HINTS ON CARE AND MANAGEMENT 39 



suggest a Blue and a Silver. Send these to mate with well- 

 known sires, and advertise the kittens just before they are 

 ready to leave their mother, say at about eight weeks old. 



Avoid the use of drugs of any kind for your cats when in 

 kitten. Give extra food, and when the interesting event 

 draws near, prepare a nice box or bed in a secluded corner. 

 Some cats much prefer paper to hay or straw ; others like a 

 folded blanket. 



Male and Stud Cats 



I am sure it is a mistake if you have a stud cat to allow 

 him his liberty one day and then shut him up again. He 

 will pine and fret much more than if kept in continual con- 

 finement. It is important, however, that our male cats 

 should have plenty of fresh air and a long enough run to 

 take some exercise. 



One of the advantages of cat shows is that we are enabled 

 to take stock of the various males, as in some cases adver- 

 tisements of stud cats are a little misleading. I attach great 

 importance to size of head and form of body. Sufficient 

 attention is not paid to mating cats when they are not show- 

 ing any indication of moulting. Choose a stud cat in good 

 coat if possible. The outward characteristics are in a great 

 measure transmitted by the male, so look well to markings, 

 colour, and shape of the stud cat selected. 



The usual fee for the services of a good stud in the cat 

 fancy is i is., and the expense of carriage is defrayed by 

 the sender of the queen. In the United States the charge 

 is from five to ten dollars. 



A word to novices. Beware of keeping your male cats 

 together after they have passed ten months, as I have 

 recently heard of a torn who attacked his brother very 

 suddenly and nearly killed him. 



It is a good plan to try and accustom your cats to be 

 tethered up. My stud cat is quite happy on a long cord. 



