The Man Who Disliked Cats
The story revolves around Jean Priaulx, who has been trying to get rid of his rival's cat, Alexander, by various means. He first tries to have it destroyed at the Cats' House but fails when Captain Bassett identifies the cat as Alexander and retrieves him. Undeterred, Jean comes up with another plan to steal the cat and take it to the Cats' House again, where he hopes it will be destroyed. However, his plan is foiled once more when Captain Bassett tracks down the missing cat to the Cats' House. The story takes a dramatic turn when the directeur of the Cats' House reveals that an anonymous sender had instructed him to destroy the cat, and the cat was indeed in a hat-box with Jean's name on it. The implication is clear: Jean has been caught red-handed in his attempts to get rid of the cat. The story ends with Jean being left heartbroken and defeated, having lost both his chance with Miss Marion and his reputation. He is forced to take up a new job as a secretary for a man of letters named M. Paul Sartines, who is working on a book about the history of cats in ancient Egypt.
By P. G. Wodehouse · First published 1923 · Genre: Humor, Short Stories, Literature & Fiction · 7,023 words
First lines
It was Harold who first made us acquainted, when I was dining one night at the Café Britannique, in Soho. It is a peculiarity of the Café Britannique that you will always find flies there, even in winter. Snow was falling that night as I turned in at the door, but, glancing about me, I noticed several of the old faces. My old acquaintance, Percy the bluebottle, looking wonderfully fit despite his years, was doing deep breathing exercises on a mutton cutlet, and was too busy to do more than pause for a moment to nod at me; but his cousin, Harold, always active, sighted me and bustled up to do the honours.
What this Textopian page supports
The Man Who Disliked Cats is listed on Textopian as a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, dated 1923 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: P. G. Wodehouse
- Date: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Short Stories, Literature & Fiction
- Length: 7,023 words
- Structure: 1 section, 170 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Man Who Disliked Cats by P. G. Wodehouse
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Man Who Disliked Cats?
- How does this short story by P. G. Wodehouse fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Romance Of An Ugly Policeman by P. G. Wodehouse
- Work by P. G. Wodehouse
- Odd Charges by W. W. Jacobs
- The Man With Two Left Feet by P. G. Wodehouse
- The Rough Stuff by P. G. Wodehouse
- Matrimonial Openings by W. W. Jacobs
Genres
- Humor — The author, P. G. Wodehouse, is famous for his humorous and satirical writing. This book exhibits these characteristics through its depiction of the man who dislikes cats and his comedic struggles.
- Short Stories — 'The Man Who Disliked Cats' is a part of a collection of short stories, showcasing Wodehouse's ability to craft concise, engaging narratives.
- Literature & Fiction — The Man Who Disliked Cats, being a work of prose narrative, falls generally within the broad genre of 'Literature & Fiction'.
Tags
humor · fiction · short stories · comedy · animals · cats · British literature · satire · quirky characters · lighthearted · narrative · whimsical