SHORT-HAIRED CATS. 



285 



in colour as possible, without any markings, and 

 with deep amber eyes. I can only recall one 

 or two, and these not at all perfect specimens. 



Amongst our present-day fanciers of short- 

 haired cats I may mention Sir Claude and Lady 

 Alexander, who have splendid specimens cf 

 many of the breeds. Mrs. Collingwood has 

 recently almost discarded Persians for the 

 British beauties, being specially partial to silver 

 and orange tabbies. Lady Decies for many 

 years owned the invincible " Champion Xeno- 

 phon " a brown tabby of extreme beauty 

 who died in 1902. There are several fine short- 

 hairs at the spacious catteries at Birchington. 



Mrs. Herring's name has always been associ- 

 ated with " Champion Jimmy," the noted silver 

 tabby, and she is also the owner of " King- 

 Saul," one of the few tortoiseshell toms that 

 appear at our shows. Many other specimens 

 have been bred by this well-known fancier. 

 Mr. Harold Blackett has a trio of famous 

 prize-winning silver tabbies, and Mrs. Bonny 

 is a noted breeder of browns and silvers. 

 This enthusiastic fancier writes : " For many 

 years past I have devoted myself to the cult 

 of the British tabby cat ; it has been my one 

 hobby. Really good specimens of browns and 

 silvers are scarce. Certainly silvers have in- 

 creased in numbers during the last few years, 

 and the quality has improved. They are 

 difficult to rear, more especially the males." 

 Mrs. Bonny's celebrated brown female tabby, 

 " Heather Belle," died in 1903. A silver tabby, 

 " Dame Fortune " her daughter by . Mrs. 

 Collingwood's " Champion James II." created 

 quite a sensation at the Westminster and other 

 shows. Miss Derby Hyde has always been 

 faithful to short-haired, blue-eyed whites. Mr. 

 Kuhnel is noted for his gorgeous-coloured and 

 finely marked orange tabbies. Many breeders 

 of Persians keep one or two short-haired 

 specimens, and I cannot help believing that, 

 as time goes on, we shall have a larger number 

 of fanciers taking up British cats. 



Harrison Weir, in comparing the two varie- 

 ties, writes : " I am disappointed at the 

 neglect of the short-haired English cat, by the 

 ascendancy of the foreign long-hair. Both are 



truly beautiful, but the first, in my opinion, is 

 far in advance of the latter in intelligence. 

 In point of fact, in animal life, in-that way it 

 has no peer; and, again, the rich colourings 

 are, I think, more than equal to the softened 

 beauty of the longer-coated. I do not think 

 that the breeding of short-hairs is yet properly 

 understood." 



A correspondent writing to Our Cats, com- 

 plaining of the classification for short-hairs at 

 shows, say_sj " All fanciers of that beautiful 

 animal the British cat feel how they are handi- 

 capped when they receive schedules of the 

 various shows and compare the classification 

 of short- and long-haired cats. Far better it 

 would be honestly to announce a ' foreign cat 

 show,' with a rider that a few English may 

 compete if they choose. 'Tis a pity, in many 

 ways ; for, given a little encouragement, the 

 standard of the poor, everyday, homely pussy 

 would be raised, and we would not see so much 

 wanton cruelty and neglect attached thereto." 



AN AMERICAN BEGGING CAT. 

 (Photo: A. C. Hopkins.) 



