[HPforGrownups] Cats in Harry Potter

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 41206

Richelle said

> Second, Crookshanks.  We're not supposed to like her at first.  She tries
to eat Scabbers.  Causes fights between Ron and Hermione.  But yet she is
really a better judge of character.  She recognized what no one else could
in Scabbers--should've let her eat him when they had the chance.

Me:

For one, I recognize that Crookshanks is a *male* cat. He's a good judge of
character because he's part Kneazle (I *still* think JKR said "half" in that
interview, but some fraction of Kneazle is in the mix). I didn't see
Crookshanks as "bad" per se at all. I figured something was up, the way he
was fixated on Scabbers, but killing rats *is* what cats do, and I don't
think that's bad.

I think McGonagall's animagus form is to give us another take on her
character; one's animagus form seems to embody or reflect one's personality.
As for Mrs. Norris, I think she's as unpleasant a cat as Filch is a person;
cats aren't generally busybodies hunting for people to get into trouble, but
then again, most people aren't either.

I think one reason there's a lot of cats is that cats are traditionally
associated with witches, and dogs are much less so.

So much for my thoughts.

--Amanda