I have recently read an article about how every 3. Danish person has had a conflict with another family member, which has lead to a break-up between them. Every 10. Of these break-up are permanent. Lars Dencik a family researcher from RUC, says that the reason why we see an increasing number of these family breaches, is because we are not as economical depended on each other, as we were a while back. Our economical independence has also increased the numbers of divorces. Let alone in 2014 there were nearly 20.000 divorces in Denmark. 4 years ago that number was about 14.000.

“Letter to a cat” is set mostly, at a house near the beach, in what I would guess is England, due to that Norma is reading “Colonel Blimp”. Norma is married to Daragh and together they have June as their only child. Norma is seems to be doing all the cooking in the house, since she tells June and Daragh where the food is when she goes for a walk (P1. L 20). And in the ending when she leaves the family a note, including one phrase. “ You may miss me a little, especially at meal-times but you’ll survive very well without me.” They do not treat her like equal, but more like a maid. Another example of her family being mean to her is seen on (P1. L6-8) “Over the past few years, and more so since January when June joined the family firm of accountants, father and daughter treated Norma with, on good days, condescension and, on bad days, contempt. Most of the time they ignored her”. June is very disrespectful towards Norma. When June asks Norma to empty her room, for all the “junk”, to make space for all Junes wedding presents.
While walking on the beach, Norma was aided by a tall slender man with bony fingers, called Arthur, when she had cut her toe on a shell. He took her back to his yellow shack, to inspect her minor wound. Arthur owns a lot of books about philosophy, and he tells her that he has thought philosophy at a collage. They both share a great joy in the simple humble things, such as the books and shells. Norma and Arthur relationship is not driven by lust, but by the mutual respect and interests. Norma realises what it is like to b treated with respect and be loved. This is of great significance to Norma of course, as no one in her house appreciated her kaftans. One of the comments she has received is (P2. L81-82)“When they did their comments were curt and to the point. “Ridiculous, I hope you’re not even thinking of wearing that tomorrow!”
Arthur quickly open up to Norma, and shows her all his interests. He makes his own gin and he likes fishing. After a while Arthur asks her if she wants to move in, but she hesitates, due to that she is not tossed easily. On the home front, she repeatedly gives Daragh and June another chance. Eventually she has had it, and she leaves them a note, saying that she has left.

The title, I believe reflects her relationship to her family. Due to that when she makes a remark in the house, she addresses it to the cat. I think she does it because, she knows that her opinion, is invalid to them. And in the ending when she addresses the letter to the cat, she makes their opinion invalid. And makes them feel like the outsider.

The story has an observing 3rd person narrator, due to that this conflict is seen from the outside, and that the narrator does not have an opinion.
Throughout the story, Norma slowly realise that she has been living in a materialistic house, where she has been treated like a maid. The only place she could hide from the husband and daughter was in the hobby room. But as June declared an invasion on her last territory, she fled to the beach. Here Arthur made her open up again, and she blooms, then to realise what she has missed out on the entire time. I cannot think of any other song than “You Don’t Know What You Got Till It’s Gone” with Cinderella, to describe “Letter to a Cat”. June and Daragh, might have not realized what they have had. And how the food made its way from the kitchen to the table.