What is the cat gaining from his actions? Support with information from the text.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2004

Answers

The ability to hunt mice WHENEVER HE WANTS. (pg. 147, last paragraph.) Also, he doesn't get himself eaten by his master. (Ew, cat meat.)

Seriously, the cat reaps a lot of benefit from his master's elevation of status. What I think is most potent and interesting is that he is sure of his own self-worth. Instead of running off or betraying his master when the man was going to eat him and make a muff of his skin, he instead elected to ignore his master's intended wrongs against him and went on to help his master gain status with the King. This action both saved his life and proved him to be a noble character--he does better to others than they do unto him, and he is thus a moral and righteous cat.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2004

It seems that Puss has everything to gain from this. He realizes that he alone probably does not have the means to become powerful he can use a cat's paw. (Insert lack of laughter) With the human as bascically his confused lackey, its obvious the cat is in control. What kind of cat wouldn't enjoy a life of luxury, anyway. I think that judging from the background of the miller's son and the intellingence of the cat Puss really makes the decisions, and will continue to in the future.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2004

Puss has, well, *everything* to gain. His new owner intends to bloody well eat him. Most basically, he has his life, then rises up the ranks from just talking cat to squire to the more-or-less-Knight of the Marquis of so-and-so. First page the youngest son says he's gonna eat the cat and make a muff out of him. Pretty good incentive to prove your worth, huh?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

The story is what most cats hope to achieve. The human loses his cool, and is like "I'll eat the cat," but the cat, ever-cool and in control has an elaborate scheme. He pulls the strings throughout the entire thing, making him not able to be eaten. Not to mention his vast riches. The human has absolutely no idea what is going on. The cat will probably be the power behind the throne in the future, unless the princess stops falling violently in love with the 'Marquis' and makes some decisions.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

I agree with just about everything said in the posts above. If you want to get more depth I think the cat is satisifying its desire to be in charge of all of the humans. Plus it was probably like a game to him, which cats like. He now can be lazy and get all of his food served to him on a silver platter(and he probably can attack the servant that brought the food for fun as well now).

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

Well, really, if you look back to the begining of the story, Puss gets a wonderful pair of BOOTS (hence the name Puss in BOOTS). After all, how else would he be able to "scamper through the dirt and brambles.?" And, besides, what other cats do you know that wear boots? He's stylin'.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

yeah, the cat is definitely the brains in the relationahip. The miller's son just sort of coasts through life after Puss starts helping him (whatever...sure, i'll marry the princess, whereas Puss gets out in the world and does the dirty work. Is the cat a control freak? Sure, if you look at his dealings with the local farmers. He gains power over the humans that threatened to eat him (revenge?). And lots of free mice. And some pimpin' boots.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

In addition to becoming rich and comfy, the cat has the opportunity to prove his own worth and character. Hearing that his master would rather receive a mill or a donkey than himself must be very depressing, so in accomplishing this self-appointed task he gains the approval of his master, and he regains the inflated ego that is a cat's birthright.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

First of all, I would like to formally agree with just about everything everyone else has said. I would also like to thank them for exhausting all of the good answers. Of course Monsieur Puss does not want to be eaten, and I believe this is the main reason for his actions. This brings out his cat-ness (or catity or caticiousness, if you prefer) by showing his cleverness. Also, by doing this, I think the Honorable Puss is trying to clear the good name of cats everywhere, who are often accused of being lazy and indifferent toward their masters. And, lest we forget, the Puss-inator does get some phat boots out of the whole deal.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

Well yeah it's hard to top what people said above. He gets mice when he pleases, I mean, he's a Lord, that's rockin. And, he gets a sword, I'm sorry, even the sheep didn't get a sword, it's all about the sword, all about the sword.

ror

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

Well, since everyone else has officially taken all of the responses to the question, I'll just have to restate it. Basically, the cat has nothing to lose. His master just decides to have kitty-meat and says so while said kitty is listening. The cat has nothing to lose and uses his inate craftiness to outsmart humans and an ogre. His master gets to marry a princess, but Puss in Boots is too busy eating mice to care. He is able to better his position by bettering the position of his "master" who really just follows his orders anyway. And, as an added bonus, Puss in Boots does not get eaten and can keep the boots.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004

Well, the last sentence of the story says that he becomes a great lord. I think that is a good motivation for most people, or especially for super cool ego inflated cats such as Monsieur Puss, or the Masta Cat.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2004