--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A cat may look at a king." description: "\"A cat may look at a king.\" — John Heywood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png" --- # A cat may look at a king. ![“A cat may look at a king.” quote by John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png) > “A cat may look at a king.” [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even a humble creature can gaze upon royalty, implying equality in observation. **In simple terms:** Even a cat can look at a king. Key Takeaway Recognize shared humanity. Themes equality humility observation Mood thoughtful humorous Type proverbial didactic When to use this quote - classroom teaching - social media commentary - personal reflection Key Concepts social hierarchy philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - What does “look at a king” mean today? - How can humility shift perspective? A Different Perspective May ignore power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Royalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royalty/) ## Related quotes > [“A cat may look at a king, but he might also lose a bit of fur for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-miles/a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-but-he-might-also-lose-a-bit-of-fur-for-it/) Margaret Miles > [The look of a king is itself a deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/the-look-of-a-king-is-itself-a-deed/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [“Then the cow asked: "What is a mirror?" "It is a hole in the wall," said the cat. "You look in it, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/then-the-cow-asked-what-is-a-mirror-it-is-a-hole-in-the-wall-said-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Cats are snooty. When you come home, even after a long day at work, there’s a good chance your cat will look up at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/cats-are-snooty-when-you-come-home-even-after-a-long-day-at-work/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“What did the cat look like?” “I don’t know. He was a little thing. Tiny. Lion…I think. You know, the breed with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/what-did-the-cat-look-like-i-don-t-know-he-was-a-little-thing-tiny/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [“I'm sure I look like a drowned cat." "You look fine. The wet look works for you." I scowled. "Now I know you're lying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-m-sure-i-look-like-a-drowned-cat-you-look-fine-the-wet-look-works/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“The king is a saint and cannot rule, and his son is a devil and should not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/the-king-is-a-saint-and-cannot-rule-and-his-son-is-a-devil-and-should/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Men spend their time in following a ball or a hare; it is the pleasure even of kings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/men-spend-their-time-in-following-a-ball-or-a-hare-it-is-the-pleasure/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Your part can be the king, but unless people are treating you like royalty, you ain't no king, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/your-part-can-be-the-king-but-unless-people-are-treating-you-like/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [“For kings indeed we have, who wear the marks and assume the titles of royalty, but as for the qualities of their minds, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/for-kings-indeed-we-have-who-wear-the-marks-and-assume-the-titles-of/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“I've plotted and schemed all my life. There is no other way to be a King, fifty and alive all at once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-goldman/i-ve-plotted-and-schemed-all-my-life-there-is-no-other-way-to-be-a/) [James Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-goldman/) > [Vulgarity in a king flatters the majority of the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/vulgarity-in-a-king-flatters-the-majority-of-the-nation/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“We have to be more royal than royalty itself or nobody will believe us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-have-to-be-more-royal-than-royalty-itself-or-nobody-will-believe-us/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Princes have but their titles for their glories, An outward honor for an inward toil; And, for unfelt imaginations, They often feel a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/princes-have-but-their-titles-for-their-glories-an-outward-honor-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“I once knew a man who was heir to the throne of a great kingdom, he lived as a ranger and fought his destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-once-knew-a-man-who-was-heir-to-the-throne-of-a-great-kingdom-he/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) ## More by John Heywood > [To give importance to trifling matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/to-give-importance-to-trifling-matters/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Little pitchers have big ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/little-pitchers-have-big-ears/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Who is so deaf or so blind as he that willfully will neither hear nor see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/who-is-so-deaf-or-so-blind-as-he-that-willfully-will-neither-hear-nor/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Praie and shifte eche one for him selfe, as he can.Euery man for him selfe, and god for us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/praie-and-shifte-eche-one-for-him-selfe-as-he-can-euery-man-for-him/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [It is a poor dog that is not worth the whistling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/it-is-a-poor-dog-that-is-not-worth-the-whistling/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/if-you-will-call-your-troubles-experiences-and-remember-that-every/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [The nearer to the church, the further from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/the-nearer-to-the-church-the-further-from-god/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Might have gone further and have fared worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/might-have-gone-further-and-have-fared-worse/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [A day after the faire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/a-day-after-the-faire/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Feed by measure, and defy the physician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/feed-by-measure-and-defy-the-physician/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Better to be happy than wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/better-to-be-happy-than-wise/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [When the iron is hot, strike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/when-the-iron-is-hot-strike/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [There is no fyre without some smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/there-is-no-fyre-without-some-smoke/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Many hands make light work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/many-hands-make-light-work/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Prove your friend ere you have need, but in deed A friend is never known till a man have need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/prove-your-friend-ere-you-have-need-but-in-deed-a-friend-is-never/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) [Explore all 141 John Heywood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) ## 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 may look at a king.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Heywood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/a-cat-may-look-at-a-king/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/a-cat-may-look-at-a-king/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/john-heywood-3045_cat_a-cat-may-look-at-a-king-2696450_2696450.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A cat may look at a king.” — John Heywood", "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": "John Heywood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A cat may look at a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/a-cat-may-look-at-a-king/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/a-cat-may-look-at-a-king/#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 } } ] } ```