HINTS ON CARE AND MANAGEMENT 41 



no disagreeable odour is noticed, and the mould need not 

 be changed so frequently as ordinary earth. 



A house pet whose behaviour cannot be relied upon is not 

 a desirable inmate. It is always best to have an arrange- 

 ment of an earth tin in some quiet corner, and to accustom 

 the cat to make use of this in an emergency. 



I never advocate any artificial heat for cats or kittens, 

 but if you have a delicate specimen, or one suffering from 

 a cold, and the weather is severe, then I have found that 

 a hot bottle at night is a great comfort. The india-rubber 

 ones are the most handy, but failing these, a stone ginger- 

 beer bottle filled with boiling water, and tightly corked, 

 answers the purpose. Wrap it in flannel and place in the 

 bed last thing at night. 



It is a good plan during the winter months to keep a store 

 of dry earth in some covered place, so that you can have 

 a constant supply with which to replenish your tins. There 

 is nothing a cat resents more than being asked to use a tin 

 containing damp earth. 



All sleeping boxes or hampers for cats should be raised, 

 and, even for a cat sleeping in the house, a bed, on a chair 

 or box, is much to be preferred to letting her lie on the 

 ground where there is certain to be a draught. 



Be sure and let your pussies have an abundance of hay in 

 their beds during the winter months. Boxes are warmer 

 than hampers, and the top should be covered over so that 

 the cat may crawl in from the front over a ledge of a few 

 inches of wood. Then when inside the bed she is protected 

 from any ground draught. 



The straw or hay provided for our cats should be changed 

 at least once a week, and oftener in summer. A little 

 Mothalene sprinkled at the bottom of the box or hamper 

 keeps down troublesome insects. 



During the summer do not put too much hay in your 



