Our Cats and All About Them Part 17

which are from time to time reported south of the Tweed.

"Perhaps the last genuine wild cat seen in England was the one shot by Lord Ravensworth at Eslington, Northumberland, in 1853;[A] although so recently as March, 1883, a cat was shot in Bullington Wood, Lincolns.h.i.+re, which in point of size, colour, and markings was said to be quite indistinguishable from the wild _Felis catus_. Bullington Wood is one of an almost continuous chain of great woodlands, extending from Mid-Lincolns.h.i.+re to near Peterborough. Much of the district has never been preserved for game, and keepers are few and far between; hence the wild animals have enjoyed an almost complete immunity from persecution.

Cats are known to have bred in these woods in a wild state for generations, and there is no improbability that the cat in question may have descended directly from the old British wild cat. Under all the circ.u.mstances, however, it seems more likely to be a case of reversion under favourable conditions from the domestic to the wild type.

[A] "Trans. Tyneside Nat. Field Club," 1864, vol. vi. p. 123.

"In Ireland, strange to say, notwithstanding reports to the contrary, all endeavours to find a genuine wild cat have failed, the so-called 'wild cat' of the natives proving to be the 'marten cat,' a very different animal.

"We thus come back to the question with which we started, namely, the question of origin of the domestic cat; and the conclusion, I think, at which we must arrive is, that although _Felis catus_ has contributed to the formation of the existing race of domestic cats, it is not the sole ancestor. Several wild species of Egyptian and Indian origin having been ages ago reclaimed, the interbreeding of their offspring and crossing with other wild species in the countries to which they have been at various times exported, has resulted in the gradual production of the many varieties, so different in shape and colour, with which we are now familiar."

Before quitting the subject, I would point to the fact that when the domestic cat takes to the woods and becomes wild, it becomes much larger, stronger, and changes in colour; and there can be little doubt that during the centuries of the existence of the cat in England there must have been numberless crosses and intercrosses, both with regard to the _males_ of the domestic cat as with wild _females_, and _vice versa_; yet the curious fact remains that the wild cat still retains its peculiar colouring and form, as is shown by the skins preserved in the British Museum and elsewhere.

Mr. Darwin, in his "Voyage of the Beagle," 1845 (p. 120), in his notes of the first colonists of La Plata, A.D. 1535, says, among other animals that he saw was "the common cat altered into a _large_ and _fierce_ animal, inhabiting the rocky hills," etc.

Another point on which I wish to give my impressions is the act of the cat in what is termed "sharpening its claws." Mr. Darwin notes certain trees where the jaguars "_sharpen their claws_," and mentions the scars were of different ages; he also thought they did this "_to tear off the h.o.r.n.y points_." This, I believe, is the received opinion among naturalists; but I differ _entirely_ from this view of the practice. It is a fact, however, and worthy of notice, that all cats do so, even the domestic cat. I had _one_ of the legs of a kitchen table entirely torn to pieces by my cats; and after much observation I came to the conclusion that it has nothing whatever to do with _sharpening_ the claws, but is done to stretch the muscles and tendons of the feet so that they work readily and strongly, as the retraction of the claws for lengthened periods must tend to contract the tendons used for the purpose of extending or retracting; therefore the cats fix the points of their claws in something soft, and bear downwards with the whole weight of the body, simply to stretch and, by use, to strengthen the ligatures that pull the claws forward. It is also to be noted that even the domestic cat goes to one particular place or tree to insert the claws and drag forward the muscles--perhaps even in the leather of an arm-chair, a costly practice. Why one object is always selected is that they may not betray their presence by numerous marks in the neighbourhood, if wild, to other animals or their enemies. I have mentioned this to my brother, John Jenner Weir, F.L.S., and he concurs with me throughout.

I find in Strutt's "Sports and Pastimes" that of the names applied to companies of animals in the Middle Ages, several are still in use, though many have become obsolete; and also a few of the beasts have ceased to exist in a wild state. Some were very curious, such as a _skulk_ of foxes, a _cete_ of badgers, a _huske_ or _down_ of hares, a _nest_ of rabbits, and a _clowder of cats_, and a _kindle of young cats_. Now cats are said to _kitten_, and rabbits _kindle_.

The following shows the value of the cat nearly a thousand years ago; it is to be found in Bewick's "Quadrupeds": "In the time of Hoel the Good, King of Wales, who died in the year 948, laws were made as well to preserve as to fix the different prices of animals; among which the cat is included, as being at that period of great importance, on account of its scarcity and utility.

"The price of a kitten, before it could see, was fixed at one penny; till proof could be given of its having caught a mouse, twopence; after which it was rated at fourpence, which was a great sum in those days, when the value of specie was extremely high. It was likewise required that it should be perfect in its sense of hearing and seeing, should be a good mouser, have its claws whole, and, if a female, be a careful nurse. If it failed in any of these good qualities, the seller was to forfeit to the buyer a third part of its value. If any one should steal or kill a cat that guarded the Prince's granary, he was either to forfeit a milch ewe, her fleece and lamb, or as much wheat as when poured on the cat suspended by its feet (its head touching the floor), would form a heap high enough to cover the tip of the former." Bewick remarks: "Hence we may conclude that cats were not originally natives of these islands, and from the great care taken to improve the breed of this prolific creature, we may suppose were but little known at that period."

I scarcely think this the right conclusion, the English wild cat being anatomically different. In Hone's popular works it is stated that "Cats are supposed to have been brought into England from the island of Cyprus by some foreign merchants, who came hither for tin." Mr. Hone further says: "Wild cats were kept by our ancient kings for hunting. The officers who had charge of these cats seem to have had appointments of equal consequence with the masters of the king's hounds; they were called _Catatores_."

Beaumont and Fletcher in _The Scornful Lady_ allude to the hunting of cats in the line,

"Bring out the _cat-hounds_, I'll make you take a tree."

But although large and ferocious, the wild cat was not considered a match for some of the lesser animals, for in Salmon's "English Physician," 1693, we read that "The weasel is an enemy to ravens, crows, and _cats_, and although cats may sometimes set upon them, yet they can scarcely overcome them."

Nevertheless, we find in Daniel's "Rural Sports," 1813, that "_Wild cats_ formerly were an object of _sport_ to huntsmen. Thus, Gerard Camvile, 6 John, had special licence to hunt the hare, fox, and wild cat, throughout all the King's _forests_; and 23 Henry III., Earl Warren, by giving Simon de Pierpont a _goshawk_, obtained leave to hunt the buck, doe, hart, hind, hare, fox, goat, _cat_, or any other wild beast, in certain lands of Simon's. But it was not for diversion alone that this animal was pursued; for the _skin_ was much used by the nuns in their habits, as a _fur_."

Still it appears from Mr. Charles Darwin's "Voyage of the Beagle," that tastes vary. "Doctor Shaw was laughed at for stating the flesh of the lion is in great esteem, having no small affinity with veal, both in the colour, taste, and flavour. Such certainly is the case with the puma.

The Guachos differ in their opinion whether the jaguar is good eating; but were unanimous in saying the _cat_ is _excellent_."

It is also stated that the Chinese fatten and eat cats with considerable relish; but of this I can obtain no reliable information, some of my friends from China not having heard of the custom, if such it is.

Again referring to the skin of the cat, _vide_ Strutt: "In the thirty-seventh year of the reign of Edward III., it was decreed, after enumerating the various kinds of cloth that were to be worn by the n.o.bles, knights, dames, and others, that (Article 2) tradesmen, artificers, and men in office, called yeomen, their wives and children, shall wear no kind of furs excepting those of lambs, of rabbits, of _cats_, and of foxes." Further: "No man, unless he be possessed of the yearly value of forty s.h.i.+llings, shall wear any furs but black and white lambs' skins." Lambs' and cats' skins were equivalent in value and order.

In the twenty-second year of this monarch's reign, all the former statutes "against excess in apparel" were repealed.

My old friend Fairholt, in his useful work on costume, says of the Middle Ages: "The peasants wore cat skins, badger skins, etc."

One of the reasons why the skin of cats was used on cloaks and other garments for tr.i.m.m.i.n.g, being that it showed humility in dress, and not by way of affectation or vanity, but for warmth and comfort, it being of the lowest value of any, with the exception of lambs' skin and badgers'; and adopted by some priests as well as nuns, when wis.h.i.+ng to impress others with their deep sense of humility in all things, even to their wearing-apparel. The proof of which Strutt's "Habits of the Anglo-Normans," _circa_ twelfth century, fully ill.u.s.trates:

"William of Malmesbury, speaking of Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, a.s.sures us that he avoided all appearance of pride and ostentation in his dress, and though he was very wealthy, he never used any furs finer than lambs' skin for the lining of his garments. Being blamed for such needless humility by Geoffrey, Bishop of Constans, who told him that 'He not only could afford, but even ought to wear those of sables, of beavers, or of foxes,' he replied: 'It may indeed be proper for you politicians, skilful in the affairs of the world, to adorn yourselves in the skins of such cunning animals; but for me, who am a plain man, and not subject to change my opinion, the skins of lambs are quite sufficient.' 'If,' returned his opponent, 'the finer furs are unpleasant, you might at least make use of those of the cat.' 'Believe me,' answered the facetious prelate, 'the lamb of G.o.d is much oftener sung in the Church than the cat of G.o.d.' This witty retort put Geoffrey to the blush, and threw the whole company into a violent fit of laughter."

Of a very different character was the usage of the cat at clerical festivals. In Mill's "History of the Crusades," one reads with some degree of horror that "In the Middle Ages the cat was a very important personage in religious festivals. At Aix, in Provence, on the festival of the Corpus Christi, the finest he-cat of the country, wrapped like a child in swaddling clothes, was exhibited in a magnificent shrine to public admiration. Every knee was bent, every hand strewed flowers or poured incense; and p.u.s.s.y was treated in all respects as the G.o.d of the day. On the festival, however, of St. John (June 24), the poor cat's fate was reversed. A number of cats were put in a wicker basket, and thrown alive into the midst of a large fire, kindled in the public square by the bishop and his clergy. Hymns and anthems were sung, and processions were made by the priests and people in honour of the sacrifice."

While the foregoing was about being printed, Mr. Edward Hamilton, M.D., writing to _The Field_, May 11th, 1889, gives information of a wild cat being shot in Inverness-s.h.i.+re. I therefore insert the paragraph, as every record of so scarce an animal is of importance and value, especially when it is descriptive. He states: "A fine specimen of the wild cat (_Felis sylvestris_) was sent to me on May 3rd, trapped in Inverness-s.h.i.+re on the Ben Nevis range. It was too much decomposed to exhibit. Its dimensions were: from nose to base of tail, 1 foot 11 inches; length of tail, 1 foot; height at shoulder, 1 foot 2 inches; the length of small intestine, 1 foot 8 inches; and the large intestine, 1 foot 1 inch." It will be seen by these measurements that the animal was not so large as some that have been taken, though excelling in size many of the domestic varieties.

CONCERNING CATS.

CAT.--Irish, _Cat_; French, _Chat_; Dutch, _Kat_; Danish, _Kat_; Swedish, _Katt_; German, _Katti_ or _Katze_; Latin, _Catus_; Italian, _Gatto_; Portuguese and Spanish, _Gato_; Polish, _Kot_; Russian, _Kots_; Turkish, _Keti_; Welsh, _Cath_; Cornish, _Kath_; Basque, _Catua_; Armenian, _Gaz_ or _Katz_. In Armenic, _Kitta_, or _Kaita_, is a male cat.

_Abram cat._--This I first thought simply meant a male cat; but I find in Nares, "Abram" is the corruption of "auburn," so, no doubt, a red or sandy tabby cat is intended.

_A Wheen cat, a Queen cat (Catus femina)._--"Queen" was used by the Saxons to signify the female s.e.x, in that "queen fugol" was used for "hen fowl." Farmers in Kent and Suss.e.x used also to call heifers "little queens."

_Carl cat._--A boar or he-cat, from the old Saxon carle or karle, a male, and cat.

_Cat._--It was used to denote "Liberty." No animal is more impatient of restriction or confinement, nor yet _seeming_ to bear it with more resignation. The Romans made their G.o.ddess of Liberty holding a cup in one hand and a broken sceptre in the other, with a cat lying at her feet. Among the G.o.ddesses, Diana is said to have a.s.sumed the form of a cat. The Egyptians wors.h.i.+pped the cat as an emblem of the moon, not only because it was more active after sunset, but from the dilation and contraction of its...o...b.. symbolical of the waxing and waning of the night G.o.ddess. But Bailey, in his dictionary, says cats see best as the sun approaches, and that their eyesight decays as it goes down in the evening. Yet, "on this account," says Mr. Thiselton Dyer, in his "English Folk-lore," "it was so highly esteemed as to receive sacrifices, and even to have stately temples erected to its honour.

Whenever a cat died, Brand tells us, all the family shaved their eyebrows; and Diodorus Siculus relates that a Roman happening accidentally to kill a cat, the mob immediately gathered round the house where he was, and neither the entreaties of some princ.i.p.al men by the king, nor the fear of the Romans, with whom the Egyptians were then negotiating a peace, could save the man's life. In so much esteem also was it held, that on the death of its owner the favourite cat, or even kitten, was sacrificed, embalmed, and placed in the same sarcophagus."

Some few years ago, Mr. E. Long, R.A., exhibited at the Royal Academy a very fine picture of Egyptians idol-making, idol wors.h.i.+ppers and sellers; the lines from Juvenal being descriptive:

"All know what monsters Egypt venerates; It wors.h.i.+ps crocodiles, or it adores The snake-gorged ibis; and sacred ape Graven in gold is seen ...Whole cities pray To _cats_ and fishes, or the dog invoke."

_Cat._--A metal tripod for holding a plate or Dutch oven before the fire. So called because, in whatever position it is placed, it is supported by the spokes; as it is said a cat will always light on its feet, so the plate-holder will stand firmly in any position. These old bra.s.s appliances have now gone out of use and are seldom seen, the new mode of "handing round" not requiring them. Another reason, doubtless, is the lowness of the fire compared with the stove of former years, which was high up in the bygone "parlour grate."

_Cat._--A cross old woman was called "a cat"; or to a shrewish, the epithet was applied tauntingly.

"But will you woo this wild cat?"

_Taming of the Shrew_, Act I., Scene 2.

CAT.--A s.h.i.+p formed on the Norwegian model, having a narrow stern, projecting quarters, and a deep waist. It is strongly built, from four to six hundred tons' burden, and employed in the coal trade.

_Cat._--A strong tackle, or combination of pulleys, to hook and draw in the anchor perpendicularly up to the cat-head of the s.h.i.+p.

_Cat._--A small kind of anchor is sometimes called a cat or ketch; by the Dutch, "Kat."

_Cat._--"At the edge of the moat, opposite the wooden tower, a strong penthouse, which they called a 'cat,' might be seen stealing towards the curtain, and gradually filling up the moat with facines and rubbish."--Read _Cloister and Hearth_, chap, xliii. (Davis' "Glossary.")

_Catacide._--A cat-killer (BAILEY, 1726).

_Catamount._--Cat of the mountain, the ordinary wild cat, when found on the mountains, among the rocks or woods.

_Cat and trap._--A game or play (AINSWORTH). This is probably that known as "trap, bat, and ball," as on striking the trap, after the ball is placed on the lever, it is propelled upwards, and then struck by the batsman.

_Catapult._--A military engine for battering or attacking purposes. A modern toy, by which much mischief and evil is done by unthinking boys.

_Cat-bird._--An American bird, whose cry resembles that of a cat, the _t.u.r.dus felivox._

_Cat-block._--A two or threefold block with an iron strap and large hook, used to draw up an anchor to the cat-head.