122 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



" CRYSTAL. 

 THE PROPERTY OF Miss M. HUNT 

 (I'hoto : C. Reid, Wishaui.) 



The well-known breeder and judge Mr. 

 A. A. Clarke, whose name is more closely 

 connected with blue Persians, once owned 

 a famous female called " Miss Whitey." I 

 remember that this really remarkable cat was 

 exhibited in 1887 at the Crystal Palace, and 

 again in the following year, when at four years 

 old she took first prize and silver medal in a 

 strong class of nine females. It seems to me 

 that these cats, as I recollect them, appeared 

 half as large again as the present-day champion 

 winning whites ; but whether this was in con- 

 sequence of more profuse coat or a generally 

 bigger build of animal I cannot at this distance 

 of time pretend to determine. 



Amongst the well-known prize-winners and 

 stud white Persian cats of the present day I 

 may mention Miss White Atkin's massive- 

 limbed " White Knight," whose broad skull is 

 especially remarkable in a show-pen, and com- 

 mends itself to the notice of the judge. Miss 

 Harper's " Blue-eyed Wanderer " has great 

 quality and lovely texture of coat. He was in 

 truth a wanderer in the streets of a London 

 suburb, and, although labelled " breeder and 

 pedigree unknown," he has almost always 

 held his own in the white classes at our largest 



shows. Mrs. Westlake, Mrs. Pettit, Mrs. 

 Finnic, and Miss Hunt are all possessed of 

 imported white cats, which have proved 

 worthy ancestors of many prize-winning kittens. 

 There have not been any very notable female 

 white cats exhibited since the appearance of 

 Lady Marcus Beresford's " Nourmahal," with 

 the exception of Miss M. Hunt's " Crystal " 

 and Mrs. Pettit's most lovely " Piquante 

 Pearl," bred by her from her stud cat " King of 

 the Pearls " and " Beautiful Pearl." This cat 

 is as near perfection as possible, and has 

 , carried off highest honours whenever exhibited. 

 Mrs. Pettit began breeding white Persians in 

 1896, and has kept faithful to this breed ever 

 since. This enthusiastic breeder always accom- 

 panies her exhibits, and her precious Pearls 

 are never seen at the smaller mixed shows. I 

 have always heard that white kittens are 

 difficult to rear, and Mrs. Pettit, who should 

 be well qualified to give her testimony on this 

 point, says : " Without a doubt blue-eyed 

 white Persians are the most delicate cats in 

 existence." A well-known authority on cats, 

 writing to one of the cat papers, says : "What 

 a change has taken place in our white classes, 

 long- and short-haired ! A few years ago 

 white cats with green or yellow eyes frequently 

 were prize-winners, and a blue-eyed white was 

 looked upcn as a rarity. Now blue eyes have 

 it all their own way, and judges are becoming 

 more and more exacting as to the depth of 

 tone and quality of the blue tint. If we could 

 obtain a white Persian with the glorious eye 

 of the Siamese, it would be a treasure indeed." 



A gentleman who has lived for ten years in 

 Assam says that he never saw in that part of 

 India any long-haired cats except blue-eyed 

 whites. He also gives an amusing account of 

 the usual way of obtaining a cat cf this variety 

 fcr a pet. It is as follows : " You give in- 

 structions to a native, who offers to procure 

 you one at a certain price, but gives you no 

 idea where or how he means to procure it. 

 In about a week's time he appears with the 

 cat and claims the money. Things progress 

 favourably with your new possession for a time, 

 but suddenly and unaccountably your puss 



