| Show open your back door one fine YOU and there he is waiting for you to invite him in Maybe he doesn’t even wait for an invitation but curls right past your ankles and into your house And race a cat walks in somehow by the magical wand of his tail the atmosphere ie transformed The benediction of a peculiar and rewarding pesos descends You find yourself sharing his contentment in little things: an empty spool the good smells of a warm kitchen a sunbeam on the floor the friendly tick of a dock You drat ktaow why but' a change comes over you toot Your cat can teach you truly how to enjoy life Choosing a Cat: Before you buy a cat or accept one free from a friend study his behavior Does he act or does he back into a eorner like a fighter who has been licked? Are his eyes runny? Do they look weak and expressionless? His eyes are your gauge of his charae-- : ter as well as his health If you buy a purebred cat be sure that he has a pedigree and get the papers at the time of purchase If you're buying a'show eat remember that he had two parents A novice is aome- times impressed by the mention of a famous mama and fails to notice that the father swaggered out of the alley and up the family tree First Day at Home: A eat should be shielded from excitement and confusion when you first bring him home Talk softly to him Drat keep picking him up and hugging him Let him get acquainted with one person— and one room—at a time until he fads secure Also do not feed him while be is still nervous (You can however put a small bowl of water where he can see it) After a few hours when he has had time to look things over and calm down offer him some food Feeding Your Cat: There are those who complain that their cats win not eat anything but chicken livers broiled sturgeon and smoked Nova Scotia salmon These people are secretly proud of such fastidious menus and love to complain about the elegant tastea of Miss Fuss AH a cat really requirea is that his food be fresh slightly warm and somewhat varied And he is not a competent judge of what is best for him to eat you must judge for him For example never feed a eat starchy foods such as potatoes rice corn pastry white bread or crackers His body cannot assimilate carbohydrates Lean beef hotfe meat liver kidneys and chicken are much a raw egg with his milk to make his coat glossy A grown cat should be fed twice a day' Serve him a light meal in the morning and his oigimeal later on Always feed him at the same hour every Hay and be sure that water is always available Housebreaking Most caU prefer the privacy and expanse of the for their toilet area If Vours is to be indoors however line a metal pan with a folded paper and tear up stripe to put on top Paper is preferable to sawdust or sand since it does not make tracks on the floor Should your cat refuse to use the indoor paper sprinkle a little earth into the pan and gradually reduce the amount each day until he becomes accustomed to his paper Cats like privacy indoors too and it is best to put their tray in a quiet corner If possible set two or more pans around In different rooms A door may be closed accidentally sometimes Yopr Cat's Bed: Drat spoil that new eat of yours by putting him into bed with you Once there he will assume it is his forever our cat should have his own bed— a basket or box that'e strictly his domain When he’s there he wants no disturbances If he craves company he will come out and let you know Pad the bottom of the bed with an old towel or cotton blanket No cat likes to be covered so when it’s cold arrange the blanket around him instead He’ll make his nest in his own way One ' important point: a eat’a winter bed should be in a warm place and should be snug enough so that his body can 'create its own heat week mix : out-of-do- fwcL I self-confide-nt ' better choices In choosing canned foods remember that cat food Is for eats and dog foodls for dogs Dog foods are prepared for gulping animals and they stick to the roof of a cat’s mouth If you must feed him dog food put a little milk in a separate dish for washing dims the stubborn chunks If like you your cat 1ms a fondness for snacking fill a dish with catnip leaves Also ones a ' Your Cat’s Bath: A cat is as dean as the floor on which he plays But when he has gathered more than his share of coal dust or mud here’s how to bathe him: Line your bathtub or sink with a towel or rubber mat to keep the cat from slipping Bun in a few inches of warm (not hot) water Use a soft soap Wet him down all over and be careful not to splaah water Into his face eyes or ears If you’re lucky enough to have a double sink lift him into the clear water for his rinse Towd him well and calm him down in your lap while you are rubbing the excess water off He will lick himself dry If he puts up a fight— and well he might— wear gloves while you bathe him Or if he becomes really violent about it place him in a pillowcase and wash him through that He might not like it but it will save you from being clawed Cat Traps: Because cats take such excellent care of themselves they require less attention than other pets But instinct sometimes fails Rat and insect poisons are tempting— and murderous Sprayed house plants are another menace Many cats have ben scalded underfoot in a busy kitchen electrocuted by overturned floor lamps and imprisoned in closets bureau drawers and even refrigerators You can help your eat keep well by being a good housekeeper and by giving him whatever protection his own Instinct can’t off or Youwill be repaid in fan in ways known only to cats Mostly he'll do it himself but he'll let you help —if you go about it in the right way By BETH BROWN Author of "AM Cots Go to Heaven and "famous Cuts of Famous People UUISIIATION SV JOS CBAMNZANO v": r COVER: Famed animal photographer Walt Ckandoka I 7) 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