--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A cat, I am told, has nine lives. If that…" description: "\"A cat, I am told, has nine lives. If that is true, I know how a cat feels.\" — Caryl Chessman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/caryl-chessman-48507_cat_a-cat-i-am-told-has-nine-lives-if-that-i_2101477.jpg" --- # A cat, I am told, has nine lives. If that is true, I know… ![“A cat, I am told, has nine lives. If that is true, I know how a cat feels.” quote by Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/caryl-chessman-48507_cat_a-cat-i-am-told-has-nine-lives-if-that-i_2101477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/caryl-chessman-48507_cat_a-cat-i-am-told-has-nine-lives-if-that-i_2101477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/caryl-chessman-48507_cat_a-cat-i-am-told-has-nine-lives-if-that-i_2101477.jpg) > “A cat, I am told, has nine lives. If that is true, I know how a cat feels.” [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote likens a cat's reputed multiple lives to human empathy, suggesting deep understanding of another's experience. **In simple terms:** Understanding another's experience as a cat Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy for others. Themes empathy perspective human experience Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal relationships - animal symbolism - emotional insight Key Concepts subjective experience identification Questions to Reflect On - How can you truly understand another's feelings? - What does "nine lives" symbolize for you? 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I've had 12 already and I don't know how many more I'll have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/they-say-cats-have-nine-lives-i-ve-had-12-already-and-i-don-t-know/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [“When I came into his presence, he was seated, and in his lap was a fat yellow cat. He told me that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/when-i-came-into-his-presence-he-was-seated-and-in-his-lap-was-a-fat/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The trees around and overhead were so thick that it was always dry inside and on Sunday morning I lay there with Jonas, listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/the-trees-around-and-overhead-were-so-thick-that-it-was-always-dry/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [All cat stories start with this statement: "My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/all-cat-stories-start-with-this-statement-my-mother-who-was-the-first/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [“I am told by my toad, Treacle, that Pangur Ban is the true lord of Wychwoode and a great friend of Gwydion. Has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carter/i-am-told-by-my-toad-treacle-that-pangur-ban-is-the-true-lord-of/) [Robert Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carter/) > [JACE WAYLAND," she said. "Explain yourself." Jace was glaring at the cat. "I told you to bring me to Alec! Backstabing Judas." Church rolled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/jace-wayland-she-said-explain-yourself-jace-was-glaring-at-the-cat-i/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [You would wind up as a cat, I told her. They don't need anyone else. I need you, she replied. Well, I said. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-would-wind-up-as-a-cat-i-told-her-they-don-t-need-anyone-else-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“I didn't know you had a cat!' she exclaimed. I am always surprised how many people make this observation-though not all are as bold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-michie/i-didn-t-know-you-had-a-cat-she-exclaimed-i-am-always-surprised-how/) [David Michie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-michie/) ## More by Caryl Chessman > [If the executioner goes, my package will never be made public. If he doesn't go, it will be made public exactly fifty years from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/if-the-executioner-goes-my-package-will-never-be-made-public-if-he/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) > [My soul is not for sale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/my-soul-is-not-for-sale/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) > [Further, a document names and identifies the actual Red Light Bandits (plural), because in fact there are two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/further-a-document-names-and-identifies-the-actual-red-light-bandits/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) > [The price I have personally paid for these extra Sisyphean years has been prohibitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/the-price-i-have-personally-paid-for-these-extra-sisyphean-years-has/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) > [How, possibly, could the police have made the 'mistake' of charging the wrong man with the notorious Red Light Bandit crimes? That also is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/how-possibly-could-the-police-have-made-the-mistake-of-charging-the/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) > [I am not generally regarded as a pleasant or socially minded fellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/i-am-not-generally-regarded-as-a-pleasant-or-socially-minded-fellow/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) > [It is my hope and my belief that you will be able to report that I died with dignity, without animal fear and without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-chessman/it-is-my-hope-and-my-belief-that-you-will-be-able-to-report-that-i/) [Caryl Chessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) [Explore all 8 Caryl Chessman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-chessman/) ## More Cat quotes > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [One reason why my memory decays is that I have three cats, all so loving and insistent that they play cat's-cradle with every train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/one-reason-why-my-memory-decays-is-that-i-have-three-cats-all-so/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [Kittens can happen to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/kittens-can-happen-to-anyone/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Man wishes woman to be peaceable, but in fact she is essentially warlike, like the cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/man-wishes-woman-to-be-peaceable-but-in-fact-she-is-essentially/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There are videos I used to take at home, pretending to be a newscaster, interviewing the teapot or my house cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wagner/there-are-videos-i-used-to-take-at-home-pretending-to-be-a-newscaster/) [Alex Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wagner/) [Browse all 2,996 Cat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A cat, I am told, has nine lives. 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