PEEFACE. 



WHEN, a month ago, the National Cat 

 Show became an established fact, and 

 inquiries were being made in regard to the 

 classification and qualities of cats, I learned 

 that none of the booksellers in New York had 

 any literature upon the cat except a technical 

 book by St. George Mivart : " The Cat : An In- 

 troduction to the Study of Backboned Ani- 

 mals/' and the smaller book of Gordon Stables. 

 I determined to prepare the present guide, 

 which I present to the public interested in the 

 useful stable-companion and pretty house-pet. 

 Unfortunately, I was moving my office to the 

 New York College of Veterinary Surgeons at 

 the time, and many of my books, manuscripts, 

 and personal notes were boxed up and have 

 been unavailable for reference. I have drawn 



