Paddy Reviews One Of His Very Favorite Library Books

Hi, It’s me again, Paddy the Library Cat, and I would like to tell you about a most amazing and magical little book.

It’s by T.S. Eliot who lived from 1888-1965. He’s a very famous American and English poet, but don’t let that scare you away from this poetry/story book: Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The musical CATS comes from this book.

Some of the cats in the “story” are the old, take-it-easy Deuteronomy; Macavity, the criminal; crabby Rum Tum Tugger; and Mr. Mistoffelees, the trickster. I love their names, and my favorite part of the book is about “The Naming of Cats,” which is a very serious endeavor and “not just one of your holiday games.” This is because, according to Mr. Eliot (and ME!), all cats have three names:

• a usual one [like Paddy],
  
• a more descriptive name [mine is Pouf], and…
• “the name that you never will guess; The name that no human research can discover--But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.”

I think that everybody has a secret name; you do and your friends do, just like your cats. It’s a deep down name that can make you laugh and make you strong and make you confident in YOU! And the best part is that only YOU know it--if you choose to know it. I know mine. Do you know yours?

Paddy says:

Deep down it’s all OK.

Paddy The Library Cat is a new columnist here at 365 Cat Ladies and Friends. He is the Library Cat at Pacelli High School in Wisconsin.