80 THE CAT 



meal porridge forms an excellent diet, and 

 vegetables should be given from time to time. 

 Most cats are very fond of asparagus and cel- 

 ery, but will at times eat almost any vegetable. 

 In cases of diarrhoea or looseness a little boiled 

 rice is a good addition to the milk. There seems 

 to be a prejudice on the part of some people 

 against the feeding of meat to cats, which is 

 unwarranted 5 and a cat is better for an occa- 

 sional feed of meat even once a day in small 

 quantities. They much prefer it raw, and pre- 

 fer mutton to beef. The traditional cat-meat 

 of the " cat-meat man," which is known so well 

 in England, is made of horse-flesh, and is a 

 wholesome, good food; but the marketing of 

 that is practically unknown in America. Fish 

 is a very favorite diet with the cat, and can be 

 given from time to time ; but the fish should 

 be perfectly fresh, as all meat ought to be, for 

 putrid meat is much more apt to produce diges- 

 tive troubles in cats than it does in the other 

 carnivora ; in addition to which, its use by the 

 animal gives it an offensive odor in the house. 

 In resume, the diet of the cat, with a basis of 

 sweet, fresh milk, can be made up of any of 



