Concerning Cats 



former ; while those who like to rule, and love show 

 and fuss, prefer the noisy demonstrativeness of dogs, 

 and make little of the thoughtful animal who, without 

 any noise about it, manifests its independence and 

 eludes the hands that try to hold it. These are traits 

 and distinctions that escape the notice of persons 

 who regard life simply as a hunting field, and have 

 no place in their dictionary for the verbs ' to think ' 

 and 'to meditate.' Those people who have a great 

 fondness for both the cat and the dog will invariably 

 be found to be mixtures of the meditative and active 

 natures." 



George J. Romanes puts it wisely, too, when he 

 says, " The cat is unquestionably a higher intelligent 

 animal, though when contrasted with its great do- 

 mestic rival, the dog, its intelligence, from being 

 cast in quite a different mould, is very frequently 

 underrated." 



In many respects cats are more like men and 

 women than dogs ; they have moods, and their nature 

 is complex. A dog is a good dog or a bad dog, brave 

 or cowardly. But every cat has a character peculiar 

 to itself. There is more individuality in cats. Cats 

 do not take punishment as dogs do; their tempers 

 rise, and if struck they are apt to strike back ; but 

 beyond a gentle cuff to a kitten, now and then, I find 

 a scolding or an exclamation of rebuke enough. 

 They are also less forgiving than a dog if uninten- 

 tionally stepped on or hurt, and frequently bear a 



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