226 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



Show in the same year, where her gorgeous late ' Champion Persimmon ' ex ' Fina.' He 

 colouring was called in question and an un- _ won first and special at the kitten show in 

 supported protest was made that she was dyed ! October, 1902, and first and two specials at 



" BIRKDALE RUFFIE." 

 (Photo : J. A. Kay, Soulhport.) ' 



She is a most successful breeding cat, her 

 produce being usually winners. Her sister, 

 ' Brayfort Princess,' is also a sable tabby, and 

 carries an immense coat, ruff, and frill ; it is 

 denser than ' Fina's,' and I. fancy but for the 

 latter ' Princess ' would have been more heard 

 of as a winner, as, except on one or two occa- 

 sions, she has been usually beaten by 'Fina.' 

 " ' Brayfort Persimmon Laddie ' is by ' Cham- 

 pion Persimmon ' ex ' Brayfort Fina.' He made 

 his public appearance at Bristol when he was 

 four months old, taking first and special in a 

 tabby kitten class and third in novice, against 

 an entry of twenty-five adults ; then he won 

 first and special in kittens, and second in open 

 to his mother's first at Belfast in 1900 ; also he 

 took first and special for best long-haired 

 neuter at Manchester in 1901 ; first, Liverpool ; 

 and first and two specials at the Crystal Palace, 

 1902. He is too well known to comment on. 

 He is a wonderful sable colour, and is superb 

 in coat. ' Brayfort Sable Boy ' is also by the 



the Crystal Palace show, 1902 ; his wins speak 

 to his merit. 



" I find all my cats very strong and healthy, 

 and even in the coldest winter they never have 

 artificial heat. I attribute having never lost 

 a pet after a show to taking them away at 

 night. Unless something very unforeseen 

 occurred, nothing would induce me to leave 

 a cat of mine in a show. 



I have found mating to a good brown 

 tabby much the most successful. I tried 

 mating to an orange, but did not like the 

 results. I always mated to the late ' Cham- 

 pion Persimmon,' and had never fewer than 

 six kittens in a litter sometimes eight all 

 strong and healthy. Twice only have I lost 

 any, and on these occasions the fault lay with 

 the foster mothers. 



" In the spring and summer my cats get 

 a run out in the garden every day; the two 

 neuters go on leads, but the females have 

 their liberty ; indeed, unless I were present 



