Cats often show great courage, especially in defence of their young.
A cat had led her kittens out into the sunshine, and while they were
frisking around her they were espied by a hawk soaring overhead. Down
pounced the bird of prey and seized one in his talons. Encumbered by
the weight of the fat little creature, he was unable to rise again
before the mother cat had discovered what had occurred. With a bound
she fiercely attacked the marauder, and compelled him to drop her kitten
in order to defend himself. A regular combat now commenced, the hawk
fighting with beak and talons, and rising occasionally on his wings. It
seemed likely that he would thus gain the victory; still more when he
struck his sharp beak into one of Pussy's eyes, while he tore her ears
into shreds with his talons. At length, however, she managed what had
been from the first her aim--to break one of her adversary's wings. She
now sprang on him with renewed fury, and seizing him by the neck,
quickly tore off his head. This done, regardless of her own sufferings,
she began to lick the bleeding wounds of her kitten, and then, calling
to its brothers and sisters, she carried it back to their secure home.
You will find many hawks with which you must do battle. The fiercest
and most dangerous are those you must encounter every day. Huge
dark-winged birds of prey--passionate temper, hatred, discontent,
jealousy;--an ugly list, I will not go on with it. Fight against them
as bravely as Pussy fought with the hawk which tried to carry off her
kitten.