26 CATS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



give the whole food a fishy flavour. For supper give a 

 meat meal raw meat, horseflesh, liver, tripe, rabbit, or 

 lights but do not give lights constantly if any lung trouble 

 is suspected among your pets. Where several cats are kept 

 it is advisable to get a mincing-machine, as not only does it 

 save considerable time, but the food finely minced is much 

 more digestible than cut up meat, however small. Green 

 vegetables should be given in moderation, as they act as a 

 blood purifier. Every care should be taken not to give food 

 that is the least tainted. For growing cats or kittens that 

 may be at all weak in their limbs, lime-water is indispensable, 

 as it gives strength and forms bone. A dessert-spoonful of 

 lime-water in milk should be given to cats, and a little less 

 to kittens. In the spring of the year a pinch of sulphur 

 powder (the black for preference) should be mixed with the 

 first meal of the day twice a week, as a preventive of skin 

 troubles. 



On no account should you allow your queen to mate 

 more than twice in the year, nor should these litters follow 

 too closely as it is a strain on the mother, besides making 

 her dreadfully thin ; and it must be remembered that this 

 will affect the kittens, making them weakly and delicate. 

 Gestation lasts nine weeks (sixty-three days), but cats often 

 go three days and even longer beyond that time. As the day 

 for the " accouchement " approaches, it is as well to give a 

 small dose of oil or to feed on sardines as the bowels should 

 be kept well opened. The bed should be made a week 

 or more beforehand and be shown to " Madame " for her 

 approval. It is best to have a box fairly high so as to keep out 

 all draughts, yet not high enough to prove an inconvenience 

 to puss each time she jumps in and out. Hay is nicest to put 

 in the box and a little insect powder should be sprinkled 

 underneath. After the kittens have arrived a piece of 

 blanket on the hay is much appreciated by the mother, but 

 neither she nor her kittens should be handled for at least 

 twenty-four hours. 



If it is a first litter or if the mother is not reliable, a 

 foster-mother should be in readiness. For preference in 

 such cases get a strong English cat, as they are more robust 

 than Persians, and often far more loving mothers. Four 

 kittens are enough for any average cat to bring up. In the 



