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The Black Cat


It is often said "What's in a name?" the object, whatever it is, by any

other would be the same, and yet there is much in a name; but this is

not the question at issue, which is that of colour. Why should a black

cat be thought so widely different from all others by the foolish,

unthinking, and ignorant? Why, simply on account of its colour being

black, should it have ascribed to it a numberless variety of bad omens,

b
sides having certain necromantic power? In Germany, for instance,

black cats are kept away from children as omens of evil, and if a black

cat appeared in the room of one lying ill it was said to portend death.

To meet a black cat in the twilight was held unlucky. In the "good old

times" a black cat was generally the only colour that was favoured by

men reported to be wizards, and also were said to be the constant

companions of reputed witches, and in such horror and detestation were

they then held that when the unfortunate creatures were ill-treated,

drowned, or even burned, very frequently we are told that their cats

suffered martyrdom at the same time. It is possible that one of the

reasons for such wild, savage superstition may have arisen from the fact

of the larger amount of electricity to be found by friction in the coat

of the black cat to any other; experiments prove there is but very

little either in that of the white or the red tabby cat. Be this as it

may, still the fact remains that, for some reason or other, the black

cat is held by the prejudiced ignorant as an animal most foul and

detestable, and wonderful stories are related of their actions in the

dead of the night during thunder-storms and windy nights. Yet, as far as

I can discover, there appears little difference either of temper or

habit in the black cat distinct from that of any other colour, though it

is maintained by many even to this day that black cats are far more

vicious and spiteful and of higher courage, and this last I admit.

Still, when a black cat is enraged and its coat and tail are well "set

up," its form swollen, its round, bright, orange-yellow eye distended

and all aglow with anger, it certainly presents to even the most

impartial observer, to say the least of it, a most "uncanny" appearance.

But, for all this, their admirers are by no means few; and, to my

thinking, a jet-black cat, fine and glossy in fur and elegantly formed,

certainly has its attractions; but I will refer to the superstitions

connected with the black cat further on.



A black cat for show purposes should be of a uniform, intense black; a

brown-black is richer than a blue-black. I mean by this that when the

hair is parted it should show in the division a dark brown-black in

preference to any tint of blue whatever. The coat or fur should be

short, velvety, and very glossy. The eyes round and full, and of a deep

orange colour; nose black, and also the pads of the feet; tail long,

wide at the base, and tapering gradually towards the end. A long thin

tail is a great fault, and detracts much from the merits it may

otherwise possess. A good, deep, rich-coloured black cat is not so

common as many may at first suppose, as often those that are said to be

black show tabby markings under certain conditions of light; and, again,

others want depth and richness of colour, some being only a very dark

gray. In form it is the same as other short-haired cats, such as I have

described in the white, and this brings me to the variety called

"blue."



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