CATS IN FRANCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 237, 14 January 1888, Page 7

CATS IN FRANCE.

From an aesthetic point of view the Persian cat is a perfect being. Its fine, long, silky hair might, if woven, serve to robe Queen Mab. The neck-ruff, the " feathered " ears and feet, the falling whiskers, and the squir-rel-like tail of a milk-white Persian tabby make it a thing of ideal beauty. The hand longs to stroke it down; As it is a creature of ready, sympathies, and not suspicious, it is glad to be caressed. Perhaps it is not so intelligent as the tiger-striped cat,, but it is quicker to lend itself to the ways of a' kind master or mistress, Frenchmen^ are greater admirers of cats than Frenchwomen, who resemble them in s>o many things. A., cat .was suffered by Richelieu' to nurse its kittens in his Cardinal's hat. Mazarin used to~"stroke down a cat that he kept^n^his arms when dictating to his diplomatic secretaries. The only domestic animal Victor Hugo would- allow in his house was a cat, becauso " domesticity did not curtail its liberty." HehadatGuernseya slate-coloured Maltese with a black 'muzzle and a black end £6ita tail which (the cat, and not the tail) used to sit on his desk when he was writing^ I :Spme , Peter's 'Port. ,.boys worrying " Melita," she went lhad and was killed. The Maltese • cat has a so% subtle manner fcha£ is-'quifce^ lfcalian^ami. i» ceasing to be a kitten," £emains playful,. M<&elet and his Angora were a sight. The cat felt his spu-it'if'it^ajd'riotf a|sre6iate his mind. In win^E/T{/'ser>e& tojn^asj'ajbea. He had loose' sl'eev^ u niade\,onupurpQae to his overcoats, to let the cat ,stay f in them when he wen^bu^inyM^'ijfjßather The Angora <w&}totfMwW®$ JMichelet's order. The©/. ■poefo*niktx)&ain^then folded his hands in both, sleeveapn, the cat, which purred J^Wft^wMMbw- fche Bituatioii*«''v4 '•■>']>. ,^m* Ih^tetirf >■■»*/*}.&s%