education of cats and goats.
cats do not appear to be favorite subjects of the trainer’s art, and it is rare that they are met with among performing animals. perhaps their sly, treacherous nature inspires a prejudice, or perhaps their capacity for learning is underrated. certainly with proper and patient training they may be taught nearly all of the simpler tricks performed by dogs, and some which dogs cannot, from lack of equal agility. that cats possess considerable intelligence is shown by the many well authenticated stories related of them. a specimen is that told by mr. crouch, of a cat who learned to unlock a door of her own accord. “there was,” writes this gentleman, “within my knowledge, in the house of my parentage, a small cupboard in which were kept milk, butter, and other requisites for the tea table, and the door was confined by a lock, which from age and frequent use could easily be made to open. to save trouble the key was always kept in the lock, in which it revolved on a very slight impulse. it was often a subject of remark, that the door of this cupboard was found wide open, and the milk or butter greatly 148diminished without any imaginable reason, and notwithstanding the persuasion that the door had certainly been regularly locked. on watching carefully, the cat was seen to seat herself on the table, and by repeated pulling on the side of the bow of the key, it was at last made to turn, when a slight pull of the door caused it to move on its hinges. it had proved a fortunate discovery for puss, for a long time before she was taken in the act.”
cats may easily be taught to jump through hoops, climb poles, fetch and carry, and many similar performances, by adopting pretty nearly the same means as for instructing dogs. as cats are passionately fond of fish, this article will be found a valuable incentive to induce them to comply with your wishes. a small morsel should be given as a reward for each instance of obedience, while refractory conduct may be punished by a slight box on the ear.
cats may be taught to turn the handles of little organs—either real or mere silent imitations—or music boxes, to turn a little spinning-wheel, to pull a bell-rope, to fire a pistol and a multitude of similar tricks. these are all, indeed, but modifications of one another. to instruct the cat, it is well to commence by teaching her to give her paw, like a dog. when this is learned, place the paw on the handle of the organ, which may have a loop of tape or ribbon attached to keep the paw in place, and give it a few turns. let go, but continue the circular movement of your hand near her paw, as an encouragement for her to move her paw in the same manner. should she not do so after a few moments, take hold of her paw again and repeat the movement as before. as soon as she turns the handle even in the slightest degree without your holding her paw, reward her. it will not be long before she makes a more perceptible turn, and will be more prompt to do so. eventually she need only to be shown the organ to understand what is desired of her.
when she turns the organ satisfactorily other articles may be substituted, such as a miniature model of a spinning-wheel, and a single lesson will be sufficient to show her that her duties are the same as with the organ.
to ring a bell, a pulling instead of a circular movement is required, but this is easier to teach. a bit of cloth may be attached to the string communicating with the bell, to afford the cat something convenient to seize hold of. it will be easy to induce her to seize it by holding it near her, or by aggravating her a little with it. when she does so, and causes the bell to ring, reward her. she will soon learn that the ringing of the bell is a signal for her to be fed, and that pulling the string 149causes that signal. should you wish her to ring the bell only when ordered to do so, you should call her away, after she fully understands pulling the string, and then order her to “ring the bell.” if necessary, take hold of the string to show your meaning. when she has pulled it, reward her, call her away again, repeat the order, and so on until she understands your command. should she ring then without orders, call her away and wait a few minutes before you again order her to ring.
firing off a pistol may follow this, taught in the same way, a piece of cloth being attached to the trigger, and the pistol being secured in a stationary position. merely snapping the trigger will do at first, then caps may be used, and finally powder.
a story is recorded of cecco d’ascoli and dante on the subject of natural and acquired genius. cecco maintained that nature was more potent than art, while dante asserted the contrary. to prove his principle, the great italian bard referred to his cat, whom, by repeated practice, he had taught to hold a candle in her paw while he supped or read. cecco desired to witness the experiment and came not unprepared for his purpose. when dante’s cat was performing her part, cecco lifted up the lid of a pot which he had filled with mice. the creature of art instantly showed the weakness of a talent merely acquired, and dropping the candle, immediately flew on the mice with all her instinctive propensity. dante was himself disconcerted, and it was adjudged that the advocate for the occult principle of native faculties had gained the cause.
to make a cat a good ratter she must not be handled by children, or any other person; must be fed rather sparingly at regular times, and as much as possible on fresh meat, and usually by the same person. she will soon become accustomed to such circumstances, will answer the call of this person who can change her about to different parts of the house, as a night in the cellar, and so on. when treated in this way she will become shy and wild, but will soon be a terror to rats.
valmont de bomare saw at the fair of st. germain cats turned musicians; their performance being announced as the “mewing concert.” in the center was an ape beating time, and some cats were arranged on each side of him, with music before them on the stalls. at a signal from the ape, they regulated their mewing to sad or lively strains. mons. bisset having procured three kittens, commenced their education, with his usual patience. he at length taught these miniature tigers to strike their paws in such directions on the dulcimer as to produce several regular tunes, having music-books before them, and squalling at the same time in different keys or tones, first, second, 150and third, by way of concert. he was afterward induced to make a public exhibition of his animals, and the well known “cats’ opera” in which they performed, was advertised in the haymarket theater. his horse, dog and monkeys, together with these cats, went through their parts with uncommon applause to crowded houses; and in a few days bisset found himself possessed of nearly a thousand pounds to reward his ingenuity and perseverance.
goat trick of hindoo jugglers.
another story of a cat we cannot refrain from giving: a lady who had a tame bird was in the habit of letting it out every day, and had taught a favorite cat not to touch it; but one morning as it was picking up crumbs from the carpet, the cat seized it on a sudden and jumped with it in her mouth upon the table. the lady was much alarmed for the safety of her favorite, but on turning about, instantly discovered the cause. the door had been left open, and a strange cat had just come into the room. after the lady had turned the strange cat out, her own cat came down from her place of safety, and dropped the bird, without doing it any injury.
151goats may be taught many tricks heretofore described. it is best to commence their instruction when they are quite young, as when older they are apt to develop an obstinate disposition, besides not being so apt pupils as when young. goats not being very fastidious as to what they eat—asparagus or brown paper being devoured with about the same apparent relish—almost anything in the shape of fruit, vegetables, or bread, will do as a reward for good conduct. harshness seems only to arouse their obstinacy or increase their stupidity, and we doubt whether it ever does any good. if we did not really believe severity would only defeat the aims of the trainer, we should almost be tempted to leave goats to take their own chances for kind treatment; for ever since a venerable specimen of the animal butted us, in our youth, down a steep bank, merely because in stooping to pick up something, we furnished a temptation too strong for him to resist, we have felt an unconquerable prejudice against the whole tribe. but after all the trainer will find bribes better than blows.
many of the common tricks taught horses and dogs can be taught goats. as we have fully described the methods of teaching those animals it would be merely repetition to give minute details here; the method is substantially the same with goats as with horses or dogs, for the same tricks.
the hindoo jugglers use the goat in dexterous feats of balancing. the sure-footedness of the animal enables him to stand on the end of a section of bamboo cane whose surface barely affords room for his four feet. sometimes this stick is placed upright, the lower end being secured in the ground. at other times the bamboo stick, with the goat standing on its end, is balanced on the hand, chin or nose of the juggler.
