Concerning Cat Clubs and Cat Shows 



that all attempts to keep itself clean were hopeless. 

 Its only consolation is that it is never blacker than 

 its master. It is well known that the Persians and 

 Angoras are much esteemed in Paris and are, to 

 some extent, bred for sale. In the provinces, French 

 cats are usually low-bred animals, with plebeian heads 

 and tails, the stringlike appearance of the latter not 

 being improved by cropping. Although not gener- 

 ally esteemed as an article of food in France, there 

 are still many people scattered throughout the 

 country who maintain that a civet de chat is as good, 

 or better, than a civet de likvre. 



M. Fran9ois Coppee's fondness for cats as pets is 

 so well known that there was great fitness in placing 

 his name first upon the jury of awards at the 1896 

 cat show in Paris. Such other well-known men as 

 !]^mile Zola, Andr6 Theuriet, and Catulle Mendes, also 

 figured on the list. There is now an annual " Exposi- 

 tion Feline Internationale." 



In this country the first cat show of general 

 interest was held at Madison Square Garden, New 

 York, in May, 1895. Some years before, there had 

 been a cat show under the auspices of private par- 

 ties in Boston, and several minor shows had been 

 held at Newburgh, N. Y., and other places. But the 

 New York shows were the first to attract general 

 attention. One hundred and seventy-six cats were 

 exhibited by one hundred and twenty-five owners, 

 besides several ocelots, wild cats, and civets. For 



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