Animal behavior; Animal intelligence; Natural history -- Outdoor books
Many authentic stories are told of cats which seem to show that they
too have profited in the way of added intelligence by their long
intercourse with man. A lady writing to me from New York makes the
following discriminating remarks upon the cat:--
"It seems to me that the reason which you ascribe for the
semi-humanizing of the dog, his long intercourse with man, might apply
in some degree to the cat. But it is necessary to be very fond of cats
in order to perceive their qualities. The dog is 'up in every one's
face,' so to speak; always in evidence; always on deck. But the cat is
a shy, reserved, exclusive creature. The dog is the humble friend,
follower, imitator, and slave of man. He will lick the foot that kicks
him. The cat, instead, will scratch. The dog begs for notice. The cat
must be loved much and courted assiduously before she will blossom out
and humanize under the atmosphere of affection. The dog seems to me to
have the typical qualities of the negro, the cat of the Indian. She is
indifferent to man, cares nothing for him unless he wins her by
special and consistent kindness, and throughout her long domestication
has kept her wild independence, and ability to forage for herself when
turned loose, whether in forest or city street. It is when she is much
loved and petted that her intelligence manifests itself, in such quiet
ways that an indifferent observer will never notice them. But she
always knows who is fond of her, and which member of the family is
fondest of her."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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