When the family sits down to tea, the cat usually puts in an appearance
to get his share, and purrs noisily, and rubs himself against the legs
of the family; and all the time he is thinking of a fight or a love-affair
that is coming off that evening. If there is a guest at table
the cat is particularly civil to him, because the guest is likely to have
the best of what is going. Sometimes, instead of recognizing this civility
with something to eat, the guest stoops down and strokes the cat, and says,
"Poor pussy! poor pussy!"

The cat soon tires of that; he puts up his claw and quietly but firmly
rakes the guest in the leg.

"Ow!" says the guest, "the cat stuck his claws into me!"
The delighted family remarks, "Isn't it sweet of him?
Isn't he intelligent? HE WANTS YOU TO GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO EAT."

The guest dares not do what he would like to do -- kick the cat
through the window -- so, with tears of rage and pain in his eyes,
he affects to be very much amused, and sorts out a bit of fish
from his plate and hands it down. The cat gingerly receives it,
with a look in his eyes that says: "Another time, my friend,
you won't be so dull of comprehension," and purrs maliciously
as he retires to a safe distance from the guest's boot before eating it.
A cat isn't a fool -- not by a long way.

When the family has finished tea, and gathers round the fire to enjoy
the hours of indigestion, the cat slouches casually out of the room
and disappears. Life, true life, now begins for him.