[Vwoolf] Trigger warning . . .

[Ellen Moody]

I realize killing a cat (I don't use the euphemisms) does not mean someone
is a sadistic cat killer, but the incident does upset me.  I looked to make
sure the incident is
fiction.  Not funny -- I'm an 18th century scholar by trade (so to speak)
and I remember Darnton's The Great Cat Massacre: cats were persecuted for
centuries and only
recently has public sentiment come round to regarding them as the equal of
a dog (ironic joke).  Written around the same time, in Howards End Charles
Wilcox (or his
chaffeur) talks about careless running over of a cat as "flattening a cat"
and is amazed at Margaret Shlegel's upset. But then she cares about
"chickens and children"
too.  We are supposed to dislike Charles Wilcox thoroughly.

Ellen Moody

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