Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1895 — A CAT’S QUEER KITTEN. [ARTICLE]

A CAT’S QUEER KITTEN.

Experiment in Foster-Mothers Wherein a Young Hare Took Part. An interesting experiment in the rearing of animals is recorded by a German journal. A country gentleman, having captured a young hare a few days old, conceived the idea of giving it as foster mother a cat which had just had a litter of kittens. The cat showed no objection to this curious addition to her family, and the herbivorous nursling seemed to take very well to the regime to which it was so unexpectedly subjected. The hare throve and grew, and the cat soon thought it time to begin the education of her foster child. For the catching of mice, however, the hare showed net the slightest disposition, and at each fault committed the adoptive mother administered vigorous correction with her paws. This produced but little improvement, and the relations between the two animals were becoming somewhat strained, when one day they were placed together on the lawn in front of the house. The hare at once proceeded to nibble at the vegetation with remarkable avidity, to the evident astonishment and indignation of the cat, who could make nothing of such conduct. Finally, perceiving that she had nourished anything but a kitten, the disappointed nurse withdrew with an expression of unmistakable disdain.