THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



of climbers, the Virginian creeper, as it bestows 

 its leafy shade just when required, and har- 

 bours no damp, as the growth of thick, tall 

 trees is apt to do. 



Lastly, let the outlook of the cattery be 

 cheerful. Do not select a spot so far from 

 the house life that the attendant who feeds 

 and cleans is practically the only person the 

 cats see in the twenty-four hours. A cat 



cat fancier is fortunate enough to be able to 

 disregard expense, he can indulge in brick 

 houses with every appliance for comfort and 

 elegance of construction. For others, who 

 can supply a working plan, an intelligent local 

 carpenter (when found) can do much. Occa- 

 sionally, also, it is possible to convert a portion 

 of existing stabling to very efficient uses. But 

 I must advise the beginner, as regards this 



A MUSICAL PARTY. 

 (Photo : E. Landor, Ealing.) 



loves to observe, preferably from some secure 

 high perch, whence it may see all that passes 

 to exchange greetings with the dogs, the 

 gardener, the maids, the tradesmen coming 

 to the door, and thus fill its imprisoned hours 

 with interest. If you disregard this, and put 

 your cats out of sight in some back yard, they 

 will mope badly, and also grow very stupid. 



These principal requirements being borne 

 in mind, individual fancy of building and 

 arrangement may follow. Every breeder of 

 experience has his own ideas of best design, 

 according to means and circumstance. If a 



last suggestion, to be careful. If the stabling 

 is modern, and possesses the main requisites 

 I have already spoken about (of dryness, and 

 space, and cheerful light), then all is, and will 

 be, well. But if, as is often the case, the stable 

 of temptation is old, perhaps unused for some 

 years, is dark, with more than a suspicion of 

 damp, and a very certain habitat of rats, then 

 our fancier is emphatically warned against 

 making any trial of it. short of pulling down 

 and rebuilding. Let him rest assured, it 

 would in the end mean the loss of money, 

 time, care, and, most likely, breeding stock 



