284 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



females are rarer than males. The peculiar 

 species known as spotted tabbies is becoming 

 very rare, and whereas formerly some of this 

 breed were generally exhibited at large shows, 

 we now seldom see them. Spotted tabbies are 

 usually brown or silver. I do not recollect 

 having heard of an orange-spotted tabby. The 

 spots should be spread uniformly over the 

 body, feet, and tail, and if on the face so much 

 the better. A perfect specimen should not 



(Photo: E. Landor, Baling.) 



have a suspicion of a stripe or bar anywhere. 

 Harrison Weir considers that 'the spotted tabby 

 is a much nearer approach to the wild English 

 cat and some other wild cats in the way of 

 colour than the ordinary broad-banded tabby. 



Amongst writers on cats : such as Harrison 

 Weir and Mr. Jennings priority of place is 

 given to the tortoiseshell cat, and this breed 

 heads their list of short-haired breeds. So also 

 formerly in the Crystal Palace catalogue, to 

 which I have before alluded, tortoiseshells lead 

 the way. Here, again, the patchy nature of 

 the three colours-is or, at least, ought to be 

 the distinguishing feature, and the long-haired 

 cat of the same variety loses some of its indi- 

 viduality by reason of the length of fur, causing 

 a mingling or blurring of the colours. 



It is a strange fact in natural history, which 

 no one has attempted to explain, that the 



tortoiseshell torn is a most rare and uncommon 

 animal. A number of clever fanciers and 

 breeders have used their best endeavours and 

 patiently persevered in the fruitless attempt 

 to breed tortoiseshell male cats. In my long 

 experience I have never known of anyone who 

 has succeeded, and those specimens that have 

 been exhibited from time to time have been 

 picked up quite by chance. I recollect, many 

 years ago, at the Crystal Palace show, seeing 

 the pen of a short-haired cat 

 smothered with prize cards, 

 and the owner of the puss 

 ^^^ ^ standing proudly by, in- 



forming inquirers that it was 

 a tortoiseshell torn that lay 

 hidden behind his awards. 

 This man had been paid a 

 shilling by a London cook 

 to take away the trouble- 

 some beast out of her area ! 

 He had taken it away to 

 some purpose, and his sur- 

 prise at finding himself and 

 his cat famous was amusing 

 to behold. 



A very beautiful cat is the 



English tortoiseshell - and - 

 white when the colours are 

 well distributed, the red and black showing up 

 so splendidly on the snowy ground-work. I 

 must sav I far prefer those cats to the tortoise- 

 shells, which are often so dingy in appearance. 

 In this breed the male sex is conspicuous by 

 its absence. The two breeds that have made 

 great strides of late years amongst long-haired 

 cats namely, creams and smokes are very 

 rarely met with in the short-haired varieties. 

 I know, however, of a silver tabby that, when 

 mated to a black, throws smoke kittens. These 

 are quaint and pretty, with bright green eyes. 

 The under-coat is snowy white, and gleams 

 through the dark outer fur, giving a very 

 distinguished appearance. It is a pity some 

 fanciers do not seriously take up the breeding 

 of cream short-haired cats, as I think they 

 would repay any trouble spent over them. 

 They should, of course, be as pale and even 



