---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with…"
description: "\"“One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with arthritis, who creaked around the house--but when Aunt Sibby flickered her fingers and crooned, Miminy, mimi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg"
---

#  One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with arthritis, who…

![“One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with arthritis, who creaked around the house--but when Aunt Sibby flickered her fingers and crooned, Miminy, miminy, tall-as-a-chi-mi-ny, danced on his hind legs like a kitten.” quote by Jane Louise Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg)

> ““One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with arthritis, who creaked around the house--but when Aunt Sibby flickered her fingers and crooned, Miminy, miminy, tall-as-a-chi-mi-ny, danced on his hind legs like a kitten.””

[Jane Louise Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/)

## About This Quote

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

A cat with arthritis is inspired by music and affection to move joyfully despite physical limits.

**In simple terms:** Music and love can lift physical pain.

Key Takeaway

Use music to encourage movement.

Themes

compassion music healing animal behavior

Mood

warm hopeful

Type

narrative inspirational

When to use this quote

- elderly care
- pet therapy
- rehabilitation
- home environments

Key Concepts

empathy neuroplasticity motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can music be used to aid mobility?
- What emotional bonds help overcome pain?

A Different Perspective

Physical limitations may still restrict full participation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Witchcraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witchcraft/)

## Related quotes

> [Few men have been admired of their familiars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/few-men-have-been-admired-of-their-familiars/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [“Yeah, well, what are you going to teach me next...how to take over the world?” I asked sarcastically. “Good idea!” Sampson exclaimed a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-priester/yeah-well-what-are-you-going-to-teach-me-next-how-to-take-over-the/)

[Jennifer Priester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-priester/)

> [“You exist by the Weavers' grace. Only as long as you are what they expect of you. Do not understand how fragile that is?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangu-mandanna/you-exist-by-the-weavers-grace-only-as-long-as-you-are-what-they/)

[Sangu Mandanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangu-mandanna/)

> [“She is a Weyward. And she carries another Weyward inside her. She gathers herself together, every cell blazing, and thinks: Now . The window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-hart/she-is-a-weyward-and-she-carries-another-weyward-inside-her-she/)

[Emilia Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-hart/)

> [“Jenks shook his head. "Rache, I really feel bad for her, but Ivy's right. She can't stay here. She needs professional help." "Really?" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/jenks-shook-his-head-rache-i-really-feel-bad-for-her-but-ivy-s-right/)

[Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/)

> [“A dragon for a familiar!" Trom exclaimed. "That's what I said to her or close to it anyway," the dragon said. "You're supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-priester/a-dragon-for-a-familiar-trom-exclaimed-that-s-what-i-said-to-her-or/)

[Jennifer Priester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-priester/)

> [“You see, a witch has to have a familiar, some little animal like a cat or a toad. He helps her somehow. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kuttner/you-see-a-witch-has-to-have-a-familiar-some-little-animal-like-a-cat/)

[Henry Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kuttner/)

> [“I did exactly as Sampson said and I conjured up a creature with rabbit ears, a wolf face, a snake body, frog feet, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-priester/i-did-exactly-as-sampson-said-and-i-conjured-up-a-creature-with/)

[Jennifer Priester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-priester/)

> [“Come on, kitten. She’s waiting for you.” Glaring at the back of his head, I pointed out, “I have a name.” It wasn’t kitten.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-daniels/come-on-kitten-she-s-waiting-for-you-glaring-at-the-back-of-his-head/)

[J.C. Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-daniels/)

> [“I jump on Lane’s back. He catches my legs around his sides, holding on tight, and I wrap my arms around his neck. Mmmmm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-henson/i-jump-on-lane-s-back-he-catches-my-legs-around-his-sides-holding-on/)

Sally Henson

> [“Just a kiss, Kitten.” “Kitten?” No one called her that. His mouth curved. “You’re skittish, wanting my touch, but afraid. Deciding if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lyon/just-a-kiss-kitten-kitten-no-one-called-her-that-his-mouth-curved-you/)

[Jennifer Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lyon/)

> [“You’ve seen me at my worst. Maybe you should see me at my best.” My words hang between us, heavy and charged, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-cole/you-ve-seen-me-at-my-worst-maybe-you-should-see-me-at-my-best-my/)

[Courtney Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-cole/)

> [What feeling is so nice as a child's hand in yours? So small, so soft and warm, like a kitten huddling in the shelter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-feeling-is-so-nice-as-a-child-s-hand-in-yours-so-small-so-soft/)

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

> [Always enter like a kitten and leave like a lion. But NEVER enter like a lion and leave like a kitten. Always be humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlson-gracie/always-enter-like-a-kitten-and-leave-like-a-lion-but-never-enter-like/)

[Carlson Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlson-gracie/)

> [“Just like a kitten pretending to be a lion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-hamilton/just-like-a-kitten-pretending-to-be-a-lion/)

[Kiki Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-hamilton/)

## More by Jane Louise Curry

> [“The little cakes were iced in white, with golden yellow icing roses on top, and instead of ice cream there was sherbet that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/the-little-cakes-were-iced-in-white-with-golden-yellow-icing-roses-on/)

[Jane Louise Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/)

> [“Tut! Magic, indeed! As if there weren't marvels enough without magic. Pictures traveling by telephone, and men bouncing up and down on the moon?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/tut-magic-indeed-as-if-there-weren-t-marvels-enough-without-magic/)

[Jane Louise Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/)

> [“The house might, in fact, have passed for the world's largest rosebush if here and there a pane of glass had not gleamed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/the-house-might-in-fact-have-passed-for-the-world-s-largest-rosebush/)

[Jane Louise Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/)

> [“Mrs. Bright cut another slice of the rich, dark cake. It was Mindy's fourth, counting dessert at home. But Mrs. Bright's layer cakes were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/mrs-bright-cut-another-slice-of-the-rich-dark-cake-it-was-mindy-s/)

[Jane Louise Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/)

[Explore all 5 Jane Louise Curry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/)

## 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

> [“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

> [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": "“One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with arthritis, who creaked around the house--but when Aunt Sibby flickered her fingers and crooned, Miminy, miminy, tall-as-a-chi-mi-ny, danced on his hind legs like a kitten.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jane Louise Curry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-with-arthritis-who-creaked/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cats"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-with-arthritis-who-creaked/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/jane-louise-curry-62174_cats_one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-wit_2202130.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat with arthritis, who creaked around the house--but when Aunt Sibby…” — Jane Louise Curry",
                "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": "Jane Louise Curry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-louise-curry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“One was an ancient tortoiseshell cat...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-with-arthritis-who-creaked/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-louise-curry/one-was-an-ancient-tortoiseshell-cat-with-arthritis-who-creaked/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
