Line drawing of a cat with mice, by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmer_Cox" class="extiw" title="w:Palmer Cox">Palmer Cox</a> (1940-1924) The page was titled "The Lazy Pussy", first published in St. Nicholas Magazine, March 1880. Art and text:
<pre>"There lives a good-for-nothing cat,
So lazy it appears,
That chirping birds can safely come
And light upon her ears.

And rats and mice can venture out
To nibble at her toes,
Or climb around and pull her tail,
And boldly scratch her nose.

Fine servants brush her silken coat
And give her cream for tea;-
Yet she's a good-for-nothing cat,
As all the world may see."</pre>
Palmer Cox (1840-1924)
1880
This version comes from a reprint in a book compiled by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Mapes_Dodge" class="extiw" title="w:Mary Mapes Dodge">Mary Mapes Dodge</a> (1830-1905), <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/babyworldstorie00nichgoog">Baby World Stories, Rhymes and Pictures for Little Folks</a></i>, page 17, published by the Century Company of New York in 1884.