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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



November, 19 13 



more affectionate and sweet-tem- 

 pered and far less given to straying 

 away. 



The care of a fine Persian is con- 

 siderably greater than is required by 

 short-haired cats, as these can be 

 trusted to look after their own 

 coats and toilets. Persians, how- 

 ever, must be groomed daily if one 

 would encourage a fine and silky 

 coat. This is especially necessary 

 during the late Summer and Fall 

 when the old coat is shedding and 

 the new starting up. The constant 

 use of the comb removes the loose 

 hair and prevents the cat swallow- 

 ing it and suffering in consequence 

 from troublesome "trouble-hair 

 balls." 



A properly fed cat is usually a 

 healthy cat, but so many cats are 

 not properly fed, especially the one 

 pet cat where an excess of kindness 

 makes its poor stomach the recep- 

 tacle for all manner of rich and indi- 

 gestible things — indigestible at least 

 when fed in unhealthy combinations. 

 Most cat fanciers pin their faith to 

 raw meat, and there is no question 

 that big bones and heavy coats re- 

 sult from such a diet. Raw meat 

 should not, however, be fed reck- 

 lessly nor more than once a day, and 

 that preferably at night, letting the 

 morning meal be of some good breakfast food and milk. 

 Barley will give as good results as anything, but it may be 

 varied often enough to prevent satiety and dislike. Raw 

 beef' should be clear beef, not fat and grizzle and should 

 be. put through a meat chopper, or better still, cut in small 



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pieces, six days in the week, but fed 

 in a chunk on the seventh, so that 

 the chewing of it may clean the 

 teeth and give them the needed ex- 

 ercise. Grown cats should not be 

 fed oftener than twice a day, and 

 then at regular hours. Kittens, 

 after weaning, should be fed four 

 times for the first month, three 

 times from then on until growth is 

 completed. Fresh water must 

 always be available night and day, 

 and green stuff of some sort — pref- 

 erably grass or umbrella plant, must 

 always be within reach. Its use 

 means freedom from many intes- 

 tinal troubles — gastritis, hair-balls 

 and the like. Green grass may be 

 provided in Winter by taking up a 

 piece of sod and fitting it into a box 

 or pot and placing it to grow in a 

 light window where the cats can 

 help themselves. 



A cat at large always goes and 

 eats a few blades of grass after eat- 

 ing' a mouse or other game, and 

 straightway ejects from her stom- 

 ach the fur and other indigestible 

 part of her meal; denied this useful 

 aid to digestion, the waste matter 

 remains in the stomach and sets up 

 gastritis and other somewhat serious 

 intestinal troubles. 



The more liberty a cat can be ac- 

 corded the better for appearance, disposition and health 

 of her offspring. If it is necessary to keep them confined 

 during the day and night, they should be allowed to have 

 one good run and play each day, preferably in the after- 

 noon. There is nothing more pitiful than restriction. 



A properly fed cat is a healthy, contented cat, 



