CATS OF TO-DAY. 



35 



in 



and I have been told that free rations to starv- 

 ing cats are dealt out every day at the Palace 

 of the Cadi and the Bazar of Khan Kheleel ; 

 also that a cats' home has been founded 

 Cairo for the lodg- 

 ing and feeding of 

 homeless cats. 



There was a re- 

 port that in order 

 to cope with the 

 innumerable lost 

 and starving cats 

 the American Legis- 

 lature had decided 

 to enforce a bill for 

 licensing cats, but 

 if such a law came 

 into existence in 

 any country the re- 

 sult would surely 



be that thousands of cats with good homes 

 would be thrust out into the streets, and that 

 rats and mice would multiply to an alarming 

 extent. It is estimated that in New York city 

 alone 60,000 cats depend for their daily food 

 on gar- 

 bage and 

 the mice 

 and rats 

 that they 

 capture. 

 Therefore, 

 if each cat 

 catches 

 three mice 

 or rats a 

 week, the 

 sum total 

 am ounts 

 to over 

 9,000,000 

 a year ! 



I have often wondered why some of our 

 numerous "distressed ladies" do not set up 

 private homes for the care of cats. A really 

 comfortable country home for cats is an 

 enterprise in which many a woman, who is 

 hopelessly at sea for some means of earning 



THE HON. PHILIP WODEHOUSE S " SILVER SAINT. 

 (Photo : Clarke & Co., Norwich.) 



an honest livelihood in this overcrowded 

 work-a-day world, might thus combine 

 pleasure with profit. Many fanciers feel the 

 difficulty and well nigh impossibility of leaving 



their catteries for 

 any length of time, 

 and few have a per- 

 manent and respon- 

 sible caretaker on 

 the premises. An 

 opening, therefore, 

 presents itself not 

 only for boarding 

 homes for cats, but 

 for temporary helps 

 who could be en- 

 gaged by the week 

 or month to take 

 charge of the cat- 

 tery during the ab- 

 sence of the owner. Of course, such a person 

 should have had experience with cats and kit- 

 tens, and above all should be an animal lover. 

 To dwellers in any of our large cities the 

 sojourn in some country place would come as 



a boon and 



A BEVY OF BLUES BELONGING TO MISS SAVERV 

 (Photo : ll'aschenki, St. Leonanls-on-Sea.) 



a blessing, 

 and if the 

 owner of 

 thecattery 

 is fully as- 

 sured of 

 the capa- 

 bilities of 

 the care - 

 taker, then 

 all anxiety 

 of mind as 

 to the wel- 

 fare of the 

 pets would 

 be allayed. 



There is a secluded corner in Hyde Park 

 known as the Dog's Cemetery, and amongst 

 the many headstones I noticed two or three 

 erected in memory of lost pussies who have 

 been privileged to rest in this quiet burying 

 ground. 



