Thursday, Nov. 5, 1964
University Daily Kansan
Page 7
Felines Rate As Man's Friend During International Cat Week
By Karen Lambert
A dog may normally be a man's best friend, but this week is "dog days" for felines as Cat Week International is celebrated.
Sponsored by the American Felline Society, Inc., Cat Week has been observed since 1938. From Nov. 1-7, the Society, headquartered in New York City, is working to promote interest in adopting and caring for the 10 million "hungry, ill or otherwise abused strays" that compose almost half of America's 21 million cats.
Where are the independent alley cats and fat, friendly tabbies that prefer to roam instead of curling up by the fireside? Even mango mousers and sinister black cats, the harbingers of Halloween, aren't interested in higher education.
"The ratio of dogs to cats is about two to one nationally, and that probably holds true in this area," he said.
IS THE CAT forgotten at KU? Dogs seem to find the campus an ideal spot for sleeping, holding friendly get-together and even stealing a lunch or two.
Of the 21 million cats in America, Dr. W. F. Bradley, Lawrence veterinarian, estimates that there are about 5000 in Lawrence.
Dogs have been seen wandering into classrooms and enjoying a lecture while cozily curled up at the instructor's feet. But have you ever seen a cat regally prance into a classroom, haughtily survey the students and either curl up in the front row for a nap or dismiss the whole class with one flick of his long tail and disdainfully walk out?
DR. BRADLEY explains that cats aren't evident around the campus because they hide out.
"Cats like to stay in trees or under bushes, and they don't approach strangers readily," he said. Pudley and local not soon
peter stangers readily. he said
Dr. Bradley and local pet shop
owners agree that in this area dogs are more popular than cats.
"Dogs have been the customary pet here, but cats are becoming a more popular pet as the area becomes urbanized," Dr. Bradley said.
CATS ARE GOOD pets, he said.
"They are easy to take care of,
clean, intelligent and just as lovable as dogs," he said. "Cats respond very readily to human affection."
CATS HAVE a history as turbulent as that of the men who have either loved or scorned them. The ancient Egyptians and Norsemen worshipped the cat as a god. In the Dark Ages, they were protected in monasteries.
During the Salem witch trials in America, cats were put to death because it was believed they were a part of the witchcraft. Superstitions surrounded cats; black cats meant bad luck but a dead cat was the best cure for warts.
"We now have a very humane way of declawing cats so they cannot harm furniture if they are kept indoors."
TODAY CATS are rated the second most popular pet and cat fanciers may pamper their pets with beds, carpets, sweaters, toys and scratching posts. All these feline luxuries are liberally doused with catnip.
"They can be kept indoors all the time, and it is not cruel to keep a cat in the house continually." he said.
As pets, cats were favorites of Cleopatra, Martin Luther, Victor Hugo and Ernest Hemingway.
There is even "psychoanalysis" for cats. Robert Kendall, executive director of the Society, wrote in "The Truth About Cats";
Not long ago a distraught woman telephoned to say her cat was climbing the drapes, knocking things off shelves and raising
a big commotion. We got a veterinarian on the case who, in effect, psychoanalyzed the animal and discovered that it was disturbed by the death of its master."
Psychologists today value cats as children's pets. Kendall quoted psychologists as saying cats are an aid to halting juvenile delinquency.
ALL CATS, whether a favorite family pet or an unloved stray, should be happy in "cat heaven." Esther Bates, columnist for the Providence (R.I.) Evening Bulletin, has concocted a heaven which she hopes exists for dead cats.
"Cat heaven should have little patches of fresh catnip . . . gray flannel mice stuffed with dry catnip and little toy birds on the tree boughs for cats to admire," she wrote.
"Cats have a highly developed maternal instinct, enhancing the recognition and indulgence of the very young."
"There should be celestial elms for cats to climb and a whole department of firemen angels with mother of pearl helmets and feathery wings to fly up and lift them down."
Youngest Elected Chief
John Kennedy was the youngest elected president when inaugurated at the age of 43 in 1961.
13. 95
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