THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



suggested have proved to be the most satis- 

 factory. 



" In breeding, to be sure of success so far 

 as the eyes are concerned, if possible it is better 

 that both parents should have orange eyes, 

 the deeper the better ; but it is most essential 

 the sire should have good orange eyes. Not- 

 withstanding the queen's eyes being light 

 amber, by crossing with a good orange-eyed 

 sire the kittens are very likely to have good- 

 coloured eyes, but not vice versd. As an in- 

 stance, I once purchased a very handsome 



the age of six months. I remember once giving 

 away a kitten at three months old which I called 

 iron grey and thought would or could never be 

 black. Six months after I saw my friend, who 

 thanked me very much for the lovely black 

 kitten. Two months after seeing him I saw 

 the cat : there were no white hairs, and the 

 colour was a perfect black. This last Rich- 

 mond show I showed a black kitten, aged seven 

 months ; it took a first, a second, and a special. 

 At three months old I thought it was going to 

 be a smoke. It was claimed by the Hon. 



THE CAROL SINGKRS. 

 (Photo : E. Laniior, Ealing.) 



black queen, perfect in all points with the 

 exception of the eyes, which were very light 

 amber. I mated her to ' Dick Fawe,' who had 

 the deepest orange eyes I have yet seen in a 

 black ; the kittens developed orange eyes. I 

 have mated in the opposite way, and the result 

 has been unsatisfactory so far as the eyes have 

 been concerned, and if breeding for show the 

 colour of the eyes is most important. The late 

 Mr. Welburn, a well-known judge, once said 

 in one of his reviews of blacks at a large show 

 (I think it was the Crystal Palace), ' I scarcely 

 think that eyes alone should carry an award, 

 yet it is always best to uphold the desired pro- 

 perties so hard to obtain.' 



" Having bred a litter of black kittens, it 

 is unwise to make up your mind what colour 

 they are going to be until they have attained 



Mrs. McLaren Morrison. I have a kitten 

 now, aged three months, perfectly bronze in 

 colour and a grey frill. I have no doubt at 

 seven months old it will be a perfect black. 

 I have given these illustrations in order that 

 .those who are thinking of going in for blacks 

 should not give up all hope of the kittens be- 

 coming black until the age I have stated. 



" I breed my kittens from January to July, 

 and find they do much better in the catteries, 

 all of mine being separate ; and I find Spratt's 

 movable runs most useful. In showing blacks 

 they should be brushed and rubbed with a 

 Selvyt cloth daily one month previously and 

 kept free of matted hair. The application of 

 Brilliantine or American Bay Rum in small 

 quantity brushed on gives a perfect gloss to 

 their coats." 



