Linda Carol Crowder, age 8, of Richmond, Va., for her question:

Why do cats wash after instead of before they eat?

The people of ancient Egypt loved cats and they had a story to tell why Puss washes her face after dinner instead of before. Long, long ago, they say, a cat pounced and caught a mouse who was stealing the grain. The mouse was a smart fellow. "You do not wash before dinner?" he asked. Miss Puss thought that this was a good idea and started to wash her paws. Meantime the smart mouse escaped. Ever since then, Puss has never stopped to wash before eating.

This is of course only a made up story. The truth is that Puss does not have to wash before dinner. She is a very clean animal, always washing this spot and that spot of her soft fur. So she is always clean enough to eat. However, after dinner, crumbs of this and that may be caught in her coat. Certainly milk and food get stuck to her mouth and handsome whiskers. This she cannot bear. So, even if she has had only a sip of milk, a cat will sit down and wash herself thoroughly. That way she keeps herself spic and span and ready to dine at any time.