About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is facing a brand new experience, like the first day of school, and needs to see that even the biggest worries can be overcome with a little help from a friend. Splat is a fuzzy, wide-eyed cat who is absolutely terrified of his first day at Cat School. He tries every trick in the book to stay home, from hiding under the covers to clinging to a gate post. Accompanied by his secret pet mouse, Seymour, Splat eventually discovers that school isn't just about learning cat facts: it is about finding your place. This story beautifully normalizes the physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety while using humor to show that things are rarely as scary as we imagine them to be. It is a perfect choice for preschool and early elementary children who need a gentle, funny nudge toward independence.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The story includes a scene where a classroom of cats chases a mouse, which may be briefly distressing for very sensitive children, but it is resolved quickly and peacefully.
Ideal Reader
A 4-to-6-year-old child who is prone to 'tummy aches' or hiding under the covers before new social situations. It is especially good for children who have a strong attachment to a comfort object or a 'secret' source of bravery.
Parent Prep
Parents may want to be ready to discuss why the cats were taught to chase mice and how Splat and Seymour chose to be friends instead. A parent might choose this after hearing their child say, 'I don't want to go,' or seeing them physically stall during the morning routine.
Age Experience
Younger children (3-4) will focus on the slapstick humor of Splat’s tail getting stuck and the visual gag of a cat having a pet mouse. Older children (5-7) will relate more deeply to the social dynamics of the classroom and the relief of being accepted by peers.
What Makes It Special
The artwork is the standout. Rob Scotton’s textured, fuzzy illustrations and Splat’s expressive, spindly limbs make the character’s internal anxiety visible and endearing in a way that feels more modern than many older 'first day' classics.
Read plot summary
Splat the Cat is a classic first day of school story. Splat tries various delay tactics to avoid going to school, but his mother gently persists. He decides to hide his pet mouse, Seymour, in his lunchbox for moral support. At school, Splat learns traditional cat behaviors (chasing mice), which creates a conflict when Seymour is discovered. However, when the milk cupboard gets stuck, Seymour's small size and bravery save the day, proving that cats and mice can be friends and that school is actually fun.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Splat tries many ways to avoid going to school. Why do you think he was so worried about what might happen there?
2
Splat’s tail tells us a lot about how he is feeling. When it wiggles or stays still, what is it saying? How does your body feel when you are nervous?
3
Seymour is a mouse, and the teacher says cats are supposed to chase mice. How did Splat and Seymour show the class that they could be friends instead?
4
At the end of the day, Splat’s tail wiggles again, but for a different reason. What changed from the beginning of the story to the end?
