THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



designed structure, and would be exceedingly 

 ornamental in a sheltered corner of the garden. 

 In putting up, however, it should be stood 

 upon brick piers to raise it at least four inches 

 from the ground, or the wooden flooring would 

 soon show damp. Cats kept in these small 

 houses, it must be understood, should have 

 their liberty at least a portion of every fine 

 and dry day, the runs being wholly inadequate 

 for a cat to be shut in continuously without 

 further scope for exercise. 



Another illustration is a handy portable 

 hutch, intended to be used chiefly in a house or 

 room, although it is also convenient for penning 

 young kittens out-of-doors on a sunny day. the 

 wire run prevent- 

 ing their straying 

 away. It consists 

 of a sleeping-box 

 and small wire run 

 hooked on, and 

 can be made at 

 the cost of a few 

 shillings. 



The sleeping-box 

 is 24 inches long 

 by 17 inches wide 

 and 22 inches high, 

 is raised three 



inches from floor by a false bottom, and has 

 a large door at back opening with a brass 

 catch. In front, two side-pieces reduce the 

 entry to 12 inches. A handle screwed on the 

 top of the box is convenient for carrying. 

 The run is 3 feet 6 inches by 24 inches-, made 

 in four sections, two sides, top and end piece, 

 all fitted and hooked together with i-inch 

 mesh wire netting that it may be easily taken 

 apart for carrying or storing away. It makes 

 a useful sleeping-pen, too, for young toms that 

 are inclined to quarrel together, and so have to 

 be shut up separately at night. All the wood- 

 work is stained and varnished, and a square 

 of oilcloth laid on the floor of the sleeping-box. 



The next appliance to be considered is a 

 somewhat gruesome adjunct to the cattery, 

 and belongs to the darker side of our hobby. 

 In spite of every care, illness and death must 



A POKTABLK HUTCH. 



enter now and again, when we are fain to retire 

 worsted from the conflict with disease, and 

 the wisest and kindest thing to do is to put 

 our pet to sleep. The illustration given on 

 the opposite page depicts a lethal box, as used 

 at the Royal London Institution for Lost and 

 Starving Cats at Camden Town, and is capable 

 of holding twelve animals at a time. 



Mr. Ward, the well-known feline specialist 

 of Manchester, has patented a lethal box 

 of more moderate dimensions. Mr. Ward, 

 not yet having an illustration of it, kindly 

 writes me the description as follows : " The 

 box inside is 15 inches by 12 inches by 

 12 inches. A sheet of glass is inserted in the 



lid, so that the 

 operator in a y 

 watch the process. 

 The vapour coal 

 gas passed through 

 chloroform enters 

 through a tube at 

 end. Two minutes 

 is sufficient time." 

 Fanciers, I 

 think, will agree 

 that this simple 

 peace-giving box 

 is not among the 



least of Mr. W'ard's kindly ministrations to the 

 cats he loves so well. Few amongst us can 

 bear to see unmoved the terrible last pains of 

 a pet who in its days of health delighted us 

 with its beauty. 



Feeding utensils we turn to next. For 

 them nothing is more satisfactory than the 

 unbreakable enamelled ware in white or blue 

 except, perhaps, for the water pans, for 

 which it is scarcely weighty enough, and it 

 not infrequently happens that a gay and 

 frolicsome company of kittens will knock 

 against them, sending them spinning, and 

 the water is spilt upon the floor. 



The circular, heavy glazed earthenware 

 dishes, spittoon-shaped, and generally in- 

 scribed " Pussy," are excellent, and cannot 

 be overturned. 



Besides the plates and saucers for feeding, 



