56 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



cats present a neater appearance with narrow 

 ribbons, and the bow should be stitched in the 

 centre, so that it cannot come undone and thus 

 give a dishevelled appearance to the puss. 

 The metal tallies will hang more gracefully 

 roimd the neck if a slip ring is ran through 

 the hole of the tally and then the ribbon is 

 put through the ring. Cushions and hang- 

 ings for the pens are not at all desirable, even 

 if they are permitted. They collect germs 

 and become offensive, and moreover it is 

 much better that all exhibits should be placed 

 on the same footing namely, a bed of hay 

 or straw. 



If owners are unable to accompany their 

 exhibits to the show, it is more than ever 

 necessary that secure, comfortable, and safe 

 travelling boxes or hampers should be used 

 for the transit of the cats. It is not advisable, 

 nor is it generally allowable, for more than one 

 cat to be sent in a hamper to a show. 



The question of hampers and travelling 

 appliances has been dealt with in a previous 

 chapter, but I would earnestly impress upon 

 exhibitors not to send their cats away on 

 journeys, long or short, in tumble-down 

 hampers and unsafe packing cases. Whether 

 hampers or boxes, I would here suggest that 

 whichever is used let the fasteners be secure 

 and yet easy to manipulate. Straps should 

 be attached to the box or hamper, as in the 

 confusion and hurry of show work these, if 

 left loose, may get mislaid. The labels should 

 be so arranged that they may be conveniently 

 turned over for the return journey, where, 

 on the reverse side, ought to be the owner's 

 name and full address. It is most important 

 that these should be distinctly written. I 

 recommend all exhibitors to insure their cats 

 when sending them to a show. The charge 

 is 3d. for every i, and having paid our money 

 we take our chance, which is perhaps a less 

 hazardous one than if this precaution had 

 been neglected. 



The arrangements, or rather want of ar- 

 rangements, as regards the transit of live stock 

 on our railways leave much to be desired, and 

 therefore it behoves fanciers and exhibitors 



who value their cats for their own sakes and 

 for their intrinsic worth, to do all in their power 

 to mitigate the discomforts of a journey and 

 the risks that must necessarily attend the 

 conveyance of live stock by rail. Some fanciers 

 make it a rule never to exhibit unless they 

 themselves can take and bring back their 

 cats, and though this necessarily entails a 

 great .deal of trouble and some expense, yet 

 there is an immense satisfaction in feeling our 

 pets are under our own supervision. There 

 is also an advantage in penning your own 

 cats, and if you arm yourself with a brush and 

 comb you are able to give some finishing 

 touches to pussy's toilet previous to the judges' 

 inspection and awards. Let me recommend 

 a metal comb, and a brush such as is used for 

 Yorkshire terriers, which has long penetrating 

 bristles, but is neither too hard nor too soft. 



Disqualification of cats or kittens at shows 

 may arise from various causes. First, if the 

 cat has not been registered, or if it can be 

 proved that the animal has not been in the 

 possession of the exhibitor for fourteen days 

 before the show, or if a wrong pedigree has 

 been given, or the date of birth of a kitten 

 is incorrect. Any attempt at " faking " will 

 disqualify an exhibit, and in some cases the 

 too free use of powder on white and silver cats 

 is a disqualification in the eyes of some judges. 

 Exhibitors have been known to dye the chins 

 of tabby cats and treat white spots on self- 

 coloured cats in the same manner. Such 

 " faking," as it is popularly called, is always 

 risky, as well as a most undesirable operation, 

 and if resorted to ought not to be passed over 

 by a judge who might detect the artifice and 

 yet lack the moral courage to expose the 

 offender. Let me warn exhibitors against 

 the evil practice of over feeding their cats 

 at shows. It is so much better for a cat 

 to starve for two days than to overload its 

 stomach with the plentiful supplies brought 

 by an over-anxious exhibitor. The sanitary 

 arrangements at present existing at cat shows 

 do not allow of such a course, and if one meal 

 of raw meat and plenty of fresh water is sup- 

 plied by the show authorities pussy will fare 



