adapted excerpt 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.
Which sentence in the writer’s essay should be revised to include an in-text citation?
While many might disagree, I believe cats are the best pet of all. Some insist that dogs are better companions because they are more reliable and well-behaved. However, cats don’t necessarily deserve their negative reputation. Based on a survey of cat owners throughout Great Britain and Ireland, most cats do not steal food if the humans around them take good care of them.
