stay with their masters. Blackie, a favorite cat 

 of ours, never seemed to care where her home was, so long 

 as her friends were there to pet, caress and pamper her with 

 choice dainties. 



All animals, so far as can be learned, have not only a 

 capacity for the society of man, but an absolute yearning for 

 it. This feeling may be in abeyance, from not having 

 received any development at the hands of man, but it never- 

 theless exists, and only awaits to be educed by some one capa- 

 ble of appreciating the character of the animal. Tigers, as 

 is well known, are not generally considered the friends of 

 mankind, and yet the Indian fakirs will travel over the coun- 

 try with tame tigers, which they simply lead about with a 

 slight string, and which will permit small children to caress 

 them with their hands without evincing the least disposition 

 to hurt them. 



When we survey the examples of love displayed by ani- 

 mals towards human beings, which we have just detailed, 



