CARE AND MANAGEMENT 25 



chair or sofa. It is kindest in these cases to leave puss 

 alone for some time ; then try by gentle persuasion to coax 

 her out of her hiding-place with a saucer of milk or some 

 " tit-bit." She may refuse all food for two or three days, 

 but before long she will get accustomed to her new sur- 

 roundings, and at the end of a week or ten days will probably 

 be perfectly happy and contented. 



Of course, for the first few days it will be necessary to 

 keep windows and doors shut, and to show her constantly 

 the pan she is to use or to take her into the garden, so as 

 to teach clean habits. If, when she is in the garden, you 

 find she has made a sudden dart, do not attempt to chase 

 her ; it is the worst thing you can do. Wait until she is 

 inclined to stop and look about ; then call her gently. You 

 will probably find she does not want to run away. But be 

 careful how you take her up. Some cats will not be handled, 

 and will struggle and fight and scratch and bite, but a cat 

 cannot escape if you catch her by the skin at the back of the 

 neck. I do not mean that you should keep her in a hang- 

 ing position, but your right hand would be holding her neck 

 as you nurse her in your left arm. Cats are naturally timid, 

 and it is curious to note what antipathy they have as a rule 

 to men, though they will grow as devoted to a master as to 

 a mistress. But a strange man's step fills them with alarm. 



The golden rules to observe in the feeding of cats are 

 Regularity and Moderation. An authority on cats recently 

 told me that the primary cause of the majority of the ills 

 that the cat is subject to is over-feeding, and the conse- 

 quent over-taxation of the digestive organs. Two solid meals 

 a day besides milk twice, are quite sufficient for any ordinary 

 cat (nursing mothers and young kittens excepted of which I 

 will speak later). For breakfast a solid meal of some " food " 

 such as The Phoenix Food, Melox, and those prepared by 

 "Salvo," Freeman, and Mellin; any of these given hot 

 make a delightful breakfast. Porridge and fish or fish and 

 rice are very much appreciated and if you wish to flavour 

 equally any of the " food," it is a good plan to get the fish 

 and put it on a dish and pour some boiling milk or water 

 on it ; then mash up the fish with a fork and pour the fish and 

 milk (or fish and water, as the case may be) over the" food," 

 biscuit, rice or oatmeal porridge ; then mix well together to 



