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I enjoyed reading this delightful manuscript which was more of a poignant human story, well told, than a “scientific” paper. Parts of it, especially the “tea party,” bring up pleasant memories of similar tea parties of Alice and her “friends.”
The main defect of this paper is that the author does not give enough of the raw data of the “analysis” (such as dreams, associations, etc.), which perhaps though not too important in this type of communication, nevertheless does not permit critical discussion of some of the issues.
The particular significance of the cat in the life of the patient is of course overdetermined. The author emphasizes the identification of the patient with the cat's “proud independence” and capacity to isolate itself within a continuous pet-master relationship. I agree, but in addition to the use of the cat for projection there must be particular significance in the fact that Spooty was a torn. The identification of Spooty with Elsie's brother and the use of Spooty in the patient's penis envy conflict was not emphasized.
The most fascinating aspect of the case was the therapy. Was the patient in psychoanalysis as it is usually defined? I would say no, but would consider the patient to have been treated by a psychoanalyst in “relationship” therapy. This leads to the transference implication. The author mentions she was identified with Spooty, but perhaps the good therapeutic benefits resulted from the analyst being a human being who cared and was concerned (as she certainly was) for this patient rather than a “proud, independent and isolated” cat
who does not have the capacity to care for and be concerned.
The author speculates that patients suffering from severe early deprivation are “independent” because they have never experienced a meaningful object relationship, and she differentiates such people from those who remain dependent because of fear of loss of objects as the result of inconsistent mothering. I do not think the term “independent” real