198 THE MERCANTILE CATS. 



he therefore entered into a solemn league and covenant with ' junior ' to the following 

 effect : It was agreed between these low contracting powers that * junior ' should devote 

 his energies to catching mice for the benefit of 'senior,' who, in consideration of such 

 feudal service, was daily to relinquish his claim to a certain allowance of cat's meat in 

 favor of ' junior.' 



This curious compact was actually and seriously carried out. It was an amusing 

 and touching spectacle to behold young pussy gravely laying at the feet of his elder 

 the contents of his 'game bag' ; on the other hand, ' senior,' true to his bargain, licked 

 his jaws and watched 'junior ' steadily consuming a double share of cat's meat. 



' Senior ' had the rare talent of being able to carry a bottle of champagne from one 

 end of the cellar to the other, perhaps a distance of 150 feet. The performance was 

 managed in this wise. You gently and lovingly approach the Cat, as if you did not 

 mean to perpetrate anything wicked ; having gained its confidence by fondly stroking 

 its back, you suddenly seize its tail, and by that member raised the animal bodily 

 from the ground, its fore-feet sprawling in the air ready to catch hold of any object 

 within reach. You then quickly bring the bottle of wine to the seizing point ; pussy 

 clutches the object with a kind of despairing grip. By means of the aforesaid tail you 

 carefully carry pussy, bottle and all, from one part of the cellar to another. Pussy, 

 however, soon became disgusted with this manoeuvre, and when he saw a friend with 

 a bottle of champagne looming in the distance, he used to beat a precipitate retreat. 

 So ends my tale." 



In the course of this description of the Domestic Cat, I shall endeavor to introduce, 

 as far as possible, entirely new anecdotes of this animal, which will bring forward 

 certain traits of character that have never yet been laid before the public notice. Many 

 of the incidents which will be recorded in the following pages are sufficiently wonderful 

 to call forth an incredulous smile on the part of those who have no sympathy with 

 this graceful and intelligent animal, and who have not given to its intellectual capacities 

 the credit which they deserve. I therefore think it needful to state that every narrative 

 of feline character which will be found in this work, either occurred within my own 

 knowledge, or is substantiated by the : authority of the correspondents who have favored 

 me with their narratives, many of whom enjoy a world-wide reputation in the realms 

 of literature and science. 



From putting forward some of these statements I have somewhat shrunk, knowing 

 the incredulity which meets any controversion of a popular prejudice. But it seems a 

 species of cowardice to withhold the truth through fear of opposition or ridicule, and, 

 therefore, the following narratives are laid before the public simply because they are 

 true, and not because they are credible. 



The two anecdotes which have been just narrated will convey to the mind of any 

 unprejudiced reader a certain respect for the amount of intellectual power possessed by 

 both these animals, and for the exceeding good temper of the elder Cat while employed 

 in his unwilling task of wine porterage. 



As a general rule, a Cat that is well treated is as kindly an animal as a dog under 

 similar circumstances, and towards young children still more so. There is, perhaps, 

 no animal which is so full of trust as a Cat which is kindly treated, and none which, 

 when subjected to harshness, is so nervously suspicious. Its very trustfulness of 

 nature seems, when rebuffed, to react so forcibly upon its sensitive disposition as to 

 cause an entire change of character, and fills it with a shy, timid suspicion. I have 

 had many Cats, and never yet found one which would not permit almost any liberty to 

 be taken with it. Indeed, there are few dogs which would suffer, without resent- 

 ment, such unceremonious treatment as my Cats were called upon to meet daily. 



One of these Cats, a huge, dignified, portly animal, would let me pick him up and 

 carry him about in. the most disrespectful manner. Any part of his body or limbs 

 served as a handle, and he might be lifted by one or more of his legs, by a handful of 

 his loose skin, by his tail, by his head, or by any portion of his person that happened 

 to be most convenient, and would endure this ungracious manipulation with unruffled 

 composure. Or he might be pitched into the air from one person to another, and used 



