78 CATS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



of Birmingham and Mr. James of Cheltenham are well 

 known in the catty world, and supply remedies for every 

 ailment. Sometimes I have found that the preparation of 

 one veterinary will have no effect on a cat, whereas another 

 of a different firm will have the desired result. We should 

 always bear in mind that our cats are variously constituted, 

 and we must use patience and perseverance. There are 

 some serious and dangerous diseases amongst cats for which 

 no simple remedy can be given with any satisfactory result. 

 I would mention Gastritis, Enteritis, Bronchitis, Inflamma- 

 tion and Congestion of the Lungs, Distemper and Influenza. 

 Now there is no doubt that in these complaints the only hope 

 is for the case to be taken in time by a thoroughly reliable 

 person. The difficulty that the ordinary fancier has to con- 

 tend with is to discover what really is the matter with their 

 cat, and if an attempt is made to doctor and dose a case 

 without sufficient knowledge, serious results may follow. 

 Too often fanciers set down every evil under the sun to 

 worms. It seems to me, therefore, that what is really 

 required is a clear and lucid description of the symptoms of 

 these dangerous diseases, so that people can form some idea in 

 the early stages of the nature of their cats' illness. If they are 

 able to arrive at some conclusion, the best course to pursue is 

 to wire to either Mr. Ward, Salvo, Freeman, James, or other 

 competent person, and ask for medicine to be forwarded at 

 once for such or such complaint. Let us, therefore, give 

 the usual symptoms of a few of what may be called dangerous 

 complaints. Gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach, has 

 unhappily raged amongst our cats, and many a time fanciers 

 have rapidly come to the conclusion that their pets had 

 been wilfully poisoned. Truly, the symptoms are almost 

 identical. The animal is sick; there is high fever, great 

 thirst, a desire for drink, and yet sometimes a disinclination 

 to take it ; for the poor creature will sit with its head over 

 a bowl of water for hours. He will stretch himself on his 

 stomach, preferring a cold flat surface to any soft comfort- 

 able bed we may prepare; and a total loss of appetite 

 is accompanied very often with violent diarrhoea. It is 

 worse than useless to attempt to feed, especially with 

 anything solid. Enteritis, or inflammation of the bowels, 

 is akin to gabtrilis, and the symptoms are much the same. 



