to 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



at the apex, it is carried even by porters 

 without the cat being tilted off its legs ; whilst 

 the dome top prevents any other package being 

 piled upon it a disadvantage the flat-typed 

 hamper always has. I line my baskets out- 

 side with brown paper or oil baize up to the 

 rim, and inside with curtaiji serge, leaving the 

 lid free for ventilation. TTien, with plenty of 

 hay at the bottom of the basket, the cat will 

 travel from one end of England to the other in 

 comfort and safety, with no danger of taking 

 cold even if left about draughty platforms or 

 in parcel offices. This basket is made by 

 Messrs. Bull, of Guildford, at a very moderate 

 cost, and lasts for years. 



These baskets are, of course, intended for 

 one cat only, or a pair of kittens. A really 

 safe and capable travelling arrangement for a 

 litter with the mother has yet, I think, to be 

 devised. I have seen none I think good. 

 The double compartment hamper I much dis- 

 like. The handles are perforce at each end, 

 necessitating two carriers who never do it 

 so the hamper is dragged by the porter or 

 official with one end tilted (the other cat being 

 nearly upside down), is leant up against other 



luggage, or dropped flat with a bang. \Vith 

 young kittens inside this leads to fatalities. 



A label for the travelling basket seems an 

 insignificant item to mention, but an efficient 

 one is as important as that proverbial nail fcr 

 whose absence the horse and the kingdom were 

 lost. 



I have just made the acquaintance of a 

 first-rate label, devised and sent out by a Mr. 

 Foalstone, at sixpence per dozen, from the 

 Aerefair Engineering Works, near Ruabon. It 

 is a stout linen label, printed " Valuable Live 

 Cat " in big block letters ; below is " Urgent " 

 in red a good idea, red being more likely to 

 attract the casual eye of the railway official. 

 Spaces are left below for line of travel, via, etc., 

 and date and time of despatch. It is revers- 

 ible, so the sender can fill up witli the return 

 address if necessary. I always prefer to fasten 

 the label down at both ends, flat to the basket : 

 it is less likely to be torn away than when left 

 hanging loose from one eyelet. 



It is by due attention to the details that 

 cat fanciers can to some extent mitigate the 

 dangers and risks that must necessarily attend 

 the transit of live stock by rail. 



