CREAM OR FAWN PERSIANS. 



203 



variety. ' Matthew of the Durhams ' 'is one 

 of the cats we would bring forward in support 

 of this view. Eminently aristocratic, breath- 

 ing an air of refinement, this cat might be the 

 petted darling of a princess whose cats are all 

 selected by a connoisseur." Mr. Western is 

 justly proud of his purchase, for he claimed 

 this fine cat at the Sandy show, 1901, when he 

 was exhibited by Mrs. D'Arcy Hildyard. 

 " Matthew " has on four separate occasions 

 taken second to his father ".Admiral's " first. 

 He has sired some lovely creams, notably 

 " Wynnstay Myrtle," also owned by Mrs. F. 

 Western. This female is one of the best of her 

 breed, and is sure to have some influence over 

 the creams of the future. At the Crystal 

 Palace show of 1902, where she was awarded 

 first and many specials, she was the admired of 

 all admirers. As a rule, cream females have 

 been very much behind the males in quantity 

 and quality. 

 Almost the 

 first two were 

 bred by Miss 

 Hester Coch- 

 r a n e from 

 "Cyrus the 

 Elamite" and 

 "Brunette." 

 "Creme d'Or" 

 is quite one of 

 the best, and 

 was owned by 

 Mrs. Wellbye, 

 who sold her 

 to Mrs.Xorris. 

 This cat de- 

 clined to enter 

 into any mat- 

 rimonial alli- 

 ance for some 

 time, but at last presented her owner with a 

 family by " Darius," Mrs. Ransome's noted 

 blue. Two of these cats, " Kew Laddie " and 

 " Kew Ronald," are well known in their 

 different spheres. " Kew Laddie " I pur- 

 chased to send out to Mrs. Clinton Locke, 

 in Chicago, and she presented him to the 



honorary secretary of the Beresford Club, Miss 

 Johnstone. This lady exhibited " Laddie " 

 at the big Chicago Cat Show, where he 

 won high honours, and in a letter received 

 from Miss Johnstone I learn he is growing a 

 grand fellow and, in fact, is quite la creme de 

 la creme in catty society over the water. 



The picture of a perfect kitten on the opening 

 page of this chapter represents a cream female, 

 " Jessica Kew," bred by Mrs. Clinton Locke 

 from " Lockhaven Daffodil," sired by Miss 

 Johnstone's " Laddie Kew." Mrs. Clinton 

 Locke is justly proud of this lovely kitten, and 

 writes: "Jessica is the finest kitten I have 

 ever seen ; all her points are perfect. She was 

 five weeks old when this photo was taken. 

 Her grandfather was my ' Victor,' an orange, 

 her great-grandmother a tortoiseshell - and - 

 white." 



I have mentioned Mr. F. Norris as a breeder 



of creams and 

 the owner of 

 the handsome 

 pair of cats 

 illustrated on 

 this page. He 

 has kindly 

 supplied me 

 with the fol- 

 lowing notes : 

 "Cream cats 

 are of a mod- 

 ern colour in 

 Persians, but 

 are now being 

 more freely 

 bred and find- 

 ing numerous 

 supporters. 

 There are, 

 however, very 

 for size and 

 The great 



KEW RONALD AND "KEW LADDIK. 



(Photo : E. Lamior, Baling.) 



few good ones in the fancy, 



colour are difficult to obtain. 



failing with them is that, although they are 



called cream cats, the best and soundest 



coloured ones are really of a fawn shade. So 



many show markings, patches, or shadings, 



whereas the colour should be one shade and 



