THE CAT. 



instance of this occurred at the great earthquake at Messina. 

 A short time before that awfal catastrophe, a merchant living 

 in the town noticed that in the room in which he was sitting 

 his two oats were running about and scratching at the floor 

 and doors in a very excited manner. He opened the door and 

 let them out ; but they only scampered off to the next door, 

 and there began scratching again in the same way. He was 

 convinced that they wanted to get fairly out of the house ; so the 

 owner opened the other doors leading to the street, at all of which, 

 while he was unfastening them, they exhibited the ntmost im- 

 patience. Struck with their uneasiness, he determined to follow 

 them and endeavoxur to iind the cause of it. Once out in the 

 street, they rushed off in a frantic state through the town, out 

 of the gates, and never stopped tiU they were some distance 

 out in the country. The merchant, who had followed them 

 quietly, at last found them in a field, stiU very excited and 

 scratdiing at the ground with their feet. In a few minutes 

 the first shock of the earthquake came, which buried, in its 

 hungry jaws, many of tiie houses in the town, that belonging 

 to the merchant amongst the number. 



DISEASES or CATS AND TEEIB CUKE. 



To cure a cat of her ailments it is iu most cases necessary 

 to administer physic in some shape or another. This at the 

 veiy outset is enough to daunt at least nine-tenths of the lady 

 cat-owners in the kingdom. " As difficult as giving pills to a 

 sick cat," is a familiar way of illustrating the extreme hardship 

 of any task, and yet when properly managed a sick cat may 

 be made to take pills or any other drug without risk of a 

 severe scratching on your part, and danger of a dislocated neck 

 on the part of suffering Grimalkin. 



If the cat and yourself are on good terms, you will experience 

 no difficulty in approaching her, whatever be her bodily condi- 

 tion. Have ready a large cloth — a urumb cloth for instance — 

 and wrap the patient therein, wisping the cloth round and 

 round her body so that every part of her except the head is 

 well enveloped. Any one may then hold it between their knees 

 while you complete the operation. Put on a pair of stout 

 gloves, and then with a firm hand open the animal's mouth 

 wide. Do not attempt to pour down the cat's throat too much 

 at a time, or your object wiU be fircstrated. A small spoon 

 should be used, and no more poured into the mouth at a time 

 than may be easily swallowed. 



