--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can try to nap where someone's…" description: "\"“If you can try to nap where someone's sitting, Although there is another empty chair, Then rub against his ankle without quitting Until he rises from ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/henry-n-beard-30905_cats_if-you-can-try-to-nap-where-someone-s-si_2479507.jpg" --- # If you can try to nap where someone's sitting, Although… ![“If you can try to nap where someone's sitting, Although there is another empty chair, Then rub against his ankle without quitting Until he rises from your favorite lair; If you can whine and whimper by a portal Until the bolted door is opened wide, Then howl as if you've got a wound that's mortal…” quote by Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/henry-n-beard-30905_cats_if-you-can-try-to-nap-where-someone-s-si_2479507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/henry-n-beard-30905_cats_if-you-can-try-to-nap-where-someone-s-si_2479507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/henry-n-beard-30905_cats_if-you-can-try-to-nap-where-someone-s-si_2479507.jpg) > ““If you can try to nap where someone's sitting, Although there is another empty chair, Then rub against his ankle without quitting Until he rises from your favorite lair; If you can whine and whimper by a portal Until the bolted door is opened wide, Then howl as if you've got a wound that's mortal Until he comes and lets you back inside; If you can give a guest a nasty spiking, But purr when you are petted by a thief; If you can find the food not to your liking Because they put some cheese in with the beef; If you can leave no proffered hand unbitten, And pay no heed to any rule or ban, then all will say you are a Cat, my kitten. And -- which is more -- you'll make a fool of Man!”” [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem humorously describes a cat’s mischievous behavior, suggesting that by breaking rules and being sly, one embodies feline traits and outsmarts humans. **In simple terms:** Cats are mischievous, breaking rules to outwit people. Key Takeaway Embrace playful rebellion to challenge expectations. Themes playfulness rebellion identity human-animal dynamics Mood mischievous ironic lighthearted Type poetic humorous When to use this quote - pet ownership - office environments - creative brainstorming - conflict resolution Key Concepts behavioral psychology symbolism anthropomorphism Questions to Reflect On - What rules would you break to be more creative? - How does rule‑breaking reveal true character? A Different Perspective Humans may view such behavior as destructive rather than clever. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Heed Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heed-rule-848912/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Kitten Ll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitten-ll-848910/) [Lets Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lets-inside-848911/) [Petted Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petted-thief-848913/) [Rudyard-kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rudyard-kipling-161323/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) ## Related quotes > [“Elspeth stood in the sun, letting it pour through her, watching the Kitten sleep. I want you. Elspeth felt depressed. 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Beard > [ “Let us roam then, you and I, When the evening is splayed out across the sky \[...\] Paths that follow like a nagging accusation… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/let-us-roam-then-you-and-i-when-the-evening-is-splayed-out-across-the/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“ The Prologue to TERRITORY LOST "Of cats' first disobedience, and the height Of that forbidden tree whose doom'd ascent Brought man into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/the-prologue-to-territory-lost-of-cats-first-disobedience-and-the/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“ To a Vase "How do I break thee? Let me count the ways. I break thee if thou art at any height My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/to-a-vase-how-do-i-break-thee-let-me-count-the-ways-i-break-thee-if/) [Henry N. 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Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“ Mealtime "A mousie squealing in a trap Woke me from my morning nap. Wasn't he so very sweet To tell me it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/mealtime-a-mousie-squealing-in-a-trap-woke-me-from-my-morning-nap/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“And indeed there will be time To wonder, 'Do I shed?' and, 'Do I shed?' Time to turn back and stretch out on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/and-indeed-there-will-be-time-to-wonder-do-i-shed-and-do-i-shed-time/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“Behold the day-break! I awaken you by sitting on your chest and purring in your face, I stir you with muscular paw-prods, I rouse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/behold-the-day-break-i-awaken-you-by-sitting-on-your-chest-and/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“You can never know where I am or what I am, But I am good company to you nonetheless, And really do regret I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/you-can-never-know-where-i-am-or-what-i-am-but-i-am-good-company-to/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“ Abyssinias "I met a traveler from an antique land Who said: A huge four-footed limestone form Sits in the desert, sinking in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/abyssinias-i-met-a-traveler-from-an-antique-land-who-said-a-huge-four/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“The noisy jay swoops by and reviles me, he complains of my meow and my malingering. I too am not a bit subdued, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/the-noisy-jay-swoops-by-and-reviles-me-he-complains-of-my-meow-and-my/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“ From CATS ARE KIND "I saw a dog pursuing automobiles; On and on he sped. I was puzzled by this; I accosted the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/from-cats-are-kind-i-saw-a-dog-pursuing-automobiles-on-and-on-he-sped/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“I situate myself, and seat myself, And where you recline I shall recline, For every armchair belonging to you as good as belongs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/i-situate-myself-and-seat-myself-and-where-you-recline-i-shall/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) > [“ Hamlet's Cat's Soliloquy "To go outside, and there perchance to stay Or to remain within: that is the question: Whether 'tis better for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-n-beard/hamlet-s-cat-s-soliloquy-to-go-outside-and-there-perchance-to-stay-or/) [Henry N. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) [Explore all 17 Henry N. Beard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-n-beard/) ## More Cats quotes > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [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/) > [I liked Cats as a kid, now its hard to say. 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Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Quin took on the air of someone who has just realized it's time for the yearly visit to the spinster great-aunt in a desperate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-fecteau/quin-took-on-the-air-of-someone-who-has-just-realized-it-s-time-for/) [Amy Fecteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-fecteau/) > [“Save for the ancient Egyptians, he found, virtually no one kept cats as pets until the latter part of the 1700s. The first people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/save-for-the-ancient-egyptians-he-found-virtually-no-one-kept-cats-as/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) [Browse all 3,253 Cats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you can try to nap where someone's sitting, Although there is another empty chair, Then rub against his ankle without quitting Until he rises from your favorite lair; If you can whine and whimper by a portal Until the bolted door is opened wide, Then howl as if you've got a wound that's mortal Until he comes and lets you back inside; If you can give a guest a nasty spiking, But purr when you are petted by a thief; If you can find the food not to your liking Because they put some cheese in with the beef; If you can leave no proffered hand unbitten, And pay no heed to any rule or ban, then all will say you are a Cat, my kitten. 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