---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That cat was a traitor. And if by some…"
description: "\"“That cat was a traitor. And if by some miracle she lived through the night, he was getting downgraded to Tender Vitals.”\" — J.R. Ward"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png"
---

#  That cat was a traitor. And if by some miracle she lived…

![“That cat was a traitor. And if by some miracle she lived through the night, he was getting downgraded to Tender Vitals.” quote by J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png)

> ““That cat was a traitor. And if by some miracle she lived through the night, he was getting downgraded to Tender Vitals.””

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character labelsizes a cat as disloyal, implying severe consequences if it survived, using hyperbole for comic effect.

**In simple terms:** The cat is called a traitor and faces harsh punishment.

Key Takeaway

Recognize exaggeration in dramatic statements.

Themes

humor exaggeration loyalty

Mood

playful ironic

Type

literary entertaining

When to use this quote

- storytelling
- character development
- dialogue writing

Key Concepts

character dynamics comic relief narrative tension

Questions to Reflect On

- When does humor enhance a narrative?
- How does hyperbole affect reader perception?

A Different Perspective

Exaggeration may undermine seriousness of the scene.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cat Traitor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat-traitor-5986740/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Downgraded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downgraded-480670/) [Tender Vitals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tender-vitals-5986742/) [Traitor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traitor/) [Traitor Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traitor-miracle-5986741/)

## Related quotes

> [The United States, for its part, downgraded from low-level to complete withdrawal, much to the regret of other delegates such as the Reverend Jesse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/the-united-states-for-its-part-downgraded-from-low-level-to-complete/)

[Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/)

> [“The system may prefer downgraded humans not because they would possess any superhuman knacks, but because they would lack some really disturbing human qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/the-system-may-prefer-downgraded-humans-not-because-they-would/)

[Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/)

> [I could be mad that you played me or I could embrace the fact that you downgraded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-could-be-mad-that-you-played-me-or-i-could-embrace-the-fact-that/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“He’d decided, abruptly, that electronic interaction was toxic, that it downgraded the significance of real human connection, that it resulted in what he called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-han-mattson/he-d-decided-abruptly-that-electronic-interaction-was-toxic-that-it/)

[James Han Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-han-mattson/)

> [I'm not trying to prove anything. People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-oher/i-m-not-trying-to-prove-anything-people-look-at-me-and-they-take/)

[Michael Oher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-oher/)

> [It is hard to imagine that, having downgraded the US, S &amp; P will not follow suit on at least one of the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-el-erian/it-is-hard-to-imagine-that-having-downgraded-the-us-s-p-will-not/)

[Mohamed El-Erian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-el-erian/)

> [“Except cats couldn’t read minds, of course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/except-cats-couldn-t-read-minds-of-course/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [This time we'll hate, alright - but we'll hate the enemy - the vicious gang of colored scum attackers and Jewish-Communist traitors - rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lincoln-rockwell/this-time-we-ll-hate-alright-but-we-ll-hate-the-enemy-the-vicious/)

[George Lincoln Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lincoln-rockwell/)

> [When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty.We need to execute people like John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/when-contemplating-college-liberals-you-really-regret-once-again-that/)

[Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/)

> [Treason and murder ever kept together, As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, Working so grossly in a natural cause That admiration did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/treason-and-murder-ever-kept-together-as-two-yoke-devils-sworn-to/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Whistleblowers is another aspect that needs to be addressed. We have to restore the protections of whistleblowers and also the encouragement and rewards. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/whistleblowers-is-another-aspect-that-needs-to-be-addressed-we-have/)

[Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/)

> [I would be a traitor to these poor burned bodies if I came here to talk good fellowship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-schneiderman/i-would-be-a-traitor-to-these-poor-burned-bodies-if-i-came-here-to/)

[Rose Schneiderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-schneiderman/)

> [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Less of me and all I'm trying to be. Building my kingdom just to find it so short of your glory I'm a traitor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zion-y-lennox/less-of-me-and-all-i-m-trying-to-be-building-my-kingdom-just-to-find/)

[Zion Y Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zion-y-lennox/)

> [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

## More by J.R. Ward

> [“If you’ve bullshitted me, angel, I’m going to kill you.” The other male rolled his eyes. “I’m already dead, idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/if-you-ve-bullshitted-me-angel-i-m-going-to-kill-you-the-other-male/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." Butch grinned. "Don't let that shower we took go to your head."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-getting-into-some-kind-of-shape-cop-aw-come-on-now-butch/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“Knock her dead, my man." "Oh no." Xcor shook his head."That shan't be necessary. This one I like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/knock-her-dead-my-man-oh-no-xcor-shook-his-head-that-shan-t-be/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“I’m not strong enough for this,” he whispered in her ear—like he didn’t want anyone to hear that coming out of his mouth. Ever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/i-m-not-strong-enough-for-this-he-whispered-in-her-ear-like-he-didn-t/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“Fucking hell. "Did you guys plan that out?" "Yeah, and if you don't fight us"--Hollywood bit down on his grape Tootsie-Pop--"we'll do it again--only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/fucking-hell-did-you-guys-plan-that-out-yeah-and-if-you-don-t-fight/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“Why ever are you here?“ she whispered, putting her hands to his face. “Because I love you.” In so many ways, that explained nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/why-ever-are-you-here-she-whispered-putting-her-hands-to-his-face/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [Time to the face the music,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/time-to-the-face-the-music/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“As his ears rang and his heart broke for her, he stayed strong against the gale force she let loose. After all, there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/as-his-ears-rang-and-his-heart-broke-for-her-he-stayed-strong-against/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“Rehvenge, I’m talking to you more than I speak with my mahmen.” “I thought your mother was dead.” “She is.” “You have a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/rehvenge-i-m-talking-to-you-more-than-i-speak-with-my-mahmen-i/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [In his fantasy, he kissed his best friend again, pulled back, and… “I love you,” he said into the spray of the shower. “I……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/in-his-fantasy-he-kissed-his-best-friend-again-pulled-back-and-i-love/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [And love … love was worth dying for. Worth living for, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/and-love-love-was-worth-dying-for-worth-living-for-too/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“He had a weakness, though. All of us do, and those of us who think they do not are not being honest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/he-had-a-weakness-though-all-of-us-do-and-those-of-us-who-think-they/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [Because I was, and I remain, utterly and completely and totally…in love with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/because-i-was-and-i-remain-utterly-and-completely-and-totally-in-love/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

[Explore all 1,120 J.R. Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

## 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. I dont live in New York anymore so dont see so many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-moennig/i-liked-cats-as-a-kid-now-its-hard-to-say-i-dont-live-in-new-york/)

[Katherine Moennig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-moennig/)

> [“The next day, Trixie pawed Maddie awake, patting her arm gently. “I’m up,” Maddie groaned, blinking sleep out of her eyes. “Mrrow.” Trixie peered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinty-james/the-next-day-trixie-pawed-maddie-awake-patting-her-arm-gently-i-m-up/)

[Jinty James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinty-james/)

> [“So Nikki came aboard as Jaqueline's spare cat, presumably in case our prime cat, Eliza, goes on vacation, takes industrial action, or requests a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-s-wren/so-nikki-came-aboard-as-jaqueline-s-spare-cat-presumably-in-case-our/)

[Christopher S. Wren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-s-wren/)

> [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/)

> [When I see things through my eyes, I don't want to ever just be really negative towards someone's performance. There are many ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/when-i-see-things-through-my-eyes-i-don-t-want-to-ever-just-be-really/)

[Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/)

> [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 morning, when she wishes me to wake, she crouches on my chest, and pats my face with her paw. Or, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/in-the-morning-when-she-wishes-me-to-wake-she-crouches-on-my-chest/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

> [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/)

> [“Curiosity killed the cat, but not before teaching her that honey bees are not sweet, tweeting birds are slow to react, mice can serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/curiosity-killed-the-cat-but-not-before-teaching-her-that-honey-bees/)

[Richelle E. 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": "“That cat was a traitor. And if by some miracle she lived through the night, he was getting downgraded to Tender Vitals.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J.R. Ward"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-miracle-she-lived-through-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cats"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-miracle-she-lived-through-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/j-r-ward-148_cats_that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-mi_2396404.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That cat was a traitor. And if by some miracle she lived through the night, he was getting downgraded to…” — J.R. Ward",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "J.R. Ward",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“That cat was a traitor. And...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-miracle-she-lived-through-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/that-cat-was-a-traitor-and-if-by-some-miracle-she-lived-through-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
