--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: what is it you have, or don't have, that…" description: "\"“what is it you have, or don't have, that you sit there completely self-contained, that you can sit and know . . . and know exactly where your feet are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/william-gaddis-7794_quote_what-is-it-you-have-or-don-t-have-that-y_613337.jpg" --- # what is it you have, or don't have, that you sit there… ![“what is it you have, or don't have, that you sit there completely self-contained, that you can sit and know . . . and know exactly where your feet are? Yes, that's what makes cats incredible, because you know they're aware every instant of where their feet are, and they know how much they have to…” quote by William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/william-gaddis-7794_quote_what-is-it-you-have-or-don-t-have-that-y_613337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/william-gaddis-7794_quote_what-is-it-you-have-or-don-t-have-that-y_613337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/william-gaddis-7794_quote_what-is-it-you-have-or-don-t-have-that-y_613337.jpg) > ““what is it you have, or don't have, that you sit there completely self-contained, that you can sit and know . . . and know exactly where your feet are? Yes, that's what makes cats incredible, because you know they're aware every instant of where their feet are, and they know how much they have to share with other cats, they don't try to . . . pretend . . .”” [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights cats’ acute self‑awareness and honest sharing, contrasting it with human tendency to conceal or pretend. **In simple terms:** Cats are fully aware of their position and share honestly. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness and honest communication. Themes self‑awareness honesty communication authenticity Mood contemplative insightful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal reflection - team meetings - leadership training - conflict resolution Key Concepts mindfulness social dynamics animal cognition Questions to Reflect On - How can you increase your moment‑to‑moment self‑awareness? - In what ways do you pretend in social interactions? A Different Perspective Humans may lack the same instinctive clarity, making the ideal hard to achieve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) ## Related quotes > [They were more like, 'How was it on the mountaintop?' and I'd sit down and tell 'em, ... 'Wow, you can't believe this! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/they-were-more-like-how-was-it-on-the-mountaintop-and-i-d-sit-down/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [“Each one was exactly four feet wide and just under twelve feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-mierke/each-one-was-exactly-four-feet-wide-and-just-under-twelve-feet-long/) Sharon Mierke > [“Me, sweep him off his feet? I know. The laws of the jungle and romance novels would have it the other way around, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/me-sweep-him-off-his-feet-i-know-the-laws-of-the-jungle-and-romance/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [You can always land on your feet if you know where the ground is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/you-can-always-land-on-your-feet-if-you-know-where-the-ground-is/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [NORA: I must stand on my own two feet if I'm to get to know myself and the world outside. That's why I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/nora-i-must-stand-on-my-own-two-feet-if-i-m-to-get-to-know-myself-and/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [And so he who looks down at his feet will not know the truth, but he who discerns by the sun which way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/and-so-he-who-looks-down-at-his-feet-will-not-know-the-truth-but-he/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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 > [“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 > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by William Gaddis > [“That after an hour's silence he can say, The one thing I cannot stand is dampness... That's all, it took him an hour to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/that-after-an-hour-s-silence-he-can-say-the-one-thing-i-cannot-stand/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“What is it they want from a man that they didn't get from his work? What do they expect? What is there left of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/what-is-it-they-want-from-a-man-that-they-didn-t-get-from-his-work/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“-We live in Rome, he says, turning his face to the room again, -Caligula's Rome, with a new circus of vulgar bestialized suffering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/we-live-in-rome-he-says-turning-his-face-to-the-room-again-caligula-s/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“It is a naked city. Faith is not pampered, nor hope encouraged; there is no place to lay one's exhaustion: but instead pinnacles skewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/it-is-a-naked-city-faith-is-not-pampered-nor-hope-encouraged-there-is/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“-And there's this twelve thousand dollars item for books. -That supposed to be twelve hundred, the twelve thousand is for paper. towels. Besides there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/and-there-s-this-twelve-thousand-dollars-item-for-books-that-supposed/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“There was the cell where Fr. Eulalio, a thriving lunatic of eighty-six who was castigating himself for unchristian pride at having all the vowels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/there-was-the-cell-where-fr-eulalio-a-thriving-lunatic-of-eighty-six/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [Stupidity is the deliberate cultivation of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/stupidity-is-the-deliberate-cultivation-of-ignorance/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“Venerable age had not, for him, arranged that derelict landscape against which it is privileged to sit and pick its nose, break wind, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/venerable-age-had-not-for-him-arranged-that-derelict-landscape/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“They write for people who read with the surface of their minds, people with reading habits that make the smallest demands on them, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/they-write-for-people-who-read-with-the-surface-of-their-minds-people/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [We're comic. We're all comics. We live in a comic time. And the worse it gets the more comic we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/we-re-comic-we-re-all-comics-we-live-in-a-comic-time-and-the-worse-it/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“Esther liked books out where everyone could see them, a sort of graphic index to the intricate labyrinth of her mind arrayed to impress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/esther-liked-books-out-where-everyone-could-see-them-a-sort-of/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“What greater comfort does time afford, than the objects of terror re-encountered, and their fraudulence exposed in the flash of reason?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/what-greater-comfort-does-time-afford-than-the-objects-of-terror-re/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“The function of this school is custodial. It’s here to keep these kids off the streets until the girls are big enough to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/the-function-of-this-school-is-custodial-it-s-here-to-keep-these-kids/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [“where would Christianity be today if Jesus had been given ten to twenty with time off for good behavior”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/where-would-christianity-be-today-if-jesus-had-been-given-ten-to/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [I see the player piano as the grandfather of the computer, the ancestor of the entire nightmare we live in, the birth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/i-see-the-player-piano-as-the-grandfather-of-the-computer-the/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) [Explore all 87 William Gaddis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) ## 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": "“what is it you have, or don't have, that you sit there completely self-contained, that you can sit and know . . . and know exactly where your feet are? 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