Pussy and Doggy Tales

In Short

This late Victorian animal collection gathers twelve lighthearted, episodic tales told from the perspective of domestic pets. Divided into two sections—one focused on cats, the other on dogs—the book traces the misadventures of suburban household animals as they attempt to copy human customs, outwit rival pets, and avoid domestic duties. Through dryly humorous, first-person narration, the stories reveal how animals view human oddities while pursuing their own selfish comforts. It endures as an early example of Edith Nesbit’s keen observational wit and her unsentimental affection for the domestic world.

The Story

The collection opens in a barn where Mrs. Buff, a mother cat, entertains her restless kittens with fables. She tells them of Mrs. Tabby White, a cat who ruined her vanity by forcing her kittens to wear doll shoes and bathe in hot water with rose-scented soap. In the next tale, a calculating domestic tabby grows jealous of a new white Persian cat who monopolizes their master's affection. Exploiting the foreign cat’s language barrier, the tabby tricks her into howling constantly, convincing the owner that the Persian is hopelessly deaf; the owner promptly gives the Persian away to a deaf relative, leaving the sly narrator in sole possession of the master's saucer and lap.

Further fables detail the antics of various feline scoundrels. A clumsy cat named Buff, deemed useless by her mother, narrowly escapes drowning by making friends with an elephant at the local menagerie, convincing the giant creature to step on mice for her. Another cat spins elaborate lies to a young girl named Dolly about magical rooms filled with treats, while a tortoiseshell cat hops from home to home, abandoning owners the moment she suspects her fur or voice-box might be harvested for shoes or violins. In each case, the cats value cream, comfort, and independence far above human affection or moral duty.

The perspective then shifts to dogs, who prove equally opinionated. Stumps, a dignified dachshund, complains bitterly about being forced to jump for his young mistress, Daisy, and despises Tinker, a dirty stray Daisy rescues from local children. Yet when a burglar breaks into the house, Tinker bites the intruder’s hand through a broken window-pane and holds fast until the servants arrive, winning the praise Stumps feels he undeservedly missed. In another tale, a clever terrier named Chappie uses his foolish wire-haired companion to catch a pair of white rats in his master's forbidden study, successfully shifting the blame and the resulting thrashing when the room is disrupted.

Later narratives follow Rustler, an overbearing Irish terrier who bully-teaches other pets to approve of fighting, only to be humbled when he picks a fight with Roy, a serene dog resting by his kennel. A sleepy Newfoundland named Rover is dismissed as a fool by a companion dog until he routinely pulls a drowning child from a rushing river, explaining afterward that saving lives is simply his business, whereas explaining himself to stupid dogs is not. A neighborhood dog falls in love with Bessie, a pink dyer's dog whose coat changes color every day—from blue to green to red-and-orange stripes—before she disappears to live with a tinsmith. Finally, a vain setter raised for dog shows is sold to a hunter; after being beaten for catching partridges in his mouth, he reluctantly learns to point, sacrificing his noble pedigree ideals to become an ordinary, useful field dog.

How It Unfolds

The kittens gather A mother cat lies in the hay of a barn and pacifies her demanding kittens with cautionary tales about the dangers of trying to be too clever.

The tabby outwits a rival Jealous of a new Persian cat who steals her master's affection, a domestic tabby tricks the stranger into shrieking continuously until the owner gives the foreigner away.

Buff meets her champion An inactive cat about to be drowned for her uselessness is taken to an elephant's quarters, where the elephant crushes mice for her and secures her place as a working pet.

Tinker catches the thief A stray dog rescued by a young girl proves his worth by clamping onto a burglar's fingers through a broken window-pane until help arrives.

Rover proves his worth A dog written off as lazy and stupid by his peers quietly dives into a river to rescue a floating child without seeking praise or fuss.

The setter learns his trade A show-bred setter proud of his long ears is beaten by his new owner for catching game, forcing him to give up his pride and learn to point in the field.

The People

• Mrs. Tabby White: A mother cat obsessed with human manners who forces her kittens to wear doll shoes and bathe in warm water, only to realize the absurdity of her vanity.
• The Domestic Tabby: A cunning, selfish house cat who ruthlessly schemes to banish a rival Persian cat and keep her master's lap and cream to herself.
• Buff: A heavy, lazy cat who avoids exercise and relies on the physical strength of a friendly elephant to catch her mice and save her life.
• Tinker: A scruffy stray dog rescued from a cruel mob who silently defends his new household by seizing a burglar's hand in his jaw.
• Chappie: A sharp-witted terrier with no nose for hunting who manipulates a gullible companion into breaking house rules to catch white rats.
• Rustler: An aggressive Irish terrier who travels the neighborhood bullying other dogs into submission until he encounters a dog stronger than himself.
• Rover: A quiet, unassuming dog mocked by his housemates who patiently rescues a child from drowning because he considers it his natural duty.
• The Vain Setter: A pedigree dog obsessed with physical beauty and show prizes who is forced through harsh beatings to abandon his pride and work as an ordinary hunting dog.

In Its Own Voice

"If I had more time I could learn to be cleverer, and I should end by being the most wonderful Cat in all the world."

Mrs. Tabby White foolishly believes she can surpass other felines by imitating human nursery routines.

"There is no moral to this story, except that you should do as you are told, and learn everything you can while you are young."

Buff offers a cynical summary of her own survival after relying on an elephant to do her work.

"I never think it worth while to fetch sticks out of the water, and I never think it worth while to explain things to stupid people."

Rover dismisses his fellow dog's confusion after rescuing a child from the river.

What It's Really About

The central theme of the collection is the clash between human expectations and animal nature. Through the distinct voices of cats and dogs, Nesbit critiques the human tendency to impose arbitrary standards, fashions, and duties onto creatures who operate by an entirely different logic. The stories poke fun at social vanity, pretension, and class-consciousness, using the hierarchy of pet pedigree and show prizes to satirize human social climbing. At the same time, the narrative explores survival and adaptability, showing how pets manipulate their human owners' weaknesses—using affection, trickery, or quiet efficiency—to secure warm fires, cream, and protection in an unpredictable world.

Why Read It Today

This collection offers an charming look at Victorian domestic life as seen through the sharp, sardonic eyes of household pets. Readers accustomed to modern, overly sentimental animal stories will find Nesbit’s clear-eyed, self-interested narrators refreshing. The dialogue is full of dry humor, swift characterizations, and a total lack of moralizing preachy behavior, making it an easy, delightful read.

Modern readers should note that the text reflects the era in which it was written. The discipline of pets involves physical punishment—such as mother cats boxing ears or hunters beating hunting dogs—that reads harshly today. Additionally, the episodic structure means there is no single overarching plot connecting the twelve stories. However, the collection excels in its period flavor and its authentic portrayal of animal stubbornness. Anyone who has ever lived with a cat or dog will recognize the timeless, unbothered arrogance of Nesbit's four-legged cast.