200 CURIOUS ANTIPATHIES. 



No animals seem to require human sympathy so much as Cats, or to be so capable 

 of giving sympathy in return. " Pret " knew but one fear, and had but few hates. 

 The booming sound of thunder smote her with terror, and she most cordially hated 

 grinding-organs and singular costumes. At the sound of a thunder-clap poor Pret 

 would fly to her mistress for succor, trembling in every limb. If the dreaded sound 

 occurred in the night or the early morning, Pret would leap on the bed, and creep under 

 the clothes as far as the very foot. If the thunder-storm came on by day, Pret would 

 jump on her mistress' knees, put her paws round her neck, and hide her face between 

 them. 



She disliked music of all kinds, but bore a special antipathy to barrel organs ; 

 probably because the costume of the organ grinder was unpleasing to her eyes, as 

 his doleful sounds to her ears. But her indignation reached its highest bounds at the 

 sight of a Greenwich pensioner, accoutred in those grotesque habiliments with 

 which the crippled defenders of the country are forced to invest their battered 

 frames. It was the first time that so uncouth an apparition had presented itself to 

 her eyes, and her anger seemed only equalled by her astonishment. She got on the 

 window-sill, and there chafed and growled with a sound resembling the miniature roar 

 of a small lion. 



When thus excited, she used to present a strange appearance, owing to a crest, or 

 ridge of hair, which used to erect itself on her back, and extend from the top of her 

 head to the root of her tail, which latter member was marvellously expanded. Gentle 

 as she was in her ordinary demeanor, Pret was a terrible Cat to fight when she saw 

 cause, and seemed to be undaunted by size or number. She was amusingly jealous of 

 her own territories, and if a strange Cat dared to come within range of her special 

 domain, would assault the intruder furiously, and drive it away. 



She had a curious habit of catching mice by the very tips of their tails, and of 

 carrying the poor little animals about the house, dangling miserably from her jaws. 

 Apparently, her object in so doing was to enable her to present her prey uninjured 

 to her mistress, who she evidently supposed would enjoy a game with a mouse as 

 well as herself ; for, like human beings, she judged the character of others by her own. 



This strange custom of tail-bearing was carried into the privacy of her own family, 

 and caused rather ludicrous results. When Pret became a mother, and desired to 

 transport her kittens from one spot to another, she followed her acquired habits of 

 porterage, and tried to carry her kittens about by the tips of their tails. As might be 

 supposed they objected to this mode of conveyance, and sticking their claws in the 

 carpet, held firmly to the ground, mewing piteously, while their mother was tugging at 

 their tails. It was absolutely necessary to release the kittens from their painful 

 position, and to teach Pret how a kitten ought to be carried. After a while, she seemed 

 to comprehend the state of things, and ever afterwards carried her offspring by the 

 nape of the neck. 



At one time, while she was yet in her kittenhood, another kitten lived in the same 

 house, and very much annoyed Pret by coming into the room and eating the meat 

 which had been laid out for herself. However, Pret soon got over that difficulty by 

 going to the plate as soon as it was placed in her accustomed spot, picking out all the 

 large pieces of meat, and hiding them under a table. She then sat quietly, and placed 

 herself as sentry over her hidden treasure, while the intruding Cat entered the room, 

 walked up to the plate, and finished the little scraps of meat that Pret had thought 

 fit to leave. After the obnoxious individual had left the room, Pret brought her 

 concealed treasures from their hiding-place, and quietly consumed them. I never saw 

 a more dainty Cat than Pret. She would not condescend to eat in the usual feline 

 manner, but would hitch the talons of her right paw into the food that was given to 

 her, carrying it to her mouth as delicately as if she had been accustomed to feed her- 

 self with a fork. 



One curious little trait in her character is deserving of notice. She detested to see 

 a pin, whether belonging to the hair or the dress, and devoted her energies to extract- 

 ing the offending articles of costume, and laying them on the table. 



In her friendships as well as her antipathies she was somewhat peculiar. She made 



