Dad and the Cat and the Tree — Kit Wright
'Dad climbed the tree. Dad fell out of the tree. The cat climbed down. That was that.'
1. About the Poem
'Dad and the Cat and the Tree' by Kit Wright is a HILARIOUS narrative poem about a father who tries to RESCUE a cat stuck in a tree. He makes plan after plan — and EVERY plan FAILS comically. Meanwhile, the cat watches and eventually solves its OWN problem.
Why This Poem
- Side-splittingly funny — slapstick comedy in verse
- RELATABLE — every family has a 'Dad' who thinks he can fix everything
- UNEXPECTED TWIST ending — the cat rescues itself
- Rich in HUMOROUS wordplay and SITUATIONAL COMEDY
2. About the Poet
Kit Wright (born 1944)
- British poet, known for HUMOROUS and SERIOUS poetry
- Writes for BOTH children and adults
- Famous works: "Hot Dog" and other children's poetry collections
- Known for WORDPLAY, RHYTHM, and WIT
- His poems are FUN to read ALOUD
3. The Full Poem
A cat got stuck in the tree. Dad said, 'I'll get it down for you.' Mum said, 'Be careful.' Dad laughed — 'I know what to do.'
He got the ladder from the shed. He put it up against the tree. He climbed up, rung by rung. 'Here, puss — come to me.'
But the cat would not come down. So Dad climbed higher. 'Come on, puss — don't be silly.' Then the ladder slipped — and Dad fell.
'I'll try Plan B,' said Dad. 'I'll climb the tree myself.' He jumped and grabbed a branch. But the branch broke — and Dad fell.
'I know!' said Dad. 'I'll use the hose.' He turned the water on. The cat was soaked — and so was Dad. The cat still would not come down.
Then Mum called: 'Dad, look! The cat is coming down.' The cat climbed down the tree. Dad said, 'I knew it all along — that was Plan C.'
4. Summary
A cat is STUCK in a tree. Dad CONFIDENTLY says he will rescue it. Mum says BE CAREFUL. Dad laughs and tries Plan A: a LADDER. He climbs up, but the cat will not come down. The ladder SLIPS. Dad FALLS.
Plan B: CLIMB the tree directly. Dad grabs a branch. The branch BREAKS. Dad FALLS again.
Plan C: Use the HOSE to spray the cat down. Dad and the cat both get SOAKED. The cat still will not come down.
Suddenly Mum calls: 'Dad, look! The cat is coming down.' The cat has climbed down ON ITS OWN.
Dad says: 'I knew it all along — that was Plan C.'
5. Poetic Devices
Slapstick Comedy
Physical HUMOUR — Dad falls, branches break, ladder slips, water sprays. The poem is like a CARTOON in words.
Irony
Dad is trying to RESCUE the cat — but the cat RESCUES ITSELF. Dad's 'help' is completely UNNECESSARY.
Repetition
'Dad fell' — the phrase REPEATS, each time funnier. Dad's failures become a PATTERN.
Surprise Ending/Twist
The cat climbs down BY ITSELF. The reader (and Dad) are SURPRISED.
Rhyme Scheme
AABB rhyme pattern — consistent, EASY to read ALOUD.
Rhythm
The poem has a STRONG, BOUNCY rhythm that makes it FUN to recite.
Dialogue
Dad, Mum, and (implicitly) the cat all have VOICES through dialogue.
Personification
The cat is given a PERSONALITY — stubborn, uncooperative, FINALLY independent.
Exaggeration (Hyperbole)
Dad tries THREE increasingly desperate plans. Each is more RIDICULOUS than the last.
6. Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stuck | Unable to move, trapped |
| Ladder | A tool with rungs used for climbing |
| Rung | One step of a ladder |
| Slipped | Lost grip, moved accidentally |
| Plan | A strategy, a method |
| Branch | A woody part of a tree growing from the trunk |
| Hose | A flexible tube for carrying water |
| Soaked | Completely wet |
| Rescue | Save from danger |
| Sill | The ledge at the bottom of a window |
7. Important Quotes
- 'Dad said, 'I'll get it down for you.' Mum said, 'Be careful.' Dad laughed — 'I know what to do.''
- 'Then the ladder slipped — and Dad fell.'
- 'I'll try Plan B,' said Dad. 'I'll climb the tree myself.'
- 'Dad said, 'I knew it all along — that was Plan C.''
8. Themes
1. Overconfidence
Dad is SURE he can rescue the cat. His confidence is UNWARRANTED. Every plan fails.
2. Well-meaning but Ineffective
Dad means WELL. But his efforts are COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. The cat is fine — Dad is the one in trouble.
3. Letting Nature Take Its Course
The cat knew how to climb down all along. Sometimes the BEST help is NO help.
4. Persistence Against Folly
Dad keeps trying even after failing twice. Is this PERSISTENCE — or STUBBORNNESS?
5. Family Dynamics
Mum is CAUTIOUS (be careful). Dad is OVERCONFIDENT. The cat is INDEPENDENT. Each has their role.
6. Humour in Failure
Dad's failures are FUNNY, not tragic. The poem celebrates LAUGHING at ourselves.
9. Short Answer Questions
1. What was Dad's Plan A? Plan A was to use a LADDER to climb up and get the cat.
2. What happened to Dad in Plan A? The ladder SLIPPED and Dad FELL.
3. What was Dad's Plan B? Plan B was to CLIMB the tree directly by jumping and grabbing a branch.
4. What happened to Dad in Plan B? The branch BROKE and Dad FELL again.
5. What was Plan C according to Dad at the end? Dad CLAIMED that letting the cat come down on its own was always 'Plan C.'
10. Long Answer Questions
6. How does the poet create humour in 'Dad and the Cat and the Tree'?
Step 1 — Physical comedy. Dad FALLS repeatedly. Ladder slips. Branch breaks. Water sprays. Slapstick is UNIVERSALLY funny.
Step 2 — Repetition. 'Dad fell' becomes a REFRAIN. Each repetition is FUNNIER because we EXPECT it.
Step 3 — Irony. Dad thinks he is the RESCUER. The cat does not NEED rescuing. The 'rescuer' ends up being the one who needs help.
Step 4 — Dad's confidence vs his results. He LAUGHS and says 'I know what to do.' Then he FAILS SPECTACULARLY three times. The gap between CONFIDENCE and RESULTS is comic gold.
Step 5 — The twist ending. After all Dad's failed attempts, the cat simply CLIMBS DOWN. Dad pretends he PLANNED it. This is the FINAL joke.
7. What does the poem say about 'helping' others?
The poem suggests that sometimes 'helping' is actually INTERFERING. The cat was not TRULY stuck — it was just sitting in the tree. It came down WHEN IT WAS READY.
Dad's 'help' was UNNECESSARY and even COUNTERPRODUCTIVE (he got wet, the cat got wet). The best 'help' was PATIENCE.
This is a valuable lesson: before jumping in to 'help' someone, consider whether they actually NEED help. Sometimes people (and cats) just need TIME to solve their own problems.
8. Describe the character of Dad as shown in the poem.
Dad is OVERCONFIDENT. He immediately says 'I know what to do' without thinking. He LAUGHS at Mum's caution.
Dad is RESOURCEFUL but NOT SMART. He comes up with THREE different plans — but none of them works. He has IDEAS but cannot EXECUTE them.
Dad is STUBBORN. He does not give up after failing twice. He tries a third time.
Dad is also a BIT SILLY. He pretends the cat climbing down was his 'Plan C' — a face-saving lie. He cannot admit he failed.
But Dad is also LOVABLE. He is TRYING to help. His failures are funny, not mean. We laugh WITH him (or at him, gently).
11. The Three Plans (Comedy of Errors)
| Plan | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Plan A | Ladder | Ladder slips, Dad falls |
| Plan B | Climb tree | Branch breaks, Dad falls |
| Plan C | Hose | Dad and cat get soaked |
| Actual solution | Cat climbs down | Dad pretends he planned it |
12. Activities
- Act out the poem — read with expression, MIME Dad's falls
- Write a sequel — what happens the NEXT time a cat gets stuck?
- Discuss — why do we find FAILURE funny in comedy but not in real life?
- Draw a comic strip of the three plans
13. Comparison with Other Humorous Poems
| Poem | Type of Humour |
|---|---|
| Dad and the Cat and the Tree | SLAPSTICK, overconfidence |
| The Rebel | IRONY, character |
| Chivvy | SITUATIONAL, relatable |
| Gopal and the Hilsa Fish | CLEVERNESS, disguise |
14. Conclusion
'Dad and the Cat and the Tree' is PURE COMEDY in verse. Kit Wright takes a COMMON household situation and turns it into a RIOTOUS narrative poem with slapstick, irony, and a perfect twist ending.
Dad's overconfidence, the cat's indifference, and the spectacular failures combine to create a poem that makes EVERY reader laugh. And the twist ending — the cat simply climbing down — is the PERFECT punchline.
But beneath the humour is a GENTLE LESSON: sometimes the best way to help is to step back and let things happen naturally. And never be too proud to admit when your 'help' was not needed.
For AP Board students: focus on the NARRATIVE STRUCTURE, SLAPSTICK HUMOUR, the TWIST ENDING, and the CHARACTERISATION of Dad. The poem is excellent for APPRECIATION and RETELLING questions.
'Dad and the Cat and the Tree' — when life gives you a cat in a tree, sometimes the best plan is no plan at all.
