CAT 
formidable than thofc of that animal. Being formed 
for rapine, it's mufcles are veiy ftrong ; and it's tail. 
Which is of a moderate length, is very thick and 
flat, marked with alternate bars of black and white, 
the tip being always black. The general colour 
of this animal, in England, is a yellowifli white, 
mixed with a deep grey; and the fur is very ibft 
and fine. Though thefe colours appear at firft 
fight to be confufedly blended together, on a clofer 
infpeflion they will be found to be difpofed like 
the ftreaks in the (kin of the tiger, pointing from 
the back downward, rifing from a black lift which 
runs from the head along the middle of the back 
to the tail. 
This creature, v/hich inhabits the moft moun- 
tainous and woody fpots, lives chiefly in trees, feeds 
■ only by night, and is the moft deftrudlive of all 
carnivorous animals in this kingdom. It does not 
fpecifically difTer from the tame Cat ; the latter 
being originally of tlie fame kind, but only varying 
in colour, and fome other trifling accidents com- 
inon to domefticated animals. The Wild Cat 
niultiplies as faft as the domeftic one, and has been 
often known to breed with it. This animal was 
.formerly reckoned among the beafts of chace; as 
appears by a charter granted by Richard II. to the 
Abbot of Peterborough, permitting him to hunt 
the hare, the fox, and the Wild Cat ; and, accord- 
ing to authentic records, it fecms to have been the 
objeft of the fportfman's diverfion even in much 
earlier times. It is probable, however, tliat thofe 
•were not original inhabitants of this kingdom, 
but firft introduced in a domeftic ftate, and af- 
terwards became wild either through ill ufage or 
negleft. 
The Cat is one of thofe few animials which are 
common to the new continent as well as the old ; 
Tor when Columbus firft difcovered that country, 
a hunter prefented him with one captured in the 
' woods, which was of the ordinary fize, and had a 
long thick tail. 
Cat, Wild, of Louisiana. This animal, 
wliich refembles the marmot rather tlian the Cat, 
is only nine or ten inches high, and eighteen long; 
and it's head is like that of a fox. The flefli of 
thefe creatures is efteemed proper for food ; and 
thofe which are tamed become extremely familiar 
arid fportive. 
There is another fpecies of Wild Cat found in 
North America, entirely different from that of Eu- 
rope, being larger, more nimble and ferocious, and 
having a very fi^.ort tail. This animal fcreams in 
a very difmal rnanner, efpecially in the night-time; 
runs up trees with great agility, and generally takes 
it's food by furprize. It is fpotted like a leopard, 
and it's flvin is applied to various beneficial purpofes. 
Cat, Wild, of the Cape of Good Hope. 
There are feveral varieties of this animial ; |?ut they 
are eitiicr fo negligently or unfcicntifically men- 
tioned, as to render it impoflible for a zoologift to 
give a proper defcription of them. Kolber men- 
tions two kinds; one of which he calls the Wild Red 
Cat, diftinguiflied by a bright red ftreak running 
alonp- the ridee of the back to the tail, and lofino; 
itfelf in the grey and white on the fides. Their 
fkins are faid to afford relief in gouty cafes; and, 
on that account, are n:iuch valued at the Cape. To 
the ot]ier variety he gives the name of the Bufli Cat, 
of which he only informs us that it is tlie largeft 
of all the Wild Cats in the Qape countries. 
' Cat, Tiger. This animal is alfo called the 
Cai of il\c Woodj becaufi it ufually frequents 
CAT 
woods and groves. It is fpotted nearly like tlifi 
tiger ; and it's flcin is covered with excellent fur, 
which is ufed as well for warmth as ornainent, and 
is extremely valuable. 
Cat, Mountain, or Catus Parous. An 
American animal, two feet and a half long from 
tiie nofe to the root of the tail, about eighteen 
inches high, and having a tail eight inches long. 
In ftiape and appearance, it bears a ftrong refem- 
blance to the common Cat, except that the tail is 
fhorter in proportion to the body. The hair or fur 
is of a reddifli colour ; but that of the belly and the 
infides of the fore-legs is whitifh ; and that under 
the throat and lower-jaw is entirely white. The 
wliole fkin is beautified with black fpots of differ- 
ent figures, of an oblong fliape on the back, and 
roundifti on the belly and paws. On the ears there 
are feveral tranfverle black ftripes; but, in other 
refpefls, they refemble thofe of the European Cat. 
The whiflcers are fiiort; and there is no long hair 
on the eye-brows and cheeks, as in the common 
Cat. All the inteftines leem of an equal thick- 
nefs, being two-thirds of an inch in diameter; and 
even the reftum. and colon are only one-third of 
an inch thicker than the reft. The ftomach is very- 
large; and in the finuofity, between the upper and 
lower orifice, there is a membrane filled with fat, 
which unites them together. 
This creature is of a mild and gentle nature, 
and becomes very corpulent. 
Cat, Civet. This animal has Ihort round 
ears, light blue eyes, and a ftiarp nofe tipped witli 
black. The fides of the face, the chin, breaft, legs, 
and feet, are black; and the reft of the face, as 
well as part of the fides of the neck, are white 
tinged with yellow. From each ear run three 
black ftripes, which terminate at the throat and 
fhoulders. The back and fides are cinereous, 
tinged with yellow, and marked with large dufky 
fpots, difpofed in rows. The hair is coarfcj but 
that on the top of the body is longeft, and ftands 
up like a mane. The tail is fometimes wholly 
black, and at others fpotted near the bale. It's 
length, from the nofe to the tail, is about two feet 
three inches ; die tail itfelf is fourteen inches long j 
and the body is pretty thick. 
The Civet Cat inhabits India, the Philippine 
Ifles, Guinea, Ethiopia, and Madagafcar. The 
celebrated drug, mufk or civet, is produced from an 
aperture between the genitals and the anus, in both 
fexes, fecreted from leveral glands. Thofe who 
keep thefe animals, procure the mufk by fcraping 
the infide of this bag twice a week with an iron 
fpatula, and collecSt about a drachm each time; 
but it is feldom fold pure, being generally adul- 
terated with oil or fuet, in order to render it hea- 
vier. The males yield the largeft quantity, efpe- 
cially when they are prcvioufly irritated. When 
young, they are fed with pap made of millet, and 
a little fifh or flefti ; when old, with raw flefti ; but,- 
in a wild ftate, they prey on fowls. Several of 
thefe aninnals, which, to all external appearance, 
feemed females, were differed by the members of 
the Royal Academy at Paris: the parts of gene- 
ration in the males were hid within the body; or- 
rather, there was not the leaft fign of any diftinc- 
tion of the fcxes. The opening of the pouch or 
bag, which is the receptacle of the civet, was un- 
der the anus, and not under the tail, as fome au- 
thors have maintained. Under it there was ano- 
ther fmall aperture, at tlie diftance of two inches 
and a half; and the pouch itfelf was two inches 
and 
