---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I meant,\" said Ipslore bitterly, \"what is…"
description: "\"I meant,\" said Ipslore bitterly, \"what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?\" Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CA..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg"
---

#  I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this…

![“I meant,&quot; said Ipslore bitterly, &quot;what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?&quot; Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg)

> “I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?" Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.”

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## About This Quote

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

Even in bleak moments, simple joys like cats can give life meaning.

**In simple terms:** Cats bring meaning in darkness.

Key Takeaway

Find small joys amid hardship.

Themes

meaning humor existence

Mood

lighthearted thoughtful

Type

satirical inspirational

When to use this quote

- coping with loss
- daily gratitude
- pet therapy
- mindfulness practice

Key Concepts

absurdism comfort companionship

Questions to Reflect On

- What small pleasures sustain you?
- Can humor mask underlying pain?

A Different Perspective

Relying on trivialities may ignore deeper issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Cats Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats-nice-1511430/) [Cats Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats-said-338632/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-worthwhile-2179370/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile/) [Worthwhile Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile-death-5665687/)

## Related quotes

> [I meant, said Ipslore bitterly, what is there in this world that truly makes living worth while? Death thought about it Cats, he said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-there-in-this-world-that-truly-2/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Being a warrior doesn't mean necessarily you need to win and succeed. It's just a spiritual condition of living a worthwhile life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-hutz/being-a-warrior-doesn-t-mean-necessarily-you-need-to-win-and-succeed/)

[Eugene Hutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-hutz/)

> [“He opened the box and took out the kitten. It stared at him with the normal mad amazement of kittens everywhere. I DON'T HOLD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-opened-the-box-and-took-out-the-kitten-it-stared-at-him-with-the/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [I think that the world should be full of cats and full of rain, that's all, just cats and rain, rain and cats, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-think-that-the-world-should-be-full-of-cats-and-full-of-rain-that-s/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“A man approaching retirement called the retirement office to inquire about his pension. Afterward, he was asked if his wife worked. “She’s worked all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-crawford/a-man-approaching-retirement-called-the-retirement-office-to-inquire/)

[Kelly Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-crawford/)

> [The most radical question which anyone can be asked is not how much their possessions cost, but whether they have found something of value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/the-most-radical-question-which-anyone-can-be-asked-is-not-how-much/)

[Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/)

> [Living is worthwhile if one can contribute in some small way to this endless chain of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/living-is-worthwhile-if-one-can-contribute-in-some-small-way-to-this/)

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

> [Who did she know in Raleigh who took the time off to fix a house? Or read Whitman or Eliot, finding images in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/who-did-she-know-in-raleigh-who-took-the-time-off-to-fix-a-house-or/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingalls-wilder/it-is-the-simple-things-of-life-that-make-living-worthwhile-the-sweet/)

[Laura Ingalls Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingalls-wilder/)

> [MARRIAGE, Is only compatible when the man makes a living and his wife makes living worthwhile;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/marriage-is-only-compatible-when-the-man-makes-a-living-and-his-wife/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [It's who you get to share life with, not the actual experiences, that makes living so worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-aikman/it-s-who-you-get-to-share-life-with-not-the-actual-experiences-that/)

[Troy Aikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-aikman/)

> [What's so funny is people are like, 'Why do you just post pictures of cats?' I said, 'If you don't want to see cats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ostrosky-stern/what-s-so-funny-is-people-are-like-why-do-you-just-post-pictures-of/)

[Beth Ostrosky Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ostrosky-stern/)

> [“When his father asked why A wasn't apple or B wasn't bird or C wasn't cat, young Ambrose explained that things didn't always have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-richardson/when-his-father-asked-why-a-wasn-t-apple-or-b-wasn-t-bird-or-c-wasn-t/)

[C.S. Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-richardson/)

> [“because seas are like cats, he said, they always come home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/because-seas-are-like-cats-he-said-they-always-come-home/)

[Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/)

> [“cats.' 'Not like cats!' cried the Mouse, in a shrill, passionate voice. 'Would you like cats if you were me?' 'Well, perhaps not,' said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/cats-not-like-cats-cried-the-mouse-in-a-shrill-passionate-voice-would/)

[Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/)

## More by Terry Pratchett

> [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [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/)

> [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

[Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## 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": "I meant,\" said Ipslore bitterly, \"what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?\" Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Terry Pratchett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-there-in-this-world-that-truly/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cat"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-there-in-this-world-that-truly/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/terry-pratchett-19_cat_i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-th_720683.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I meant,\" said Ipslore bitterly, \"what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?\" Death…” — Terry Pratchett",
                "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": "Terry Pratchett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I meant,\" said Ipslore bitterly, \"what...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-there-in-this-world-that-truly/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-meant-said-ipslore-bitterly-what-is-there-in-this-world-that-truly/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
