9. “The claws of a cat grow very fast, just as our nails do, and, if the cat did not rub them off, they would grow so long that she could not use them. So, when the cat feels that her nails are getting too long, she scratches something hard until she wears them down to the right length. 10. “You have seen the cat stretching up and scratching the side of the door or a tree: this is the way she has of paring her nails.” 11. When pussy is angry or afraid, her sharp claws come out of her foot, and she makes ready to scratch. 12. My pussy knows that a dog is stronger in the jaws than she is; and so, when a strange dog comes about, she gives him a scratch with both her paws, and then gets into some safe place as soon as she can. LESSON VI. _DAISY AND HER PLAYS._ [Illustration] 1. When Nellie was a little girl, she had a present of a pretty white kitten, which she named Daisy, and the two soon became good friends. 2. While Nellie was at breakfast, the kitten would sit at her side, and once in a while it would reach up and touch Nellie’s elbow, as if it said, “It is my turn now.” When Nellie walked out, Daisy went along like a little dog, and at night she had a soft, warm bed by Nellie’s side. 3. Little girls used to come and play with Nellie, and Daisy always took a part, and seemed to enjoy the fun as much as the children did. One of the games was hide-and-seek, and this Daisy soon learned to play as well as the best of them. 4. After this, at any time when Nellie would hide and call “coop,” the kitten would jump up and look about until it found her. 5. When Daisy grew up and had a kitten of her own, she taught the young one the game she had learned. The kitten would go and hide and give one mew, and the old cat would search in every corner of the room until she found it. 6. Sometimes the mother-cat would pretend not to see the kitten when close to its hiding-place, and, when the kitten jumped out, Daisy would start back as though scared, just as children often do. 7. Then the two would roll over each other, and race about and have a great romp together. [Illustration] LESSON VII. _HOW THE CAT EATS._ [Illustration] 1. This time, Jessie, I wish you would tell us something about the mouth of your cat, if you are not afraid she will bite you. 2. No! my kitty will not bite me; she knows I will not hurt her. Come, pussy, open your mouth and let me take a good look at it. 3. I see four long teeth in the front part of her mouth. The two on the upper jaw are the larger, but the two on the under jaw are the sharper. 4. When she shuts her jaws, these teeth would easily go through the skin and flesh of a rat or mouse, and very likely would break its bones. 5. Between these long teeth in front I can count six funny little teeth on each jaw. They are too small to be of much use. Back of her long teeth I can see three or four on each jaw, and these are sharp and stand up like saw-teeth.