MAINE CATS. 



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who had at one time four generations of black 

 cats. They loved their cats like babies, and 

 for years looked for people suitable to give 

 their kittens to. I have been the flattered 

 recipient three times in the last dozen years 

 of these beautiful black diamonds. 



" Antonio," a gelding, now owned by Mrs. 

 A. B. Thrasher, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is also a fine 

 representative of this stock. See photograph. 



In the last few years, since cats there are 

 at such a premium and old age getting nearer 

 every day, these good people have hardened 

 their hearts, and now sell like others to the 

 highest bidder. 



I can also think of " Peter the Great," a 

 neuter cream and white, owned by Mrs. Carl 

 Schmidt, shown at Detroit, Michigan, 1901. 

 Also "Black Patti " originally owned by 

 Miss Ives and " Rufus," both Maine cats, 

 now owned in Detroit, and winners in some of 

 the Middle West shows ; and many, many 

 other winners whose place of nativity is a 

 sacred secret with their owners, which we will 

 not wilfully expose to public gaze until our 

 native cats have been accorded the place that 

 is due to them. 



I would like to tell you of some of the hand- 

 some geldings in Maine. No cat is too good 

 for a pet with them. They may be seen on 

 nearly every lawn or stoop ; but as that is a 

 little out of the province of this story I will 

 only describe one a beautiful smoke owned 

 by Dr. and Mrs. E. A. Wilson at their beau- 

 tiful home in Belfast, Maine. He is now ten 

 years old ; his mask and feet are black, or 



nearly so ; his hair is very dark, rather brown- 

 ish at the tip, but as white as snow at the skin. 

 I have begged them to show him at Boston 

 or New York. The answer is always the 

 same : " Not for any amount of money or 

 prizes. ' Tags ' wouldn't like it ; he would 

 be unhappy. Wouldn't you, ' Tagsie ' ? " 



The smokes have not been well developed 

 there yet. In a letter lately received in 

 regard to that variety, I am told that one of 

 the regular agents said he found only about 

 one in 200. The silvers and chinchillas are 

 not common. The strong colours predomi- 

 nate, whites, blacks, blues, orange, and creams, 

 tabbies also being well divided and distributed 

 along the coast, and for quite a distance back, 

 perhaps sixty miles or more ; but I have not 

 known of -their appearing to any extent in the 

 northern portion of the State, which is less 

 thickly settled. 



Having had this fancy from my infancy 

 and before it became a fashion, I took kindly 

 to all the new developments. I have since 

 had some experience with imported and kennel- 

 bred cats, and from time to time had oppor- 

 tunities of seeing the best we have in our 

 shows, and I fully believe that cats that have 

 their freedom, as most of the Maine cats have 

 for the greater part of their lives, are healthier 

 than kennel cats can be. The cool climate and 

 long winters, with clean air full of ozone, is 

 what is needed to develop their best qualities, 

 and, with a few years of careful breeding for 

 types, they would be able to compete quite 

 successfully in an international cat show. 



F. R. PIERCE. 



MRS. BAGSTER'S (i DEMIDOFF." 



(Photo : Cassell & Company, Limited.) 



