The story of Mack begins in a Rescue League in Albany, New York, where he was born. The story was very interesting to me as the lady who owned Mack told me about him. I will try to tell you about the unusual circumstances in this kitten’s life.
Mack was a Tiger Persian kitten but was afflicted with a disease called mange when he was very small. His mother had a very bad case of the mange, but instead of being cruelly treated, her mistress took her to the Rescue League where she could be well cared for. While under treatment in this League, which was a home for sick, afflicted and homeless kittens, Mack was born. A short time after his birth he and his brothers and sisters became afflicted with the disease of the mother. When Mack was six weeks old the mother and all the kittens, excepting Mack, were chloroformed, because of their awful condition with the disease.
Mack was left an orphan kitten with no home but the quarters of the Rescue League. One day a kind lady went to this League and from all the kittens there she selected Mack to go and live in her home. This was very kind of the lady because Mack needed a home. Let us not forget this example when we see a homeless or hungry kitten. It would be easy for many people to make kittens happy in this way.
The lady who took Mack had a little daughter who became attached to the kitten and in a few weeks they were the best of friends. By the time Mack was one year old he had learned many tricks and was very obedient. When he wanted someone to open the door he would stand on his hind feet and put both front feet around the door knob and try to open the door or attract attention. It was a good thing that Mack learned to do this. One night he was left in the kitchen to sleep. The little girl of the home, Mack’s little mistress, was asleep in another room which opened into the kitchen. About two o’clock that night the girl’s mother heard Mack rattling the door knob and meowing with all his might. She knew that something was wrong so she went to the kitchen to see why he was calling so much. When she opened the door she saw that the kitchen was on fire and the blaze had almost reached the door of the little girl’s room, where Mack was calling for help. His fur was scorched a little but he was not seriously burned. The mother said that five minutes more and the blaze would have been beyond control and would have made its way into the little girl’s bedroom. She feels that Mack saved her daughter’s life by calling for her to open the door.
When the lady and her daughter moved from Albany, New York, to Chicago, they did not leave Mack behind. He moved with them as one of the family and lived for a long time in a boarding house in the big city. There are so many kittens that do not get to travel over the country; neither do they get to live in boarding houses. Almost any kitten is satisfied to have a good place to sleep and plenty to eat. There is another thing most kittens like, and that is kind treatment. They like to be petted and loved as well as being cared for with home and food.
After leaving Chicago, Mack moved to Kansas City with his kind mistress. For some time he lived in this city but at last he moved to Maple Park, just east of the city on the Interurban line to Excelsior Springs. It was there he lived and spent many happy days. Out there in the open, away from the crowded streets of the big cities, Mack caught grasshoppers as his favorite pastime in the fields. This he enjoyed very much and it was also good exercise for him.
When the lady’s husband would sit down to read the evening paper in the big Morris chair, Mack would always sleep on one of the arms of the chair. At meal time he would sit in a high chair at the table and eat just what was given to him. He would not offer to get on the table nor bother anything in the kitchen. One day another kitten came into the home to live but he was not so careful to keep out of the food not intended for him. When he would try to get into anything or stand up against the cabinet or table, Mack would box his ears and make him get away. Mack had been trained from his baby days to keep off the table or cabinet and to keep out of food which did not belong to him.
The years passed by in Mack’s life until he became a very old cat. He never forgot his early training and the many little tricks which he had been taught to do. Of course, his mistress thought more of him after he saved the little girl from the fire but he always had a favorite place in everything.
At the ripe old age of fourteen years Mack died. His life had been useful and he had been kind and obedient through all the years. It was a sad day in the home when Mack died. The whole family went to his burial. He was buried at Maple Park in a little grave over which many tears were shed. He was loved by all and had helped to make life brighter with the life which he had lived. A beautiful and obedient cat was laid to rest.
