A very sharp fox-terrier belonging to the writer never could be induced
to regard a cat in any other light than that of an enemy. Having to go
and live in a house where a cat was kept, the first thing the dog did
was to turn the cat out. As mice, however, were troublesome, and as the
terrier, even with the best intentions, could not banish them, another
cat was considered necessary; so a kitten was secured, and in due time
introduced to its future companion the fox-terrier.
The little cat put up its back and spat at the dog, which was at last
made to understand that it was to leave the kitten alone. For some days
the two animals regarded one another with suspicion; at length the cat
came up and licked the dog's nose. From that hour their friendship was
established. They became inseparable; then the kitten soon discovered
that the dog's tail and ears made excellent play-things, and in the
meekest and most submissive manner the dog allowed the kitten to pull it
about as much as it pleased. Very often, however, the dog felt inclined
to play; then for about five or ten minutes the two would rush round the
room; but it generally ended in the cat retiring under part of the
furniture, to escape being somewhat roughly upset by the impetuous
rushes of its canine playmate. Sometimes, when the kitten wanted to
play, nothing could induce the dog to get up, and at other times the
kitten would take no notice of the dog's pressing offers of a romp.
When lying still and dozing, the two were generally to be found close
together, and at night the cat invariably curled itself up on the dog's
back, and so went to sleep; but curiously enough, although the dog made
no objection to this arrangement, it would not on any account get up
into its bed if the cat was there first. On one occasion, and one only,
the two were seen in a very comical position. The dog was sitting up on
the hearth-rug, solemnly gazing into the fire. The cat, which was still
in its kittenhood, went up and jumped on to the dog's head. There it
sat, with its tail curled round its front paws, likewise looking into
the fire. For a few minutes the pair were quite still; then the dog
moved, and the kitten sprang down. A more curious sight has probably
seldom been witnessed.
It was noticed that the fox-terrier always knew its feline friend in the
dark, and was always able to distinguish it from other cats. These, when
they appeared, were always ferociously charged and driven away; and one
day, in its eagerness to get at a strange cat, the dog nearly hurt its
little companion. It happened in this way. The two friends were out
together in the yard behind the house. The cat got up on a wall, and
soon afterward another cat appeared at the other end. The two stood
looking at one another about ten yards apart, when the dog became aware
of the presence of the stranger. Knowing a way up on to the wall, it
immediately ascended, but when it got up, its companion was between it
and the other cat. However, the dog rushed along the wall to get at the
interloper, and as there was no room to pass, simply knocked its little
friend over, and then made a great effort to catch the enemy.
It was curious to see a dog perpetually rushing at cats, and then
returning from the chase to gambol about in the most friendly manner
with another cat. The friendly intercourse with the one never had the
slightest effect in changing its animosity to others. The dog's
affection even went so far as to cause it to show resentment whenever
the cat was punished. When the cat was touched with the whip, it would
turn up its eyes, and look as much annoyed as it was possible for a dog
to be. Animals have keener susceptibilities, and show more feeling, than
many people imagine.
Sea-gulls are not often met with as domestic pets; but the great
bird-fancier Morris, in his work on natural history, mentions a tame
sea-gull which struck up a great friendship with a terrier which spent a
great part of its time in the garden where the gull was kept. Here is an
anecdote contributed some years ago to the _Naturalist_, on the
authority of Mr. Donaldson. His gull was quite an epicure in its way,
and fancied sparrows' flesh for dinner. But as it had to cater for its
own luxuries, the question of catching the sparrows became an important
one. However, the gull thought the matter over, and soon devised an
excellent scheme for capturing the four or five sparrows which it
required as a daily _bonne bouche_. It fraternized with a number of
pigeons which were fed in the yard where the gull was kept. The crafty
bird had made a note of the fact that several sparrows always came down
at feeding-time to get some of the food spread for the pigeons. "By
getting among the pigeons, and keeping my head down," reasoned the gull,
"I shall get close enough to catch some of these nice little fellows
easily."
And this is how the gull made use of its friends the pigeons. It went
among them, and, by stooping, avoided detection. Then, to use the words
of the eye-witness, the gull "set at a sparrow as a pointer dog would do
at its game." In an instant it had the luckless victim by the back, and
swallowed it without giving it time to shut its eyes. But this was an
unlovely friendship. The motives were altogether mercenary and low. The
story affords, however, a curious instance of the power of reasoning
possessed by some animals.
[Illustration: ON GUARD.--DRAWN BY SOL EYTINGE, JUN.]