# The Man Who Disliked Cats explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by P. G. Wodehouse.

## What happens

A man dining at the Café Britannique meets a melancholy Frenchman who recounts his tragic life story. The Frenchman, an aspiring artist forced to work as a hotel cashier, develops a hatred for animals—especially cats—after being surrounded by guests' exotic pets. He falls in love with an American heiress, Miss Henderson, but his rival Captain Bassett gives her a cat named Alexander. In a desperate scheme to win her affection, he tries to frame the cat by releasing a parrot, but the plan backfires. He then attempts to steal the cat and have it destroyed, but his plot is uncovered when the cat is identified by its hat-box label. The heiress marries Captain Bassett, and the Frenchman is forced into a dreary job as a secretary assisting in writing a history of the cat in ancient Egypt.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

The Frenchman's romantic pursuit of Miss Henderson is thwarted by his rival Captain Bassett, leading to her marriage to Bassett.

### Deception and Secrets

The Frenchman's schemes to eliminate the cat Alexander involve deception, including releasing a parrot and attempting to steal the cat.

### Loneliness and Connection

The Frenchman's isolation and despair are evident as he recounts his blighted life and failed attempts at love and artistic fulfillment.

## Character check-ins

### Captain Bassett

Rival for Miss Henderson's affection; gives her the cat Alexander and ultimately marries her.

### Henry Pifield Rice

Narrator who listens to the Frenchman's story at the Café Britannique.

## Key lines

> It was a bagatelle.

It was a trivial matter.

_The Frenchman dismisses his act of killing a fly as unimportant._

> I ’ate all animals, monsieur. Cats especially.

I hate all animals, sir. Cats in particular.

_The Frenchman expresses his intense dislike for animals, especially cats._

> It is the story of a man’s tragedy. It is the story of a blighted life. It is the story of a woman who would not forgive.

This is the story of a man's tragedy, a ruined life, and a woman who refused to forgive.

_The Frenchman sets up his tale as a tragic narrative of lost love and unforgiveness._

> All is fair, you say, in love and war, and this was both.

Everything is fair in love and war, and this situation was both.

_The Frenchman justifies his scheme against the cat by invoking the proverb._

> The book, monsieur, is a ’Istory of the Cat in Ancient Egypt.

The book, sir, is a history of the cat in ancient Egypt.

_The Frenchman reveals the subject of the scholarly work he assists with._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters/the-man-who-disliked-cats
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters