CHAPTER XXI 



THE HOME PUSSIES 



My pussies play an important part in my small home 

 circle. They are my dear companions both indoors 

 and out. I love their pretty gentle ways and their 

 extremely interesting individualities, for though I 

 always have four or five, no two that I have ever 

 known have been the least alike ; indeed they are 

 almost as unlike as so many human folk. And when 

 I meet with people who say they do not like cats, I 

 always find that they are quite unacquainted with cat- 

 nature, and have certainly never been on purring 

 terms with any one individual pussy, but have a 

 general notion that a cat is necessarily treacherous 

 and ill-tempered and uninteresting. 



I think I may venture to affirm that no one who 

 has carefully and kindly brought up a kitten from its 

 bii'th, could fail to find it first a charming playmate 

 and then a firm friend. But it must be very gently 

 and kindly treated, from the time when it makes its 

 first excursion from its mother's basket, and long be- 

 fore it has any other food than its mother's milk. 



It must be taught to know that a hand is a kind 

 thing. My pussies learn this for their first lesson and 



