the cat - World eBook Library

Discipline
THE CAT
A female cat is kept young in spirit and supple
in body by the restless vivacity of her kittens.
She plays with her little ones, fondles them, pur-
sues them if they roam too far, and corrects them
sharply for all the faults to which feline infancy
is heir. A kitten dislikes being washed quite as
much as a child does, especially in the neighbour-
hood of its ears. It tries to escape the infliction,
rolls away, paddles with its little paws, and behaves
as naughtily as it knows how, until a smart slap
brings it suddenly back to subjection. Pussy has
no confidence in moral suasion, but implicitly fol-
lows Solomon's somewhat neglected advice. I was
once told a pleasant story of an English cat who
had reared several large families, and who, dozing
one day before the nursery fire, was disturbed and
annoyed by the whining of a fretful child. She
bore it as long as she could, waiting for the nurse
to interpose her authority ; then, finding passive en-
durance had outstripped the limits of her patience,
she arose, crossed the room, jumped on the sofa,
and twice with her strong soft paw, which had
chastised many an erring kitten, deliberately boxed
the little girl's ears,— after which she returned to
her slumbers.
The Fireside Sphinx, Agnes Repplier.
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