Thomasina, the Cat Who Thought She Was God facts for kids
Front cover of 1989 reprint by International Polygonics
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| Author | Paul Gallico |
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| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
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Publication date
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1957 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 0385048041 |
Thomasina, the Cat Who Thought She Was God is a book written by Paul Gallico in 1957. It's about a special cat named Thomasina and a young girl who loves her. The story also teaches a strict father about the power of love. This book later became a Disney movie called The Three Lives of Thomasina in 1963.
Contents
The Story of Thomasina
The story takes place in 1957 in a made-up Scottish village called Inveranoch. Andrew MacDhui is a vet who has lost his wife. His young daughter, Mary Ruadh, loves her ginger cat, Thomasina. Mary's father, MacDhui, doesn't really like animals, even though he treats them. He is often unhappy because his own father made him become a vet instead of a human doctor.
Thomasina's Illness and Mary's Sadness
The children in the village talk about a woman named Lori. People say she can heal sick animals with magic. One day, a boy named Geordie McNab finds an injured frog. MacDhui refuses to help it, so Geordie takes the frog to Lori.
Later, Thomasina becomes very sick. Mary takes her beloved cat to her father, hoping he will make her better. But MacDhui tells Mary that Thomasina has been put to sleep. Mary is shocked and heartbroken. She gets Thomasina's body back. Her friend, Hughie Stirling, helps Mary plan a special funeral for Thomasina. The village children hold the funeral and write on Thomasina's gravestone that she was "wrongfully killed."
Mary is so sad and angry that she stops talking to her father. She refuses to accept a new pet. She even tells her father's friend, Reverend Peddie, that her father is "dead" to her. As time passes, Mary stops talking completely and loses interest in everything.
Lori's Discovery and Thomasina's New Life
After the funeral, Lori appears at Thomasina's grave. She digs up the cat's body and discovers Thomasina is still alive! The medicine MacDhui gave her only made her sleep deeply. Lori takes the cat to her home to help her recover.
When Thomasina wakes up, she doesn't remember Mary or her old life. She believes she is Bastet, an ancient Egyptian cat goddess. The other animals at Lori's cottage don't believe her, especially when she tries to show them her powers. Lori renames the cat "Talitha" and keeps her.
MacDhui and Lori Work Together
Meanwhile, Mary becomes very ill and has to stay in bed. She still cannot speak. Because of how MacDhui treated Thomasina, many villagers stop taking their animals to him. Instead, they take them to Lori. MacDhui goes to Lori's cottage to talk to her about this.
While there, he ends up helping Lori care for a badly hurt badger. He sees how kind Lori is and learns that she has also lost family members. MacDhui starts visiting Lori often. He teaches her medical skills, and they begin to work together. They even team up to rescue starving and mistreated animals from some travelers camped nearby.
Thomasina's Return and a Happy Ending
MacDhui hears that Mary is getting worse and might die soon. He rushes to Lori, believing only she can help Mary. But Lori is overwhelmed by his strong feelings and doesn't respond right away. On his way home, MacDhui sees Thomasina's gravestone. The words on it make him realize how he has been acting. He asks for forgiveness and returns to Mary.
Lori comes to Mary's house after Reverend Peddie asks her to. Thomasina, who has been sleeping in a drawer at Lori's cottage, suddenly remembers her true identity. She remembers her life with Mary. She feels a strong need to go back to Mary and travels through a rainstorm to get there.
When Thomasina appears at Mary's window, Lori recognizes her as the cat she rescued. The housekeeper lets Thomasina inside, and MacDhui gives the cat back to Mary. Mary is overjoyed to have her cat again and immediately starts to get better. In the end, MacDhui marries Lori. He becomes a kinder vet and even learns to like Thomasina.
Main Characters
Here are some of the important characters in the story:
- Thomasina/Bast-Ra - The main character, a ginger cat. She brings comfort to Mary, who doesn't have a mother.
- Mary Ruadh - A seven-year-old girl who loves Thomasina very much.
- Andrew MacDhui - Mary's father. He is a vet who doesn't like animals at first. He is loving but strict with Mary.
- Lori - A kind woman who lives outside the village. People say she is a witch, but she helps sick and hurt animals.
- Reverend Angus Peddie - A wise minister and a close friend of MacDhui since college.
- Hughie Stirling - A young boy who is Mary's friend. He helps organize Thomasina's funeral.
- Geordie Mcnabb - A small boy who finds Lori to help his injured frog.
- Dr Strathsay - The doctor who checks on Mary when she becomes ill.
Movie Adaptation
In 1963, a movie based on Thomasina was released by Disney Studios. It was called The Three Lives of Thomasina.
