UNCOMMON PETS. 
A series of articles on the Care and Keep of Animals in Captivity. 
By P. WELLINGTON FARMBOROUGH, F.Z.S., F-E.S., etc. 
XII. THE LYNX. 
Photo by L. Medland, F.Z.S., Finchley. 
ISABELLINE LYNX. 
Se species of the smaller cats make remarkably handsome pets, and many 
KJ of them can be so tamed as to allow of their having partial liberty, as for 
example the Hyra, the Ocelot and the Pampas Cat. Most of these exotic species are 
possessed of beautifully tinted fur, and would create quite a sensation if exhibited at 
the Cat Shows. There is no reason why they should not be if entered in the Foreign 
or Special Classes. 
So closely allied to these animals are the liynxes that, before dealing individually 
with some of the smaller foreign cats, I will confine myself in this article to more 
general remarks on the care of wild cats in general, and the lynxes in particular. Of 
these the most interesting species is the Caracal (/. caracal). It is a slender animal 
of a rufous-fawn colour. When caught young it is easily tamed, and forms a nice 
pet, but if caught later it is rather treacherous, and spits and snarls at the approach 
of any person. It is more restless than the other species of cats, and whether tame 
or wild in disposition is constantly pacing up and down its cage. It is somewhat 
strange that this animal, unlike most cats, does not appear to be more lively towards 
evening, and on several occasions various examples have been noticed to be asleep at 
night during the time that other foreign cats were awake and remarkably lively. Beef 
as food should be strictly avoided, and live fowls, pigeons, and rabbits seem a sine quad 
non with the caracal. Irregular or overfeeding are conducive to diarrhoea and dysentery, 
so that it 1s necessary to watch closely the dietary. Caracals suffer occasionally from 
tumours, from which, according to the writer’s experience, they rarely recover. A ~ 
specimen in his possession had a large one form over the left eye, which was partly 
alleviated by frequent lancing, but owing to the increasing frequency with which the 
pus re-formed the animal was chloroformed, and drowned whilst unconscious. 
True lynxes are rather troublesome to keep in good health and condition. One 
most important thing is never to let these animals remain in the direct rays of 
sunshine; another, regularly and carefully to bath them with soap and water every 
morning, and afterwards thoroughly dry with a towel. If this daily bath be omitted 
the lynx will never be in good condition. Although it soon gets accustomed to the 
bath it greatly dishkes being sprinkled with cold water. 
A lynx can hardly be recommended as a pet if it is to be a resident in a suburb 
where one’s neighbours are fussy, as it is not by any means a quiet animal at night- 
time. There is very little trouble with regard to its feeding, as the staple diet will be a 
pound and a half of boiled beef every morning and evening, and one pint of milk in 
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