242 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



size should be a most important factor, also 

 coat and general effect. Of course, in close 

 competition points would come into question ; 

 but I really think that a large, heavily 

 coated neuter, whose colour was a trifle un- 

 sound, or whose markings or eyes were below 

 par. should not be placed below a small mean- 

 looking cat who, however, excelled in these 

 points. 



Louis Wain, writing on a general survey of 

 the Crystal Palace show of 1900, referring to 

 the neuter class that he judged, says : 

 "Neuters have suffered somewhat through 

 the extended schedule of the ' whole ' cats. 

 At one time it was quite a usual thing for 

 exhibitors to have their' cats neutered to pre- 

 serve the natural beauties of a fine cat, and 

 very often a really handsome cat was neutered 



because he stood no chance in a class of twenty 

 or thirty cats, and yet would take first as a 

 neuter in a class of six or eight. The neuter 

 classes have not grown as have the other class* -. 

 As ' home ' cats neuters should be encouraged, 

 and I feel sure that many are kept at home 

 in fear of the dreaded ' blues,' which are 

 usually unbeatable." Mr. Wain also com- 

 plains of the poor classification for neuters at 

 our shows, and on this particular occasion he 

 states that the cats were such extremely fine 

 animals that they needed classes of their own 

 for him to do justice to their merits. Cer- 

 tainly there ought at least to be three classes 

 provided for neuters at our large shows, viz. : 

 Neuters, self-coloured (blue, black, and white) ; 

 neuters, tabby, " any colour " ; and neuters, 

 " any other colour." 



MADAME POKTIKKS NEUTER "BLUE BOY. 



(I'lioto : Hana, London.) 



