Chapter XXI: Neuter Cats

MISS KIRKPATRICK’S “CHILI.”

(_Photo: E. Landor, Ealing._)
]

It has been my experience in the past year or two that the demand for
neuter cats, or, in other words, household pet pussies, is on the
increase; and I am inclined to believe that if some fanciers made a
speciality of these cats they might do a thriving trade. As it is,
owners of male kittens do not care to undertake the trouble and
responsibility of having them gelded, or doctored, as this process is
sometimes called, and novices in purchasing are always very anxious
that the operation should have taken place before they become
possessed of their pets. A selling class for neuters at our large
shows would not be at all a bad idea, but the age should be limited to
eight months, or at most ten months, as it is only natural that
purchasers should desire pussies before they reach the prime of life,
so that they may grow up as pets in the home. For reasons that are
easily understood, it is necessary, if you wish to have a house pet of
unimpeachable manners, to have your male cat doctored when he arrives
at years of discretion.

For my own part I consider between five and eight months the best time
for a cat to be gelded, but I have often known successful operations
taking place much later. It is, however, most important that the tom
should not previously have shown any desire to mate. In all cases a
cat should be kept on low plain diet for two or three days before
being neutered, and it is more humane to pay the extra fee for the use
of an anæsthetic.

“KING CY.”

SILVER NEUTER BELONGING TO MISS AVERY JONES.
(_Photo: F. Bromhead, Clifton._)
]

I have been told on good authority that if a female cat is to be made
neuter she ought to be allowed to have one litter before the operation
is performed. Neuter cats are essentially for the “one cat” person.
They undoubtedly make a grand show when exhibited, but those who are
possessed of these pet pussies are generally very disinclined to let
them run the risks and discomforts of a show pen. I have advocated
having neuters shown only in the ring, on the lead. If this course
were adopted, I think owners would not mind exhibiting their precious
cats, as they could be sent or taken home after their turn round.
Certainly neuters are the only cats that ought to be led into the
ring, and in this way their fine proportions and generally heavy coats
can be seen and judged to the best advantage. It is too often a
practice with fanciers to have the worst of the litter kept for a pet
and made neuter, and therefore we see many blues with light green
eyes, and cats with the blemish of a white spot, in the classes set
apart for gelded cats; and if a beautiful, almost perfect, neuter is
exhibited, fanciers are apt to protest at what they consider is “a
grave mistake.” From the lips of some noted and over-wrought breeders
of Persian cats I have heard the exclamation, “I shall go in for
neuters only!”

MISS CHAMBERLAYNE’S “BELVEDERE TIGER.”

(_Photo: J. Atkins, Upper Norwood._)
]

This has been called forth, perhaps, by a succession of failing
litters or by a rampageous stud cat that has fought with the
neighbour’s tom or has wandered off on amorous thoughts intent,
perhaps never to return, or on returning to bring disease to the
cattery. Certainly, for a thoroughly comfortable domestic pet there is
nothing like a neuter cat. They are more affectionate, and with
children more docile, not less keen in catching rats and mice, and
they are proverbially very clean in their habits. One great advantage
that neuters have over the other long-haired breeds is that they
retain their lovely coats nearly all the year round. In spite,
however, of the many points in favour of neuter cats, they are
nevertheless rather looked down upon in the fancy. Certainly, at our
shows no cats are more attractive to visitors than the big burly
neuters, and I would fain see a better classification for these really
fine animals.

A specialist society was started in 1901 by an admirer of these cats,
but either through lack of energy or want of enthusiasm the work was
not carried on, and the club died a natural death. It remains for some
other fancier with a love for pet pussies to start a society, for as
it is the neuters fare badly at our shows, the classes provided never
numbering more than two, and the special prizes being few and far
between. Formerly neuters were judged by weight, and I remember some
specimens exhibited at the Palace that really looked like pigs fatted
up for market. It was in 1886 that the classification for neuters at
the Crystal Palace show ran thus: “Gelded cats, not judged by weight,
but for beauty of form, markings, etc.” Happily, therefore, this state
of things has been abolished, and though neuters should be big,
massive cats, yet they need not, and should not, be lumps of inert fat
and fur. It is true that a big show cat appeals to the non-exhibitor,
and visitors to our shows are always greatly impressed with huge
animals over filling their all too small pens. The heaviest and
biggest neuter I have ever seen was possessed by Mrs. Reay Green. This
enormous silver turned the scale at 20 lb. I believe the record weight
at the Crystal Palace was 25 lb. It is a libel to say that neuter cats
are lazy and uninteresting. I have always possessed a neuter, either a
blue or a brown tabby, and these beloved pets have ably fulfilled
their duties as mice-catchers of the establishment. My “Bonnie Boy,”
who but recently joined the noble army of neuters, is as keen as a
knife, and will sit for hours watching a likely hole, and never a
mouse escapes his clever clutches. He kills them instantly, and then
amuses himself for hours dancing about and throwing his dead prey with
wild delight into the air. Then, again, he is, I am sorry to say, just
as destructive with the poor London sparrows, and many a time I have
had to chastise my pet for stalking the game in our little back
garden.

Miss H. Cochran, writing of neuters, says: “There are, without doubt,
a great number of people who like to keep a cat, especially a Persian,
for a pet pure and simple—one that will be the admiration of all, and
of service in ridding the house of mice and rats. They will attain a
greater size, and in nine cases out of ten retain all the pretty
habits and antics of their kittenhood. Neuter cats are often very
troublesome in a large cattery; they fight with each other and with
the queens, which have a poor chance against their superior size. I
think they do it for fun.”

In _Fur and Feather_ “Zaida” thus writes of neuters:—

Undoubtedly it is a crying mistake for neuter cats to be allowed to
compete in open classes, but personally I should be delighted to see
more classes for them at shows, and much greater interest taken in
them. Sometimes one is tempted to think the ordinary run of cats has
deteriorated in general beauty, remembering the splendid animals,
both English and foreign, which we used to see in friends’ houses in
our childhood; but the real explanation lies in the fact that
formerly “house” cats were almost entirely kept as pets, and
handsome kittens were obtained for the purpose. Nowadays anything
not good enough for breeding from is made a neuter, and fanciers
undoubtedly look on them with a certain contempt. Why should this be
more the case with cats than with horses? For a perfect household
pet the neuter cat holds its own, if only the public would
universally acknowledge it. But too often every purchaser of a
kitten starts breeding, and multiplies a race of weedy, ill-kept
animals, who do little credit to their owner. A cat with kittens is
undoubtedly a charming sight; but a female cat is more or less of a
worry, and is, besides, only in coat for a very short time each
year. Then a tom cat roams, fights, and is often objectionable, but
the stay-at-home cat is always a thing of beauty, never requires
periods of seclusion, will mouse and rat with the best, and be a
credit to any establishment. In short, we should like to see more of
them, not fewer, and a neuter class for every colour in a show. In
many a household cats are now disliked through the ill-advised
action of some member of the family in starting breeding with more
zeal than knowledge, and without proper convenience. If a lovely
neuter, or even two or three, reigned in their glory, there would be
an end to the trouble, to the groans of the other members of the
family, to the “wasn’t engaged to wait on cats” of the servants.

“BENONI.”

THE PROPERTY OF MISS COTTOR.
(_Photo: F. Wallace, Dalkeith._)
]

In the schedule of the Beresford Cat Club show, held at New York,
January, 1903, the classification for gelded cats reads thus: “Class
25, neuter, white or black; Class 26, neuter, blue or smoke; Class 27,
neuter, ‘any other colour’; Class 28, neuter, any colour tabby with
white.” It will be seen, therefore, that in America a much more
liberal classification is given for long-haired neuters, and for
short-haired there are three classes provided. I do not know, nor have
I heard of, any remarkable American neuters, and no photographs have
been received by me for reproduction in this work.

If we go back some years in the fancy, I remember Miss Sangster’s
“Royal Hector,” a blue of great celebrity; also same owner’s “Royal
Bogey,” a handsome black with a white star. Miss Boddington’s cobby,
woolly-coated white “Ba Ba” appeared later in exquisite form, winning
well till he was eleven years old. At this same period Mrs. Herring’s
little smoke “Ally Sloper” and Miss Molony’s big, heavily coated black
“Uncle Quiz” were noted winners.

Then we come to Mrs. Willman’s “Charlie,” a fine blue of “Beauty Boy”
strain, and Miss Knight’s “Albion Joey,” one of the finest neuters
ever exhibited, a huge smoke with the roundest of heads, a trifle
marked and not good in eye, but a glorious animal.

A little later came Madame Portier’s “Blue Boy,” and, as I have
received some notes from the owner of this magnificent cat, I will
give them:—“I am very proud of my ‘Blue Boy,’ born on St. Patrick’s
Day, 1895. He has won twenty-eight first prizes and many specials, and
his championship before he was a year old. I had an offer of £20 for
him. The greatest honour ‘Blue Boy’ received was a caress from her
Majesty, then Princess of Wales.

MISS ADAMSON’S CHINCHILLA NEUTER.
]

“I often take my pet out for a walk on a collar, and he is quite
easily led, and people often stop and ask if it is really a cat. I
send you his photo for reproduction in ‘The Book of the Cat.’” One of
“Blue Boy’s” wins was at the Richmond show, 1902, where he was greatly
admired for the dignified way in which he comported himself on a lead.
In these up-to-date days, however, “Blue Boy” has to run the gauntlet
with superior coloured eyes, but in shape, size, and coat he holds his
own. Miss Kirkpatrick’s “Chili,” now no more, was a beautiful
creature—a silvery smoke, almost a smoke tabby, with a wonderful
fleecy coat and grand frill. Mrs. Reay Green has always been the proud
possessor of superb neuters—“Mosca,” a blue; “Abdul Zephir,” a
chinchilla; and later “Ajax,” who has done some winning. Viscountess
Esher also has quite a cattery of neuters. I procured for her a sable,
almost unmarked and very rich in colour, a white with limpid seagreen
eyes, and a Siamese with perfect points. Miss Cochran’s “Patpaw” (now
in the possession of Viscountess Esher), a son of the celebrated
tortoiseshell “Tawney,” is rather small for a neuter, but full of
quality, with wonderful orange eyes. “Persimmon Laddie,” owned by Miss
Whitney, is, perhaps, the most perfect specimen that has been seen in
the pen of the neuter classes. He is not a brown and not a tabby, but
a sable; and, having the blood of the “Birkdale Ruffies” and “Champion
Persimmon” in his veins, it is no wonder he carries all before him. No
photograph can do him justice.

Mrs. Boyce’s “Fur” could beat any male chinchilla now on the show
bench; for in colour, shape, and head he is well-nigh perfect. Mrs.
Millar’s “Lord Bute” is a monstrous black, and in spite of his green
eyes is generally in the prize list; but in Mrs. Curtis’s “Baron
Bonelli” he met more than his match at the Crystal Palace in 1902.
This black cat (a son of “Johnnie Fawe”) has all the good points of
“Patpaw,” including his gorgeous eyes, and he is very large. Miss
Holmes’ “Blue Tut” has won many honours, and Miss Chamberlayne’s
“Tiger” is a handsomely marked brown tabby. Miss Meeson’s “Fluff
Duvals,” another brownie, won first at the Crystal Palace and
Brighton, and after a second at Westminster came home to die! Miss
Averay Jones has a splendid chinchilla neuter “King Cy,” a possession
too precious to be risked at any exhibition.

“NIGEL THE RAVEN.”

MRS. MELLER’S SHORT-HAIRED BLACK NEUTER.
]

So much for the long-haired pet pussies, and we will take a glance at
past and present short-haired neuters. A lovely coated cat was “Tiger
of Kepwick,” owned by Mrs. MacLaren Morrison, a brown tabby, as his
name denotes. Then Mrs. Butler’s orange, which for many years won at
the Crystal Palace and Brighton. Mr. Lane had a good yellow-eyed
white, “Leonidas.” Mrs. Herring owned a well-marked brown tabby in
“Sir Peter Teazle.” Of late years the most remarkable short-haired
neuters have been Miss Cartwright’s really lovely Siamese “Chote” and
Lady Alexander’s blues, “Brother Gamp” and “Tom Gamp,” who are rarely,
if ever, defeated. A richly coloured orange tabby neuter, “Red Eagle,”
also hailed from the same cattery.

In judging neuters, I think it is rather a mistake to go too much by
points. I consider size should be a most important factor, also coat
and general effect. Of course, in close competition points would come
into question; but I really think that a large, heavily coated neuter,
whose colour was a trifle unsound, or whose markings or eyes were
below par, should not be placed below a small mean-looking cat who,
however, excelled in these points.

Louis Wain, writing on a general survey of the Crystal Palace show of
1900, referring to the neuter class that he judged, says:—“Neuters
have suffered somewhat through the extended schedule of the ‘whole’
cats. At one time it was quite a usual thing for exhibitors to have
their cats neutered to preserve the natural beauties of a fine cat,
and very often a really handsome cat was neutered because he stood no
chance in a class of twenty or thirty cats, and yet would take first
as a neuter in a class of six or eight. The neuter classes have not
grown as have the other classes. As ‘home’ cats neuters should be
encouraged, and I feel sure that many are kept at home in fear of the
dreaded ‘blues,’ which are usually unbeatable.” Mr. Wain also
complains of the poor classification for neuters at our shows, and on
this particular occasion he states that the cats were such extremely
fine animals that they needed classes of their own for him to do
justice to their merits. Certainly there ought at least to be three
classes provided for neuters at our large shows, viz.: Neuters,
self-coloured (blue, black, and white); neuters, tabby, “any colour”;
and neuters, “any other colour.”

MADAME PORTIER’s NEUTER “BLUE BOY.”

(_Photo: Hana, London._)
]

RASCALS.

(_From a Painting by Madame Henriette Ronner._)
]