The Ad-dressing of Cats

The Ad-dressing of Cats turns a catalogue of feline kinds, habits, and habitats into a question of social address: how should a Cat be approached? The passage establishes a distinction between Cats and Dogs, presents a rule about waiting to be spoken to, and then makes the speaker’s disagreement the point of departure for what follows.

From Description to Address

The poem first recalls that readers have encountered several kinds of Cat and considered their habits and habitat. It then changes direction, asking, “How would you ad-dress a Cat?” The question moves beyond identifying or describing Cats to the manner of engaging with one.

Cats Are Not Dogs

The speaker frames the distinction as a basic reminder: “A CAT IS NOT A DOG.” The emphatic capitalization makes the contrast sound like a compact rule of its own. Before proposing any etiquette, the passage insists that a Cat should not simply be approached according to assumptions about Dogs.

A Rule Challenged

The poem reports that some people hold to one rule: “Don't speak till you are spoken to.” The speaker immediately dissents, saying, “Myself, I do not hold with that—” The dash leaves the objection in motion rather than supplying a complete alternative in this passage. The poem thus opens its advice through contrast: a stated convention is offered, then questioned by the voice responsible for guiding the reader.