Life — November 17, 1921 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "The Cat's-paw: Scotty Gets His Thanksgiving Dinner" This is a humorous comic strip by Robert L. Dickey depicting a dog named Scotty obtaining his Thanksgiving dinner through trickery. The narrative shows Scotty using a cat as a "cat's-paw"—an idiom meaning using someone else to accomplish one's goals while avoiding responsibility. The strip progresses from Scotty and the cat observing dinner preparations, through the cat being sent to fetch or steal food, to Scotty ultimately receiving the meal while the cat bears the consequences (appearing caught or punished by humans looking out windows). The joke exploits the traditional rivalry between cats and dogs, using it to illustrate the metaphorical meaning of the phrase "cat's-paw" through literal animal action. It's a lighthearted visual pun without political content.