CARE OF THE CAT 77 



lutely clean. If the animals are at all troubled 

 with fleas or other insects, the bedding can be 

 sprinkled with a little flowers of sulphur, which 

 will drive them off . 



In cleaning the cat never use a comb; it 

 breaks the hairs and renders the coat rough. 

 Brush the coat well with a soft brush, or with a 

 mitten which is known as a bath-mitten. The 

 coat of the cat can be improved very materially 

 by washing j but this is difficult unless the ani- 

 mal is very tame, and even then can only be 

 well done by its absolute owner or an attendant 

 of whom it is fond. To wash a cat, make a 

 soft soap-sud, comparatively thick ; apply com- 

 mencing at the hind quarters and tail, and 

 gradually rub in until the ears are reached. 

 After the soap-suds have been thoroughly 

 rubbed in, dip the animal, hind feet first, into 

 a tub of tepid water, when it can be gently 

 patted over with the hand, and then dipped 

 into another tub of tepid water, to rinse it off. 

 The animal should then be wrapped up in a 

 soft bath-towel and the excess of water pressed 

 out ; and it should then be put into a basket of 

 clean oat straw and kept in a warm place, where 



