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The next year they had littersagain, this time all most successfully.It is Victor's habit to inspecteach litter. He sits- outsidethe door in'hile the kittens arebeing born, and then walks inand gazes into the boxes, makinglittle noises all the time. Th;queens sit and preen themselvesand talk back to him in softcrooning tones. He approves soobviously of their kittens. Oncea lveek he sits outside the maternityward, and when I go in heinsists on coming in and makinghis inspection, and then doesn'trvorry for another week.Last year, after much trepidation,I decided to show one ofthe kittens. Came the morningof the show. I popped my litt)escrap into the car and off we went,he protesting al1 the way. I expectedthat I-a beginner daringto put such a kitten in with somany champions-r,vould , be farfrom welcome, but it was exactlythe opposite All the breeders,many of whom I kneu' only asnames 'uniler cat articles, werernnst helnfrrl nrrliinp themselves'--"-''"'^t'--out to give me innumerable hintse nd qrr qoeqfinncWhen judging time cameround, I hastily departed, feelrngmuch too nervous to rvatch.After lunch, I returned to thehall, slinking past the rows ofpens of feiine bearrties, hasteningto comfort mV poor little scrap.But he didn't heed comfortine,for there he sat with variouscoloured cards tucked into thebars of his pen. He was a prizewinnerand well he knew it !There he sat, thoroughly enjoyinghis newly won adulation.We departed for home, all wellpleased with ourselves. Theprizewinner wasn't quite sopleased when we reached home.I washed out his mouth. combedhim, gave him a wee drop ofrvhisky, some warm milk, tuckedhim up, and left him in splendidisolation for a few days. Sincethen I have shown several otherkittens successfully, but therestili seems so much more to belearned about breeding and exhibiting.When visitors come and lookat the kittens, the remark is sometimesmade that breedins is amoney-making business. -I givethem a freeztns look and utter amosl emphaticY' No." They arenot of mv kind. I tell them ofthe initial cost of the cats, thevet.'s bills, the pounds of fishand horsemeat bought each week,the disappointments when thekiltcns die, the hours I spend ingrooming and brushing. -Thev reply, " Then why onearth do you keep so manvcats? " I try to explain, aspatiently as possible, tfrat I likebreeding kittens, that to me themost amusing sight in the worldis that of five or six kittens in acrazy mood, that I enjoy theircompany, that I am not out tomake money, that I JUST LIKECATS !lf you want good portraits of your Catsfor Press illustrations, etc., go toFALL, Photog rapher22 Bakcr Strcet, London, W.l Welbcck lflA