--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You would wind up as a cat, I told her…" description: "\"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 I'll come back as catnip.\" — Jodi Pic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/jodi-picoult-45_cat_you-would-wind-up-as-a-cat-i-told-her-th_2989819.jpg" --- # You would wind up as a cat, I told her. They don't need… ![“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 I'll come back as catnip.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/jodi-picoult-45_cat_you-would-wind-up-as-a-cat-i-told-her-th_2989819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/jodi-picoult-45_cat_you-would-wind-up-as-a-cat-i-told-her-th_2989819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/jodi-picoult-45_cat_you-would-wind-up-as-a-cat-i-told-her-th_2989819.jpg) > “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 I'll come back as catnip.” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Illustrates yearning for independence and companionship, using cat metaphor to explore relational dynamics. **In simple terms:** Desire for self and connection. Key Takeaway Balance autonomy with intimacy. Themes relationships independence identity loneliness metaphor Mood intimate thoughtful Type literary conversational When to use this quote - friendship decisions - personal growth - creative writing Key Concepts psychology human-animal bond self-discovery Questions to Reflect On - What does the cat symbolize for you? - How can you honor both self and others? A Different Perspective May romanticize isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [My sister 's keeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-sister-s-keeper/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [You can make it dark, but I can't make it light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-can-make-it-dark-but-i-can-t-make-it-light/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Had you noticed them before?" he asked. "No, never before," she replied. "And now you will always see them," he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/had-you-noticed-them-before-he-asked-no-never-before-she-replied-and/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [“Don't say it. Don't say nobody's going to stare at me, because they will. Don't tell me it doesn't matter because it does. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/don-t-say-it-don-t-say-nobody-s-going-to-stare-at-me-because-they/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Today I met Mario… . . I asked him: Do u remember me?????? . He replied : No… . . I said :asshole…i have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritzy/today-i-met-mario-i-asked-him-do-u-remember-me-he-replied-no-i-said/) [Ritzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritzy/) > [“I'd try to stuff myself into one of these scenarios, but it's like wearing a size five sneaker when your foot is a seven--you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-d-try-to-stuff-myself-into-one-of-these-scenarios-but-it-s-like/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But I think half the battle is figuring out what works for you, and I am much better at being a mother than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-i-think-half-the-battle-is-figuring-out-what-works-for-you-and-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“An oncology ward is a battlefield, and there are definite hierarchies of command. The patients, they're the ones doing the tour of duty. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/an-oncology-ward-is-a-battlefield-and-there-are-definite-hierarchies/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“As she gets sicker, she fades a little more, until I am afraid one day I will wake up and not be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/as-she-gets-sicker-she-fades-a-little-more-until-i-am-afraid-one-day/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“I find myself staring at the goldfish. Bright as a penny, he swims in circles, happy to be going nowhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-find-myself-staring-at-the-goldfish-bright-as-a-penny-he-swims-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [A man ask, how old is your wife? he replied and said,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/a-man-ask-how-old-is-your-wife-he-replied-and-said/) Author Name > [There are some nights when you just want to know there's someone else besides you in this wide world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/there-are-some-nights-when-you-just-want-to-know-there-s-someone-else/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [i'm sure i'm worth a lot more dead than alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-m-sure-i-m-worth-a-lot-more-dead-than-alive/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When you don't know where you're headed, you find places no one else would ever explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-headed-you-find-places-no-one-else/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [A woman isn't all that different from a bonfire. A fire's a beautiful thing, right? Something you can't take your eyes off, when it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/a-woman-isn-t-all-that-different-from-a-bonfire-a-fire-s-a-beautiful/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [No further issues with Corinne Bishop or her kin in Detroit?” “Hunter didn’t seem to be concerned,” Gideon replied. “Said he had the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-further-issues-with-corinne-bishop-or-her-kin-in-detroit-hunter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## 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": "You would wind up as a cat, I told her. 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