104 CATS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



I feel I cannot bring my remarks to a close without making 

 some reference to those excellent institutions which must 

 appeal to the hearts of the animal-loving public. I mean 

 the homes for poor stray and starving cats. The first 

 organised attempt to deal with this question in London 

 was started in 1895 under the title of "The Society 

 for the Protection of Cats." In connection with this 

 there is now A Home for Starving and Forsaken Cats. 

 Mrs. Gordon is a most able and energetic Hon. Secre- 

 tary, and devotes a great deal of her time to the poor 

 animals that are brought or sent to Gordon Cottage, 

 King Street, Hammersmith. Let those interested in the 

 humane work carried on at this excellent institution send 

 for a report, or, better still, pay a visit to the cottage 

 home, where they will be welcomed between the hours 

 of 2 and 5 P.M. 



In the North of London there is another excellent institu- 

 tion for Lost and Starving Cats, to which her Majesty the 

 Queen has graciously given her patronage. This home is 

 entirely dependent on the voluntary aid of sympathetic 

 friends, and when I mention that during last year nearly 

 12,000 cats were received, some idea will be given of the 

 amount of funds required to carry on this work of mercy. 

 The premises have lately been enlarged, and the Hon. 

 Manageress, Mrs. Morgan (35, Ferdinand Street, Camden 

 Town, N.W.), is sorely in need of donations towards the 

 extra expenses incurred. I have personally visited both 

 these institutions, and can testify to the excellent arrange- 

 ments for feeding, and also for painlessly destroying them 

 when no homes can be found. 



The Dublin Cats' Home was started by Miss Swifte six- 

 teen years ago. I have been deeply interested in reading 

 the annual report. It speaks well for the natives of the 

 Emerald Isle and for the hearts of the Irish people, that 

 they should be the first to recognise the needs of poor stray 

 and forsaken cats. With characteristic enthusiasm they set 

 about erecting an institution at Grand Canal Quay, Dublin. 

 Miss Swifte, the President and Hon. Treasurer, was the 

 pioneer of the movement and has carried on her good work 

 in the face of many difficulties and, I have no doubt, also 

 that she and the other founders of like institutions have had 



