Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1881 — Intelligence in a Cat. [ARTICLE]

Intelligence in a Cat.

The chief of our pete U,“Shorty,” a castrated cat now 14 years old. Of course he has led a very quiet, dignified life, always At home, and never addicted to roof musio at nights. He is a dear o d fellow—neat and tidy in his habits, and taking the presence of any kind of filth as a matter of deep disgust and offense. In his middle age—avoirdupoise sixteen pounds—he was a “mighty hunter.”—nis greatest recorded feat being the killing of nine rats in one pleasant afternoon. It is an abomination in his ears to have them piteroed by the “discordant noises” of a cat fight. One day. years ago, two younger felines engaged in an animated discussion with claws and teeth, filling fb* itfr with yells and flying stir, “Shorty” heard it, and ran in a succession of flying leaps to the spot.- He bounded in between the two “bad boys,” separating them in an instant. There he stooa for a brief space, eyeing Ant one and then the other, with his right paw elevated and growling fiercely. The youngsters drew down their arched backs, the bristling tails collapsed, and they left the spot, each in a different diree-

tton, at the command of the peacemaker. He once “brought up” a motheriem kitten. At first he was highly indignant at the presence of toe little one, but finally took charge of it most kindly and tenderly, allowing it to sack his rudimentary teats. He afterwards weaned It, and then

bunted it, precisely as “mother kitty,” would have done! “Shorty” seems always sensible of the tact if any of the fomlly are ill or feeling blue or discouraged; In such cases he springs into one’s lap and purrs his loudest, looking our sympathy most unmistakably, as > much as to say, “Don’t feel badly; don’ tbe discouraged!” On one occasion the lady of tne lamily, while suffering from a severe attack of tooth-ache, busrt ipto tears. “Shorty,” who was regarding her intently, sprang upon her lap. and, placing a paw on each side or her neck, looked into her face giving utterance to frequent and piteous mews. That his friend was suffering grievously he knew ss well as anybody, and he manifested his sympathy and regret in quite as decided a manner. Many anecdotes of the old fellow are treasured up in the legends of thw family, but tne above are f>robably as characteristic as any. He s now in the “sere and yellow leaf,” being afflicted with “rheumatics” when the weather is heavy, and having lost his under tushes, but we cherish him for the good he has done, and for the kindly sympathy he has always manifested lor nls friends.— Charles Aldrich, Webster City, la.