The Blue cat: just one word about this pretty creature before pa.s.sing on to the Tabbies. Although she is called a blue cat, don"t fancy for a moment that ultramarine is anywhere near her colour, or himmel-blue, or honest navy serge itself. Her colour is a sad slate-colour; I cannot get any nearer to it than that.
Apart from her somewhat sombre appearance, this cat makes a very nice pet indeed; she is exceedingly gentle and winning, and I"m sure would do anything rather than scratch a child. But the less children have to do with her the better, for all that: for this simple reason--she is a cat of delicate const.i.tution--all that ever I knew were so, at least, and I daresay my readers can corroborate what I say.
_Merits_.--Their extreme gentleness is one merit, and their tractability and teachability are others. A pure blue cat is very rare, and they are greatly prized by their owners.
_Points_.--1. _Size_: They are rather under-sized, never being much larger than the pure tortoisesh.e.l.l.
2. _Head_: The head is small and round, and the eyes are prettiest when of a beautiful orange-yellow. The nose should be tipped with black.
3. _Pelage_: Moderately long and delightfully soft and sheeny.
4. _Colour_: This is the princ.i.p.al point. It is, as I said, a nice cool, slate-grey, and, like the black cat, our blue p.u.s.s.y must be all one colour, without a hair of white anywhere. _Even her whiskers_ must be of the same colour as her fur.
Points of the Blue Cat.
Size, 5.
Head, 5.
Pelage, 10.
Colour, 30.
Total, 50.
We now come to the Tabbies--the real old English cats--the playmates of our infant days and sharers of our oatmeal porridge. They are the commonest of all cats, and justly so, too, for there is hardly anything they don"t know, and nothing they can"t be taught, bar conic sections, perhaps, the _Pons Asinorum_, and a few trifles of that ilk. You will find a tabby cat wherever you go, and you will find her equally at home wherever she is--whether sitting on the footstool on the cosy hearthrug, singing duets with the tea-kettle; catching birds and rabbits in the woods, or mice in the barn; conducting a concert for your especial benefit on the neighbouring tiles at twelve o"clock at night; examining the flower seeds you lately sowed in the garden to see if they are budding yet; or locked, quite by accident, into the pigeon loft.
The first cat of the Tabby kind which claims our attention is the Red or Sandy Tabby.
This is a very beautiful animal, and quite worthy of a place in the best drawing-rooms in the land. Although they do not grow to the immense size of some of our brown tabbies, still they are better hunters, much fiercer, and of a hardier const.i.tution. They much prefer out-of-door sport, and will attack and slay even the polecat and weasel; and instances have been known of their giving battle to the wild cat himself.
_Merits_.--They are the prettiest of pets, and the honestest of all cat kind. They are such good ratters that neither mice nor rats will frequent the house they inhabit.
_Points_.--1. _Size_: They ought to be as large as possible, and not clumsy; they are generally neater cats all over than the Brown Tabbies.
2. _Head_: The head should be large and broad, with rather shortish ears, well placed, and the face ought to beam with intelligence and good nature. The eyes should be deep set, and a nice yellow colour.
3. _Pelage_: The coat is generally short in nearly all the Tabbies, but ought to be sleek and glossy.
4. _Colour and markings_: The colour is a light sandy red, barred and striped with red of a darker, deeper hue. No white. The stripes or markings ought to be the same on both sides, and even the legs ought to be marked with cross bars, and one beautiful swirl, at least, across the chest. This is called the Lord Mayor"s Chain, and when the cat has two, give him extra points.
Points of the Red Tabby.
Size, 10.
Head, 5.
Colour and markings, 30.
Pelage, 5.
Total, 50.
Next comes the Brown Tabby.
This is the largest of all breeds of cats, fourteen, seventeen, and even twenty pounds a common weight. They are also, when well marked and striped, exceedingly beautiful. Of all cats they are the best adapted for house-hunting, being less addicted to wandering than some breeds.
_Merits_.--Their hunting proclivities. Their fondness for children is sometimes quite remarkable. I have known many instances of Brown Tom Tabbies, so fierce that scarce any one dare lay a finger on them unscathed, but a little child of four years of age could do anything with them, lug them about anyhow, and even carry them head down, over its shoulder by the tail. They are, moreover, nice, loving, kind-hearted pets, and exceedingly fond of their master and mistress.
They are the cats of all cats to make a family circle look cosy and complete around the fire of a winter"s night.
_Points_.--1. _Size_: It will be observed below that I give fifteen points for size. The bigger your Brown Tom Tabby is the better he looks, _if_ the one-half of it isn"t fat, for if so he won"t be graceful, and that is one essential point. I can find a Tabby at this moment who weighs over twenty pounds, and who will spring from the floor, without scrambling, mind you, clean on to the top of the parlour door, and that is little short of seven feet. I like to see a tabby with a graceful carriage then, and shortish in forelegs, with beautifully well-fitted and rounded limbs, and with a tiger-like walk and mien.
2. _Head_: Very large and broad and round, ears short, eyes dark, and muzzle broad, not lean, and thin and long. This latter certainly gives him more killing power, but it brings him too near the wild cat. I don"t care how savagely he behaves in a cage at a show, for well I know he is quite a different animal at his own fireside, asleep on the rug in little Alice"s arms, or purring in bed on old Maid Mudge"s virgin bosom.
3. _Colour_: A nice dark brown or grey ground, and the workings as deeply black as possible. No white.
4. _Markings_: Like a Bengal tiger, and even prettier. The tail and legs likewise barred. The head striped perpendicularly down the brow, and the marks going swirling round the cheeks. Nose black or brown, and the eyes as dark as possible, and full of fire.
5. _Pelage_: Short and glossy.
Points of the Brown Tabby.
Size, 15.
Head, 5.
Colour, 10.
Markings, 15.
Pelage, 5.
Total, 50.
Lastly, we have the Silver Tabby and the Spotted Tabby, and in almost all points these may be judged alike.
The Silver Tabby is a sweetly pretty cat. Perhaps the prettiest of all p.u.s.s.ies. They are a size smaller than even the best Red Tabbies, and are infinitely more graceful, and quicker in all their motions. They are proud, elegant, aristocratic cats, fond to love and quick to resent an injury.
_Merits_.--Their special merit is their exceeding beauty. They are somewhat rare, however. Here is a bit of advice to any one who would like to have four really pretty cats about the house, each to show the others to advantage. Get a pure white kitten, a pure black one, a red tabby, and a silver ditto. Take great care in the training of them, be careful in feeding and housing them, and you will have your reward.
The Spotted Tabby is also very pretty. He ought to be a good, sizeable animal, with broad head, short ears, and a loving face; ground colour a dark grey, one dark stripe, and down the spine, and diverging from this stripes of black broken up into spots.
_Points_.--The Silver Tabby ought to be--
1. _In size_, less than or about the size of the Red Tabby, and very quick and graceful.
2. _Head_: Large and shapely, but not so blunt as the Brown Tabby"s; ears short and eyes light.