Certain Cat Characteristics 



family were once more composed and seeking sus- 

 tenance, and then repeated the operation. This 

 time the kittens were not quite so frightened, and 

 after several repetitions of the performance, they 

 comprehended Peter's . purpose, and allowed him 

 the freedom of the family, so to speak. 



One of these kittens Peter selected as his especial 

 friend, and as it grew up, the affection between the 

 bird and the cat ripened and strengthened into a 

 thing beautiful to see. They were always together, 

 playing or sleeping ; only in eating were they divided, 

 the cat never allowing Peter to help himself to the 

 delicacies on his own plate. One day Mrs. Smith 

 went into the kitchen and saw Peter effect a clever 

 coup, by which he secured the cat's breakfast for 

 himself. The cook had given the latter a nice plate 

 of meat on the floor. Peter saw no reason for sudden 

 exclusiveness on the part of the cat, and several 

 times stole rather cautiously toward the plate ; every 

 time he got near it the cat growled fiercely at him, 

 frightening the bird into a hasty retreat. It happened 

 that a newspaper lay spread out on the floor, and this 

 Peter spied. Acting on a sudden decision, the bird 

 went round to the farther edge of the paper and 

 puffed it up, making a fanlike shield for himself. 

 This he pushed gently toward the cat, who now and 

 then stopped eating and glared at it, whereupon 

 Peter suspended operations until the cat fell to eating 

 again. This process was repeated several times until 



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