# The Cat‑bird; The Cat‑nip explained — How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers and Other Woodcuts

> Chapter companion for How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers and Other Woodcuts by Robert Williams Wood.

## What happens

This chapter humorously compares the Cat‑bird's call to that of a cat and describes Cat‑nip's effect on cats, using wordplay to highlight the absurdity of the names.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wordplay and Homophones

The chapter plays on the similarity between 'cat' in Cat‑bird and Cat‑nip, and the pun 'cat‑nip‑tion fits' for 'catnip fits'.

### Humor and Absurdity

The absurd comparison of a bird's call to a cat and the personification of cat‑nip not caterwauling adds a humorous tone.

## Character check-ins

### the Birds

The Cat‑bird is referenced as a type of bird whose call mimics a cat.

## Key lines

> The Cat‑bird’s call resembles that Emitted by the Pussy Cat

The Cat‑bird makes a sound similar to a cat's meow.

_Direct comparison of bird call to cat sound._

> Its odor though attracts the Kits, And throws them in Cat‑nip‑tion fits.

The smell of cat‑nip attracts kittens and causes them to go into fits.

_Describes the effect of cat‑nip on cats with a pun._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/how_to_tell_the_birds_from_the_flowers_and_other_se/chapters/the-cat-bird-the-cat-nip
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/how_to_tell_the_birds_from_the_flowers_and_other_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/how_to_tell_the_birds_from_the_flowers_and_other_se/chapters