286 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



" EBONY OF WIGAN. 

 OWNED uy Miss JOAN WOODCOCK. 

 (Photo : S. Richardson, Stcmdish.) 



In America short-hairs have not " taken 

 on," and at the various shows the specials 

 offered are as small in number as the entries 

 made. I never hear of. any exportations of 

 British cats to American fanciers ; but perhaps 

 some enthusiast of the breed will start a short- 

 haired cattery. There is certainly room for 

 such an enterprise, and the sturdier Britisher 

 would more easily resist the trials of an Atlantic 

 trip and the terrors of a three days' show. 



I have been fortunate in obtaining -the kind 

 assistance of two of our best authorities on 

 short-haired cats namely, Mr. H. E. Jung 

 and Mr. T. B. Mason. Some notes by these 

 competent judges will be read with interest. 



Mr. H. E. Jung says : 



" It is a matter of regret that this variety at 

 shows is not so fully represented as it should 

 be, taking into consideration the large number 

 of cat exhibitors. There is no doubt that the 

 prettier long-haired variety secures greater 

 support from the lady exhibitors. 



" In addition to the characteristic of being 

 a native production of the British Isles, they 

 have certainly a great advantage in their racy, 

 workmanlike appearance, which is lacking in 

 the long-haired variety. What is handsomer 

 than a sleek-coated black, with its grand, 



golden-amber eyes ; the workmanlike spotless 

 white, with its clear blue eye ; the aristocratic 

 silver, with its rich tabby markings, its soft 

 emerald or orange eye ; or the pale, lavender- 

 hued blue, with its coat of velvet-like texture ? 



'' Thanks to such enthusiastic breeders as 

 Lady Alexander, Mrs. Herring, Lady Decies, 

 Mr. Sam Woodiwiss, Mr. R. P. Hughes, Mr. 

 Kuhnel, Mr. Louis Wain, and several 

 others, we are not likely to allow the English 

 short-haired variety to deteriorate. I myself 

 think there has been a great improvement in 

 the specimens penned the last few years. The 

 fault we must guard against is the loss of size 

 and stamina, which can only be averted by 

 judicious mating. The increasing number of 

 shows in America, the Colonies, and even on 

 the Continent, should stimulate breeders of the 

 short-haired variety to extend their catteries, 

 for no doubt in a few years there will be a 

 strong demand for the English-bred, short- 

 haired cat. Up to the present only in England 

 has anything like a systematic rule been fol- 

 lowed out, which is most essential : in fact, 

 the only course possible to obtain good speci- 

 mens is to follow out a system of breeding as 

 near perfect as possible for, as in everything 

 else where breeding is concerned, the old 

 maxim of ' blood will tell ' holds good. 



" The stud books should be kept up to date, 

 and stud registrations should be followed out, 

 just as in the dog world. I can imagine 

 many of my readers who do not take up cats 

 as a hobby saying, ' The ordinary common 

 garden cat suits my purpose ; he is affectionate, 

 he catches mice, and that is all I require.' 

 But how much more satisfactory it is to be 

 able to say, ' My cat is blue-blooded, has an 

 aristocratic pedigree, is handsome ; he goes to 

 shows, perhaps wins, and he is still affectionate ; 

 he also catches the mice as well as his brother 

 of lower birth and less striking appearance.' 

 You must also bear in mind he does not require 

 any daintier feeding. I consider it is always 

 pleasanter in cat, dog, or horse to own a dis- 

 tinguished-looking animal than an ill-bred, 

 ungainly one that neither pleases nor satisfies 

 the eye. 



