The Cat Mammals 
compensation for lack of water, therefore her special 
drinking dish should be kept filled with clean water, 
where she can reach it at any time. 
CARE 
Cats are sensitive and nervous creatures, and there- 
fore it is necessary to treat them with gentleness and 
kindness. They are timid, but are fond of notice. 
They are very sensitive to the tone of voice, and often 
a stern command serves quite as well to warn or 
punish as a whipping. They are greatly benefited 
by warmth and sunshine, and should have plenty of 
exercise. Bathing is not necessary for the short- 
haired cats, for they are very cleanly and attend to 
their own washing. The long-haired cats need more 
care, and cannot be allowed their liberty. They 
need to be carefully washed, dried and combed before 
a fire, often enough to keep them clean. Some advise 
the cleaning of the fur with fine flour, which can be 
rubbed in and brushed out. During the summer 
months cats are often troubled with fleas. One 
remedy for this is to wet the fur in a solution consist- 
ing of one quart of water to two tablespoons of 
creolin. This kills the fleas, and leaves no unpleasant 
odor, and is not poisonous to the cat. A lather of tar 
soap also may be used for this. An old fashioned 
remedy was to spray the cat’s fur and bedding with 
spirits of camphor. Carbolic acid should never be 
used as a disinfectant around cats as it does not agree 
with them. 
The epileptic “‘fits’”’ with which cats are afflicted are 
often caused by internal parasites, and some good 
vermifuge should be given. One grain of santonine 
sprinkled into a little milk and fed three times in one 
27 
