adapted from Cats: Their Points and Characteristics
by W. Gordon Stables

“Are cats to be trusted?”

A question like this, which to kitty is a most momentous one, affecting not only her comfort and happiness, but her standing as a social pet and her very existence itself, cannot be treated lightly in a work like mine. My own opinion is, and always has been, that if cats are properly fed and cared for, they will do anything rather than steal. However, I was not content with providing just my own experience in this volume, since some might say my cats have been exceptional. Instead, I placed cats in court, as it were, and given them a long, fair, and impartial trial. For several months, I have summoned evidence for and against cats’ honesty from people all throughout Great Britain and Ireland.

Based on the information my participants provided, the verdict is as follows: “Cats are not as a rule thieves, but in fact, quite the reverse.” In most cases, when properly treated, cats are to be trusted.

In every case investigated, where a feline theft was proven, it turned out that the cat had been mistreated. Of course, a cat that has no food or is left out overnight may prowl or steal. However, by regular feeding, good housing, occasional gentle correction — when your cat is misbehaving — and kindness, you may make almost any cat honest.

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