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AFFECTIONATE NATURE OF THE CAT. 



Many instances are recorded of misplaced, or rather strangely placed, affection in 

 Cats. They have been known to have taken compassion on all kinds of animals, and 

 to have nourished them as their own. The well-known anecdote of the Cat and the 

 leveret, which she brought up, is too familiar to be repeated in this work, but I have 

 been lately favored with an account of similar conduct on the part of a Domestic Cat. 



A lady possessed a young rabbit, which fell ill and was carried by its mistress to be 

 warmed before the fire. While it was lying on the hearth-rug the Cat entered the room, 

 and seeing the sick rabbit went up to it, and began to lick and fondle it as if it had 

 been one of her own kittens. After a while she took it by the neck, in the usual 

 manner which the Cat adopts for the transportation of her young, and carrying it up- 

 stairs laid it in her own bed, which was snugly made up in a bandbox. However, her 

 benevolent wishes were frustrated, for in spite of the attention which she lavished on 

 her protegee, the poor little rabbit continued to pine away, and at last died. 



Pussy's grief was so distressing that another young rabbit was substituted, and for a 

 while the Cat bore it to her bed, and seemed as affectionate towards the little animal 

 as towards its predecessor. As, however, with all her benevolent intentions she could 

 not feed the rabbit, it was taken to its own mother for the purpose of receiving the 

 nutriment which its foster mother was unable to give. Being thus separated from each 

 other, the temporary link that bound the two creatures together appeared to be broken, 

 and the Cat soon forgot her dead and living foster children. 



A Cat has been known to take a family of young squirrels, and to nurture them in 

 the place of her own little ones which had been destroyed. This circumstance took 

 place in the vicinity of the New Forest. The squirrels were three in number. 



Cats are possessed of a large organ of love of approbation, and are never more delighted 

 than when receiving the praises and caresses of those whom they favor with their 

 friendship. To earn such praises puss will often perform many curious feats, that of 

 catching various animals and bringing them to her owner being among the most com- 

 mon. My own Cat would bring mice to me quite unhurt, and permit me to take the 

 terrified little creatures out of her mouth. She appeared not to care what happened 

 to her mice, only looking for her reward of caresses and laudatory words. 



It would be well if our favorite Cats would restrict themselves to such game as rats 

 and mice, for they are rather indiscriminate in their zeal, and pay a tribute which may 

 appear very valuable to themselves, but is by no means acceptable to the receiver. For 

 example, when pussy jumps on one's knee, and deposits a cockroach, commonly called 

 a " black beetle," in the hands or on the shoulder, it is impossible to resist a wish that 

 she had tempered her zeal with discretion, and either left the long-legged nauseous insect 

 to wander where it chose, or destroyed it at once with a blow of her paw. Birds, stoats, 

 weasels, rats, rabbits, fish, and all kinds of animals, have been thus brought, as a tid-bit of 

 affection, and on more than one occasion the owner of a grateful Cat has been startled by 

 the sudden gift of a living snake, which has been laid writhing and hissing in his hands. 



The birds and mice that have been thus captured are seldom injured, although they 

 often feign death as soon as they are within the resistless grip of their feline foe. So, 

 after a bird has been laid on the floor or placed in the hands, it has often been known 

 to awake as it were from a swoon, and to fly away. Perhaps the sudden grasp of the 

 Cat's paws and teeth may have the same effect as has been already related of the lion's 

 teeth and claws, and for a time produce insensibility to pain, and in some instances 

 utter unconsciousness. 



When Cats have been several times deprived of their kittens they become very 

 cunning and conceal their little ones so closely that they rear several successive 

 families without detection. One of our own Cats was singularly ingenious in contriv- 

 ing a hiding-place for herself and family ; taking advantage- of some defective laths in 

 an outhouse roof, she squeezed herself through the aperture, and made her nest in a 

 spot between the ceiling and the slates, where she could not be reached unless the 

 slates were removed or the ceiling broken through. We could always hear the little 

 maternal conversations that were carried on between the mother and her children, but 

 could never get at one of the family until they chose to emerge on their own account. 



One of them turned out a thorough vagabond, and after he had attained his full 



