Cats
well-fed cats did not catch mice, but
were ladies' lap-cats. Martini became the definitive source of information about China and his
description was used in 1673 by John Ogilby and by others who described the long-eared,
milk-white cats as being companions and not hunters (there being other cats that were good
mousers). The cats were likened to the Maltese lap-dog and to spaniels. It retrospect, it is
likely that these white cats were also blue-eyed, a combination of traits associated with
deafness in cats - quite likely they couldn't hear the mice in order to investigate mouse bolt-
holes! If this was the same mutation as the Scottish Fold, it is associated with sometimes
crippling changes to the tail, hind legs and vertebrae which would make an affected cat
reluctant to move around.
annaabi.ee 
