Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1896 — Taming a Wildcat. [ARTICLE]

Taming a Wildcat.

Those ladies who are fond of wearing fur boas around their throats might learn a lesson from 11. F. Wood, a river man. who is now in tin* city. Mr. Wood has a handsome neck muffler of tawny skin, but he does not keep it In a bandbox at night. He locks it in a strong cage for his boa is a half-growi! wildcat, witli full-grown claws and teeth. Wood has attracted considerable attention during the hist few days by strolling about tin* city witli a young boy lynx or wildcat perched on Ids shoulder. Old naturalists claim that It is Impossible to domesticate a specimen of the “fells catuw," which is the Latin name for Mr. Wood's strange per. He lias refuted that theory, however, by partially laming the savage little beast. Many sears and scratches on ids hands ami face bear evidence to the fact that it wps no easy Job to get on speaking terms with ?Jr. Wildcat, Jr. am l it will allow no one but Its owner to come near it. If a stranger npproachos the kitten will jump straight at his tin <.at. Mood is very fond of the animal. He caught it when it was only six days old. after its mother had slain four large dogs, and raised it by hand. The animal is now iilxiut the size of a large tom cat, but Is very different in appearance from the common tabby. It has huge feet, long, sharp claws, a head like a tiger's, the tufted ears which distinguish the lynx family, and a short tail, which moves incessantly.