"I advocate that all kittens should be reared by healthy English foster-mothers, and am convinced that if breeders would adopt this plan we should in time succeed in establishing a far stronger breed of cats. As matters now stand, the kittens inherit and develop any ailment or weakness to which their mothers may be subject, so that from the very commencement of their existence they have but little chance of becoming strong and healthy enough to withstand our climate of many moods.

" Plenty of sun and air they require, but damp and draughts are fatal. All young kittens should be encouraged to take exercise ; empty cotton reels cause hours of amusement, also a rabbit's foot tied on to string or otherwise ; corks of any description must be avoided. Large bones should be given when the kittens are two months old - they assist the growth of teeth ; small ones, such as of game, chicken, or fish, are dangerous. The best and safest of all is a bullock's foot boiled down and pulled apart ; these bones will occupy kittens for a considerable time.

"Worms cause an enormous mortality amongst Siamese, and are, I feel convinced, at the root of nearly every ailment from which cats or kittens suffer; therefore, however reluctant one may feel as to giving medicine to youngsters of tender age, it is better to do this than to run the risk of these odious parasites establishing themselves, for they are most difficult to dislodge permanently. I have used Saunder's worm powders with considerable success. Of course, the dose for kittens must be administered in minute quantity - just a small pinch given in warm olive oil early in the morning after an all-night fast. In giving the powder to adults I always enclose it in capsules. In cases of weakness or exhaustion a few drops of brandy or whisky in a teaspoonful of warm milk works wonders. It is often necessary to give some sort of tonic after medicine of this description.

" Siamese kittens should be well fed; not much at a time, but little and often - lean scraped beef or mutton, vegetables, stale bread and gravy, boiled fish, rabbit, raw eggs, milk (previously boiled); in fact, anything light and nourishing. The remains of a meal should never be left on the floor. These kittens' digestions are not strong, and their intestines are most delicately formed.

"The colour of the eyes of Siamese kittens should be well determined at eight weeks. They are most interesting and playful at this age; a tunnel made of newspapers will afford endless amusement, and after a long and energetic game of play they will sleep for hours. It is not desirable to lift or handle them more than can be avoided whilst they are very young. In cases of bad colds or coughs, a simple but usually effective remedy is a mixture of three pennyworth of oil of almonds and three pennyworth of syrup of violets, mixed by a chemist - a quarter of a teaspoonful thrice daily (it is absolutely necessary to shake the bottle thoroughly before administering the medicine). For an adult an eggspoonful three times daily may be given. Cod-liver oil is always safe (also the best olive oil), and helps to build up the constitution. As a tonic I know of nothing to equal half-grain (coated) quinine pills, given early each morning for a few days now and again. In cases of bronchitis, Carvill's Air Purifier (about a teaspoonful) should be placed in boiling water, and the cat or kitten made to inhale the steam several times daily, and particularly the first thing in the morning and the last at night.

I.ADY Marcus Beresford's " Cambodia." {Photo : E. Landor, Ealing.)

Pugs Paying A Visit To The Siamese

"For adults suffering from bad throat complaint and total refusal of all food I have found no remedy to equal the following prescription, if given in time. I have administered it with great success to numberless cats : Forty drops Calvert's pure carbolic acid, two drachms spirits of wine, six ounces pure water. Not quite half a teaspoonful to be mixed with a teaspoonful of warm milk, poured down the throat three times daily; for very young cats a smaller quantity of the mixture should be given. I doubt if it would be advisable to give it to young kittens. Even if the cat does not swallow the whole dose, it acts beneficially as a mouth-wash and disinfectant, apparently removing an unpleasant taste and re-establishing the power to smell - the loss of this sense often preventing a sick cat from eating. Weak eyes, sickness, and diarrhoea are tedious ailments to which all kittens are very subject, and to effect a permanent cure the treatment must be very persistent. "I do not know when Siamese were first introduced into England, but Lady Dorothy Nevill possessed some several years ago.

Sir Robert Herbert imported some; and Miss Forestier-Walker and her sister (Mrs. Vyvyan), who have owned and bred many beautiful specimens, first made acquaintance with this breed in 1883, and soon afterwards were presented with 'Susan' and 'Samuel' direct from the palace at Bangkok.'Tiam-o-Shian I.' also came from Bangkok. All these cats had kinked tails. From 'Susan' and 'Tiam - o- Shian I.' - mated with Mrs. Lee's 'Meo,' Mr. Harrington's' Medu,' and Miss Moore's' Siam' - descended, amongst others, the following well-known and typical cats :

'Bangkok," Tiam-o-Shian II.,"Goblin," Kitza Kara,"Queen Rhea," King Wallypug," Prince of Siam,' 'Tiam-o-Shian III.,' 'Adam,"Eve,'

'Cupid,' 'Mafeking,' 'Rangsit,' 'Vishuddha,'

'Tiam-o-Shian IV.,' 'Suzanne,' 'Ah Choo,'

'Tornito,' and' Evangeline.' In awarding prizes in the Siamese classes at the Cat Club show at Westminster in 19011 found' Suzanne' quite the best cat present, and upon referring subsequently to a catalogue was not surprised to find that Mrs. Vyvyan was her owner.

Mrs. Hawkins' Cattery 'Champion Wankee' for a long time held his own in the show pen, and has sired some very good kittens; but, of course, as is usual, age has darkened him.