SILVER TABBY PERSIANS.
There can be no question that a really good silver tabby will carry
off the palm even from the most exquisite unmarked silver cat, and in
this assertion I feel I have the support of all our professional
judges, for with the “mere man,” it is well known, the pale silvers do
not stand high in favour. Men call them “wishy-washy,” insipid, and
wanting in expression, and are generally displeased at this sport in
the fancy that has spoiled the handsome silver tabbies of years gone
by.
No doubt there is just cause for complaint, for the inter-breeding of
silvers with silver tabbies has undoubtedly done much to destroy the
clear defined markings which in tabby cats is their chief glory. Now,
of course, it is easily understood that these tabby markings in a
long-haired cat cannot be so distinct as those that appear to such
advantage in the short-haired breeds. “The better the coat the weaker
the markings,” may be said of Persian silver tabbies, and judges have
been known to give the highest award to an out-of-coat specimen just
because the markings are more evident than in a cat in full pelage.
Harrison Weir states that “Tabby is not a Persian colour,” and goes on
to say, “Nor have I ever seen an imported cat of that colour.” His
definition of a silver tabby reads thus:—“Markings: Jet-black lines,
not too broad, scarcely so wide as the ground colour shown between, so
as to give a light and brilliant effect. When the black lines are
broader than the colour space, it is a defect, being then black marked
with colour, instead of colour with black. The lines must be clear,
sharp, and well defined, in every way distinct, having no mixture of
the ground colour. Head and legs marked regularly, the rings on the
throat and chest being in no way blurred or broken, but clear,
graceful, and continuous; lips, cushions of feet, and the backs of
hind legs, and the ear points, black.” And here it will be interesting
to give the discussion which took place and the list of points drawn
up at the inaugural meeting of the Silver Society in 1900, and which
standard is still adhered to in the present Silver and Smoke Persian
Cat Society:—
SILVER TABBIES.
At the meeting of the Silver Society, discussion arose as to whether
the markings on silver tabbies should be broad or narrow. Lady
Marcus Beresford proposed that Miss Leake and Mrs. Herring should be
asked to express an opinion, both being breeders of prize-winners.
Miss Leake said she thought there were two distinct types of cats,
the one with broad markings, the other with narrow stripes, and that
both were correct silver tabbies, the superior beauty of either
being a matter of personal opinion. Mrs. Herring agreed, and said
the markings should be a dense black. Miss Leake considered they
should be black at the tips, but shading to light at the roots. Mr.
Abbott objected to the word “dense,” as black was black, and the
word “distinct” was substituted. Finally the following was
resolved:—The colour of a silver tabby should be a pale clear
silver, with distinct black markings, any brown or cream tinge to be
considered detrimental. The eyes should be orange or green:
Head and expression 25
Colour and markings 25
Colour of eyes 5
Coat and condition 20
Shape 15
Brush 10
———
Total 100
The adoption of the preceding descriptions and scale of points as a
whole was carried unanimously.
[Illustration:
MISS LEAKE’S SUMMER CATTERY.
(_Photo: Cassell & Company, Limited._)
]
As regards the eyes of a silver tabby, Harrison Weir says “deep bright
yellow.” The Silver Society gives an option of “orange or green”; but
the mandate of present-day fashion and personal bias is in favour of
green eyes for silver tabbies. From an artistic point of view, there
is no doubt emerald green is a better contrast to silver than yellow
or orange.
The Rev. R. Maynard, whose name has for many years been connected with
silver tabbies, recently complained in the papers of the tendency to
breed green eyes in this variety. He writes: “In former days we never
had anything to do with a cat that had green eyes, and now that so
much is being done to improve the feline race, why should we try to
think the green eye right and even desirable?” Another authority says:
“The fiat has gone forth that silver tabbies are to have green eyes.
Happily there still remains room for a difference of opinion on the
subject, for the oldest and most perfect breeds of silver tabbies have
always been distinguished by their deep hazel eyes.”
[Illustration:
SILVER TABBY KITTENS OWNED BY H.H. THE PRINCESS VICTORIA OF
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.
(_Photo: E. Landor, Ealing._)
]
This vexed question of eyes, certainly outside the “self” classes,
ought not to be one of such vast importance. As Louis Wain aptly
writes when complaining of this undue proportion of points, “Everyone,
judges and exhibitors alike, are bitten by the craze for the ‘correct
coloured eyes.’” It is a fault that judges are prone to commit, and
truly one point ought not to be allowed to outweigh others, and it is
just this balancing of merits with a mingling of common sense that
makes the good all-round judge, whether of self or tabbies, of long-
or short-haired cats. In judging a class of tabbies, first and
foremost in the judge’s estimation must rank the markings, and in
Persian tabbies coat must next be taken into consideration. I have
always thought that judging long-haired tabby cats in a ring class
would be specially welcomed both by judges and exhibitors, for it is
when a good cat of this breed runs or walks the beauty of his markings
can be seen and admired. Then the dark spine lines will show up to
advantage, the side markings will stand out, and the bars on the legs
and the rings round the neck may be clearly discerned. I think it is
not to be wondered at that fanciers who have bred tabby cats are not
easily satisfied as regards selfs and silvers. A friend of mine
declared, “I always miss the stripes which give a tabby cat such a
sweetly expressive countenance.” Yet in spite of the beauty of the
silver tabby, there are very few fanciers of this variety, and to
those wishing to take up Persians I could not recommend a more
interesting field for speculative breeding. The number of good show
specimens can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Silver Tabby
classes at our shows are full of nondescript cats with shaded silver
bodies and markings only on legs and head.
When judging the silver tabbies at the Crystal Palace in 1902, I was
greatly struck with the number of cats and kittens which ought really
to have been marked “Wrong Class,” for some of these were absolutely
wanting in any definite marks at all; some had faint grey pencilling
on the head and legs, but not a sign of the dense mottling on the
sides. It is, no doubt, disappointing to exhibitors to have their
specimens labelled “Wrong Class,” or for really lovely kittens to be
passed over without even a card; but it is only by thus treating
exhibits so lacking in the essential point of the class for which they
are entered that fanciers will learn to discern between the genuine
article and what may be called a spurious one. These pretty
nondescript silvers, which are neither one thing nor the other, should
be disposed of as pets; but to enter them at our shows in classes for
tabbies is only throwing away money and risking the animals. No cat
has come nearer to the perfect ideal of a silver tabby in our day than
Lady Pink’s “Shrover II.,” now gathered to his fathers. He possessed
the wonderfully clear silvery white ground with distinct dark
markings, and was always the admired of all admirers at our leading
shows. Lady Pink is not without some worthy descendants of her famous
“Shrover II.,” and writes to me thus: “I have a smoke male by ‘Shrover
II.,’ and hope to show him at Westminster. ‘Shrover III.’ is just like
his father ‘Shrover II.,’ but I shall not exhibit him, as I am too
afraid of losing him. I have suffered many losses after shows.
‘Shrover III.’ is a fine, big fellow, even better marked than his
father, with long silky, wavy coat, lovely eyes, and a perfect
temper.”
[Illustration:
“BEAUTIFUL DUCHESS.”
OWNED BY MRS. G. H. WALKER.
]
[Illustration:
WINTER QUARTERS AT DINGLEY HILL.
(_Photo: Cassell & Company, Limited._)
]
Mrs. Herring has bred some fine silver tabbies, notably “Duchess
Lestock,” a sensational kitten at the Westminster show of 1900, when
she was claimed at a high price by Mrs. G. H. Walker, of Woodheys
Park. Mrs. Herring’s “King Alfred” was the sire of “Shrover II.,” and
is quite “one of the best.” Miss Anderson Leake is justly celebrated
as a most enthusiastic and successful breeder of silver tabbies, and
is our greatest authority on this variety, As far back as 1887 “Topso
of Dingley” was exhibited by Miss Leake at the Crystal Palace. This
cat was said to be of Irish descent, but his ancestors were sunk in
oblivion. Not so, however, his progeny, for the winnings of his son
“Champion Felix,” owned by Miss F. Moore, of Beckenham, are fresh in
the minds of those who, like myself, can remember beautiful cats of
bygone years. In 1889 Miss Leake entered “Topso” and two toms in a
class for “blue or silver tabbies, with or without white.” “Felix” was
also in this class, as a winner of the Challenge Cup. Miss A. Leake’s
“Abdul Zaphir” and the present representatives of the breed “Abdul
Hamet” and “Marquis of Dingley” are household names amongst silver
tabby fanciers. Miss Derby Hyde has long been faithful to this breed,
and “Thames Valley Silver King” and “King Alfred” have often had to
fight it out together at our shows, sometimes one being favoured by
the judge and sometimes the other carrying off the honours. Miss Cope
has recently been bitten with the silver fever, and her tabby kittens
are always to the fore. Her “Roiall Fluffball” took first and seven
specials at Westminster in 1901, and her “Silver Tangle” is a
well-known winner. Mr. Furze, another Midland fancier, is also making
a speciality of silver tabbies, and the Hon. P. Wodehouse possesses a
fine silver tabby female in “Silver Saint.” Mrs. Slingsby owns “Don
Pedro,” a beautiful specimen, and Miss Meeson has bred some good
silver tabbies as well as silvers. But the ranks need filling, and
with the assistance of the society now in existence the classification
at shows will become more liberal, and instead of silvers and browns
being often placed together at our smaller shows, separate classes are
guaranteed, for it is certainly most unfair on judge and exhibitor to
place these two very distinct breeds together. “Comparisons are
odious,” we are told, and certainly it is hard on the brownies for the
more brilliant silvers to be placed side by side in competition. As
regards the mating of silver tabbies, the essential point to try and
breed for is markings, and it behoves the fancier to endeavour to find
a sire with bold, distinct tabby markings, and if it is desired to
strengthen the colour, then a black is not at all a bad cross. There
are two distinct kinds of tabbies—the blotched and the pencilled
varieties; and it is a matter of choice which is considered the
handsomest. But it does not do to mate these two varieties together. A
well-known authority on breeding silver tabbies writes thus in _Fur
and Feather_:—“A great deal has been said as to the disadvantage of
crossing chinchillas with silver tabbies, but we think this applies
more to the detriment of chinchillas than of tabbies. Provided the
tabby, on one side, is of a very decided type, the chinchilla, having
come originally from the same stock, may not prove a bad cross. Miss
Cope’s ‘Silver Tangle,’ for instance, one of the best-marked silver
tabby queens, is the child of the chinchilla ‘Silver Chieftain,’ and
of a queen bred from a silver tabby sire. A good young queen,
belonging to Mr. Hoddinott, was bred from ‘Lord Argent’ and a tabby
mother. ‘Champion Felix’ was bred from ‘Topso,’ a heavily marked
tabby, and ‘Lady Pink,’ a cat that would nowadays have been called a
light shaded silver with white markings. ‘Climax’ came of the same
parents, and both have broad dark markings, and transmitted them to
their offspring. The union of two strongly marked silvers is not
always a complete success. A brown tabby makes a most excellent cross,
and some of the purest and best silvers we have seen have been
obtained in this way. Of course, you must be prepared for a brown
tabby kitten or two; but you need not fear sandy smudges and yellow
noses. The colour seems to be concentrated in one or two examples, and
leaves the silver free. In short, in colour breeding we must be
content with one or two perfect specimens in a litter, and, retaining
them, try again for yet further perfection.”
The cat fancy needs some new sensational cat to appear on its horizon,
and if only a perfect silver tabby, male or female, could be penned at
one of our leading shows a great impetus would be given to this
variety, and a thoroughly good strain might be established. Then we
should not read such remarks as these from the pen of the reporter:
“The silver tabbies, we regret to say, were only a shade of days that
are gone. There is room for an enterprising enthusiast in this breed.
The beautiful clear silver colour with deep black markings seems to be
quite a thing of the past. Who will revive them?” And echo answers,
“Who?”
From such an authority as Miss Anderson Leake the following article on
silver tabbies will be of great interest, and the photos of her
cattery at Dingley Hill, Bradfield, near Reading, have been specially
taken to illustrate these notes:—
“Possibly amongst the rarest of our long-haired cats may be classed
the really well-marked silver tabby. Twenty years ago he existed, and
was, indeed, more commonly met with than to-day. For at that time
chinchillas were practically unknown, save for a few scarce specimens,
and the silver cats of that day were more commonly called ‘grey’
Persians, and were nearly always tabbies. But with the popularity of
the pale chinchillas began the downfall of the heavily marked tabby.
Instead of breeding for the preservation of markings, everyone worked
their hardest to breed out markings, and real tabby kittens were
almost unsaleable. Those that were produced were very frequently
ventured, and sold at a low price for pets. The lightest specimens in
a litter were preserved for breeding purposes, and rarer and rarer
became the deeply marked silver tabby. But at last the tide has
turned, and people are beginning to realise that there is a character,
a beauty, and a contrast of colouring in a good tabby, which lend to
them a charm all their own. Added to this, they are exceedingly rare
and difficult to produce.
“Competent judges agree that to breed regular, symmetrical, and
well-coloured markings is no easy task, for _contrast_ is the grand
point in a silver tabby. His ground coat from tip to tail should be
pure pale white silver. On this light silver ground-work lie the most
beautiful even dark mottlings, dark to the point of blackness. These
markings are most difficult to describe. A dark stripe runs the whole
length of the spine. Then comes a light stripe on either side, then
two more dark stripes, but these are broken just behind the shoulder
by a transverse bar of light silver, and widen on the shoulder into
considerable sized patches. The markings on the sides are not stripes,
but patches, elliptical in shape, generally three in number, and
partially encircled by dark stripes. The shoulder is particularly
heavily barred and striped, as are also the hind quarters. The legs
are barred throughout their length, the face should be dark, with dark
tufts, and the back part of the hind legs from the knee downwards is
black, as in a Southdown sheep.
“The head is most beautifully pencilled, the cheeks possess double or
treble swirls, the eyes are outlined by dark rims; on the forehead the
lines form a complete triangle, which is repeated at the nape of the
neck. The chest is encircled with a perfect dark ring, called the
‘Lord Mayor’s chain,’ but this is concealed when the large light frill
is in full beauty, as is also the neck triangle. The whiskers often
contain all the different shades of colour found in the coat. The ear
tufts should be long and light. The tail is generally ringed from
trunk to tip, but this is not noticeable after kittenhood, owing to
the great length of the hair. Also the hair to the root is much darker
in colour on the tail than on the body.
[Illustration:
IN THE STUDIO.
(_From a Painting by Madame Ronner._)
]
[Illustration:
MISS COPE’S “STARLET.”
]
“The correct colour for the eyes of a silver tabby is neither green,
orange, nor yellow, but hazel—a deep nut-brown. This shade of eye is
very difficult to obtain, and it fades with age; but once seen, its
beauty and suitability to the colouring of the cat will never be
denied. Many of the most noted prize-winners have not possessed this
coveted hazel eye. The nose is by preference dark, but this, so far,
has not been considered as a point.
“Not only evenness and regularity of markings go to the making of a
good tabby, but sharpness and depth of colour in the dark parts, and
clearness of colour in the light parts. A great deal has been said of
late regarding the depth of the black markings; but it is quite as
necessary to insist on the purity of the silver tone. No suspicion of
brown must be tolerated, neither any blue nor grey tone.
“There is no question that, as a tabby, a long-haired cat is
handicapped by his length of coat. There are some people who would rob
him of his crowning glory in order that his beautiful striping may the
better appear. But surely it were better for them to confine
themselves to short-haired cats if they cannot appreciate the marvel
of long-haired tabby markings. For marvellous they truly are, when we
consider that the dark marks are only formed by tips to the hair of
some quarter of an inch in length. When the coat is quite short these
tips are massed together, and the blackness is, so to speak,
concentrated. When the hair is at its full length—of from two to four
inches—it can be readily understood that the long floating locks mix
and mingle with the paler coat, and some distinctness of marking is
lost. The massive frill and the long light shoulder tufts give the cat
a very pale frontage; and if he be placed in a show pen side by side
with a cat whose coat is just coming, whose marks show up, in all
probability he will take a second place. No stroking, blowing of the
coat, or other device will show off a tabby cat. He must be made to
get up and walk. Then the long coat falls apart, the spine lines
reveal themselves, the side patches fall into place, and bars,
stripes, swirls, and rings all are to be seen. Even then you will not
see them all at once, but as he moves and turns one by one the points
will show themselves. As a show cat, a tabby is not a success, for his
period of perfect beauty is exceedingly short. When he proposes to
moult he changes colour, and if you are unwise enough to exhibit him
at this stage ominous whispers of ‘Brown tabby blood’ will pass from
mouth to mouth. For a thorough good rusty brown shade, commend me to a
moulting silver tabby. Then a little later he completely loses his
side markings, and you must wait until the new coat makes its
appearance before you can venture him in the show pen. In the first
beauty of that new coat, when the hair is about an inch long, he is a
dream of colour contrast, and somehow suggests such ineffable
cleanliness!
“How to breed silver tabbies is a moot point. One thing is certain,
that if we expect whole litters of well-marked kittens we shall be
grievously disappointed. Personally, we have had the best results from
pairing two marked cats slightly related and of good silver pedigrees.
A smoke of silver origin is another good cross, but the sire should
always be a tabby. The blacker the kittens are at birth the better.
There is no sign of light under-coat, but generally narrow pencillings
of silver are to be seen, and face and paws are fairly light. The
kittens which at birth show contrast of dark and light rarely turn out
good tabbies. The markings, as a rule, become too faint. At a month
old the light markings should widen and develop, and at three months
old the full beauty will be seen. Before the change to cat coat, many
of the kittens become more shaded than marked, and up to the sixth or
eighth month there is always a possibility of their proving
disappointing. If, however, after this age the markings return,
harden, and develop, they will endure for ever, except during periods
of moulting. In extreme old age both the purity of colouring and
distinctness of markings are lost. Exposure to the sun considerably
injures the colour of the silver tabby cats, giving them a brown
tinge. We believe exhibitors of magpies never allow their birds to
enjoy the rays of the sun for a similar reason, but it is a question
whether it is not wiser to study the beneficial effects of a sun-bath
on the health of our cats rather than the slight detriment to their
coats caused by its enjoyment. I have said nothing about size and
shape. The silver tabby should be a large cat, with good bones, and
very heavily coated. The old-fashioned cats were very long, low on the
legs, and a trifle narrow in head. Nowadays we have remedied this
defect, and the modern cats are decidedly more cobby than their
progenitors. The ears should be set wide apart, and be small and not
too sharply pointed. If only fanciers will now devote themselves to
the production of such cats as I have tried to describe, we shall soon
see the silver tabby classes at our shows filled with typical animals,
instead of, as is too often the case, with spoilt silvers, too heavily
marked to be called chinchillas, too unevenly or lightly marked to be
correct tabbies.”
I have mentioned Miss Cope as a breeder of silver tabbies. Her remarks
on her favourite breed are as follows:—
“There is no doubt that until quite recently interest in this
fascinating breed had, to a great extent, died out, owing to the craze
for chinchilla breeding. But I hope their day is coming again. There
is a marked improvement already shown in the silver tabby classes at
the best shows.
[Illustration:
A PAIR OF SILVER TABBIES.
(_Photo: E. Landor, Ealing._)
]
“Mr. St. George Mivart, in his celebrated book, asks, ‘What is a cat?’
But even so simple a question as that appears from his statement to be
more easily asked than answered. The same may be said of the question,
‘What is a silver tabby?’ I will endeavour to answer the question by
giving my own idea of what may be considered to be a perfect type of a
silver tabby. The chief point of a silver tabby should be clearness
and distinctness of markings; the sharper they are the better. My
ideal cat would have the two spine stripes clear and well defined from
shoulder to base of tail, set off by the ‘epaulet’ behind each front
leg. On each side of the body should appear what may be called the
horseshoe; both sides should match exactly. The hind quarters well
barred. The fore legs should also be barred, each in symmetrical
correspondence with the other. The double cheek swirls, the markings
on the forehead, which may be easily imagined to take the shape of a
lyre, the shaded eyebrows and whiskers, and dark outlines to the eyes,
all these give a character to the face not found except among tabbies.
More or less conspicuous will be the dark lines across the chest,
known as the ‘Mayor’s Chain.’ Occasionally some more favoured animal
is found to have two such lines. The beauty of all these markings is
thrown up by the ground colour of the coat, which should be a clear
bright silver. The whole effect, if one may so describe it, is like a
piece of elaborately wrought black lace on lustrous silvery silk. The
colour of the eyes is somewhat a vexed question. Some fanciers prefer
green. Personally, I think nothing is more lovely than the hazel eye,
enhanced by dark rims. Happily, latitude is allowed in this direction
in the standard drawn up by the Silver Society, which decrees the
colour shall be the green or orange. But with all these, my ideal
silver tabby must have perfect shape of body, so far as it is possible
to obtain it, as well as luxuriance of coat. The long, thin-bodied,
snipy-headed, spindle-legged cat is an abomination. The ideal cat must
be cobby, with short, thick legs, the head broad and massive, ears
small, well tufted and set wide apart, the nose short and wide at the
tip, the tail short and wide at the extreme end—I consider a pointed
tail very undesirable. The coat of the ideal silver tabby should be
long and thick, and the texture as silky as possible.
[Illustration:
MISS DERBY HYDE’S “THAMES VALLEY SILVER KING.”
(_Photo: E. Landor, Ealing._)
]
“Having described my ideal silver tabby, the next question is how to
get it. When I succumbed to the fascination of the long-haired
beauties some years ago, I resolved to breed only from the very best
stock obtainable, and I have unflinchingly adhered to this rule. I
would like to impress upon anyone starting this delightful hobby that
it is absolutely a waste of time and money to attempt breeding from
any but the best. The observance of this principle will save many
disappointments, much heart-burning, and not a little money. Having
made up one’s mind which breed one admires most, it is far better to
keep to that particular variety, and win success worth having, than to
dabble in a variety of breeds with only a moderate amount of success.
To a rigid observance of these principles I owe any honours in the
show pen which have been awarded to me. It is of little use taking up
the breeding of long-haired silver tabbies unless one is possessed of
unlimited patience and perseverance. It is sometimes very
disappointing to find the kitten one fondly hoped would prove a coming
champion merging into a shaded silver—exquisite in colour and as far
as head, shape, and coat are concerned, but none the less not a silver
tabby. Here comes in the study of pedigree. It by no means follows
that the mating of two tabby parents will result in a litter of pure
tabby kittens, unless both sire and dam are of pure silver tabby
lineage. Hence purity of pedigree on both sides is of great
importance.
“If there is a trace of chinchilla blood in the ancestry it is certain
to manifest itself at odd times in the progeny. Nevertheless, do not
despise your shaded silver, if it be a queen, providing all other
points are perfect. As Miss Leake says—and I quite agree with her—‘You
no longer have a show specimen, but you have a cat that, crossed with
a heavily marked cat, will probably provide you with splendid silver
tabbies.’ This, however, can scarcely be called the true science of
breeding, as the progeny of two such cats may hark back to some of the
original characteristics.
“My own practice is to mate silver tabby with silver tabby invariably,
and of the purest pedigree I can find. I should never breed from a
sire that I knew possessed a brown tabby ancestry. I would far rather
choose a good black sire, and in this way strengthen the markings. Of
course, one would not expect a mating of this kind to produce a litter
of champion silver tabbies; but if I secured one well-marked kitten I
should feel quite repaid. On the general question of breeding, Mr. C.
A. House, who is no mean authority, and whose suggestions I have often
followed with advantage, recently said: ‘If I were asked to pick out
in a certain cattery a pair of silver tabby Persians which would be
likely to make a good match, I should proceed on lines similar to the
following:—Shape and size with quality of coat I should expect the dam
to possess. Marking, colour, length of coat, colour of eye, and
strength of bone, I should demand in my sire. This is, of course, if I
were selecting from cats whose ancestry was quite unknown to me. My
reasons for so doing are because in nine times out of ten the sire
influences the outward characteristics of the progeny, while in like
ratio the dam exercises her influence over those points which are more
hidden. The dam has far more to do with shape than is generally
supposed, and I would rather breed from a bad-headed male than a
bad-headed queen. Quality of coat must always be looked for in the
queen.’
“With regard to in-breeding I have no hard-and-fast rules to lay down.
The whole matter, in spite of what one and another may say, is too
experimental and speculative for anyone to dogmatise. The authority I
have just quoted remarks on this matter: ‘It sometimes happens that a
fancier puts together two animals which excel in some particular
property, yet not one of their progeny is above the standard of
mediocrity, so far as that property is concerned.’ Experience has
shown me the importance of studying the weak points of the dam. These
I try to remedy in selecting the stud cat. But with all my care I
sometimes find ‘the best laid schemes ... gang aft agley.’
“For the successful keeping of cats and rearing of healthy kittens, my
prescription begins and ends with two words—liberty and fresh air. I
have found cats can stand any amount of cold, providing, of course,
they have never had artificial heat previously. Two things must be
carefully guarded against—damp and draught. These are fatal. Kittens
so reared will be healthier, grow better coats, and will be much
better able to stand the wear and tear of show life. My own cats live
in wooden houses, raised at least one foot from the ground, the size
at least seven and a half feet by five and a half feet. Each house is
fitted with an inner wire door, as well as the outer wooden one. Along
the entire length of the upper part of one side is a wire netting
window, with a broad shelf fitted beneath. This opening has also a
sliding shutter fitted with glass panels. I am thus able to give
ventilation at will, or fasten them up securely in bad weather. In one
corner of the house is a cosy sleeping box: in another corner an
equally cosy chair. All cats love a chair. Cats kept outside, when
they are admitted to the house, invariably find out the most
comfortable corner of the most comfortable chair. In such a house as I
have described, kittens can be successfully reared; there is ample
room for them to scamper round should a wet day keep them in. Unless
it is absolutely raining all my cats have the run of a large garden
the whole day, and are only shut up at night. I never coddle my
kittens, but try to bring them up as naturally as possible.
“I am sometimes asked how it is my kittens attain such good
proportions. The secret, if secret there be, lies in this—I never
allow my mother cats to nurse more than two kittens after the first
week. If a foster cannot be found, I select the two I consider the
most promising, and the lethal chamber claims the rest. Some may
consider this foolish. I can only say I would far rather rear two
thoroughly healthy kittens than five or six little puny things that
will require weeks of care and attention, and then fail to reach the
end in view. Baby silver tabbies, I must admit, are not altogether
things of beauty and of joy. More often than not they are dark and
uninteresting. The time to decide which is the best-marked kitten is
while the coat is comparatively short. When compelled to make a
selection, I usually give the preference to the darker kittens.
Experience has taught me that the lighter kittens, so attractive in
themselves, even at that early stage, and whose colouring is so
exquisite at eight or nine weeks old, are apt to prove deceptive in
the end, and often develop into shaded silvers.”
To Miss Cope’s last statements I can add my testimony, but I will also
mention a curious case coming under my direct notice and regarding my
own silver stud cat. “Cambyses” is by “Mowgli” (a noted pale silver of
“Silver Lambkin” strain) and a handsome silver tabby unknown to fame,
being a house pet. When I became possessed of “Cambyses,” then five
months old, he was a decided silver tabby, taking after his mother; he
has since shed all his markings, except faint grey pencillings on head
and legs, and is one of the lightest silvers at stud. When mated to
smokes and silvers I have not known or heard of any tabbies in the
litters; but on one occasion, when crossed with a silver tabby, he had
some very densely marked tabbies. I have remarked that this beautiful
breed of Persians has not been taken up by American fanciers in the
same enthusiastic manner as have blues, orange, and especially
silvers. In an account given by _Field and Fancy_ of the Beresford Cat
Club show in New York, January, 1903, I find mention made that over
125 long-haired cats were entered, and that in the silver classes
alone there were thirty-five entries, almost as many as were entered
in the whole long-haired section of the previous year. The smoke male
class was cancelled, but eight females of this breed put in an
appearance. No mention is made of silver tabbies. Amongst the winners
of the challenge cups offered by the Atlantic Cat Club, a silver tabby
called “Queenie,” owned by Mrs. Wagner, carried off the trophy. Miss
A. Leake, of silver tabby fame in the English fancy, has exported some
of her stock, and no doubt our American cousins will not let this
beautiful breed remain long neglected, but some enthusiastic fancier
will establish a strain on the other side of the herring pond.
At the Westminster Cat Club show of 1903, held about the same time as
the Beresford New York show, the entries in the three classes provided
for silver tabbies numbered twenty-seven, which is an increase on
previous years, but with two or three exceptions quality was lacking.
No new names appeared in the catalogues, and Miss Anderson Lecke and
Miss Cope carried off the highest honours.
The winner in the female class was “Roiall Fluffball,” whose portrait
appears below, and who is the best-marked silver tabby that is now
before the public. Miss Cope must be proud of having bred so fine a
specimen by Miss Anderson Lecke’s “Abdul Hamel of Dingley,” whose
picture appropriately forms the heading of this chapter on silver
tabbies.
[Illustration:
“ROIALL FLUFFBALL.”
THE PROPERTY OF MISS COPE.
(_Photo: E. S. Baker & Son, Birmingham._)
]
[Illustration:
MRS. STEAD’S SMOKE LITTER BY “RANJI.”
(_Photo: Russell & Sons, Baker Street._)
]