Is There More to Mrs. Norris ?

[Fortescue]

Okay, this might seem out there, but this popped into my my and I thought it might be fun to sort out.

We met Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, in book 1. Thinking back now as we prepare for the release of the final book, several things come to mind.

Why would anyone name a cat Mrs. Norris? Filch had no magic of his own, but the cat always seemed to pop up around Harry at different times throughout the story. When I hear the cat's name, I think of Mrs. Figg, who I also think there is more to then just being the batty woman who watched Harry as he grew.

Could there be more to Mrs. Norris then meets the eye?

 

[cagedcactus]

Hmmm....
Nice speculation you got going here.
I also would like to think towards that line, but the clues are just now enough.
I just dont think that JKR has given us any solid indication towards the cat being anything special.
Yes she does pop up time to time near Harry, but Harry is the one who is in trouble most of the time after hours at Hogwarts.
Lets see if anyone else have some other ideas.

 

[Alz]

I always thought Mrs Norris was a kneasle - and the reason she was assigned to Filch was because she is the equivalent of a guide dog ...
I think the Wizarding world assign squibs who have to work in magical roles with a magic seeing animal such as a kneasle to try and assist the squib.
Not sure why but that is the way I saw Mrs Norris - her function was to assist Filch in seeing and revealing magic since he is unable to do so himself.

 

[cagedcactus]

I always thought Mrs Norris was a kneasle - and the reason she was assigned to Filch was because she is the equivalent of a guide dog ...
I think the Wizarding world assign squibs who have to work in magical roles with a magic seeing animal such as a kneasle to try and assist the squib.
Not sure why but that is the way I saw Mrs Norris - her function was to assist Filch in seeing and revealing magic since he is unable to do so himself.

Excellent explaination. I have got to agree with this.
The cat provided perfect guide for Filch. You have got to love JKR. Looking into that deep detail is just amazing.

 

[kashlie]

My favourite theory about Mrs Norris is that she is really Filch's wife but he had an accident with magic when he first started his magic course...

otherwise i think she is just the spooky cat of the spooky caretaker, or possibly a kneazle.

 

[Alz]

LMAO - both of those are really funny - and a little sick and twisted and dont even get me started on the jokes

But on the off chance she really is a witch - Figgy would be out right, she is a squib ... unless of course squibs can do the animagus thing ... but they are born with no magic .. not sure but she did jump to mind then during typing this discounted that thought ...
OK ... shutting up

 

[Fortescue]

I think that if Mrs. Norris were a kneazle who watches over Filch because he doesn't have magic power and that is basically a kneazles job, then why did Hermione have Crookshanks? Hermione was a witch, yet she had a kneazle cat mix, so there must be more to them then that.

Fantastic Beasts says a kneazle has "an uncanny ability to detect unsavoury or suspicious characters and can be relied upon to guide their owner safely home if they are lost."

I wonder if Mrs. Norris is part or all kneazle if that is why she followed Harry around all the time. Maybe she sensed something about him. But then, Crookshanks helped Sirius and seemed to like him and at the time, he was an unsavory character.

 

[Blanche A. McFusty]

Mrs. Norris also always followed Hagrid when he was in the castle. Hagrid tells Harry this in the first book.

Mrs. Norris has got to be a kneazle, or at least have some magic. Filch has conversations with her!

 

[Alz]

I think that if Mrs. Norris were a kneazle who watches over Filch because he doesn't have magic power and that is basically a kneazles job, then why did Hermione have Crookshanks? Hermione was a witch, yet she had a kneazle cat mix, so there must be more to them then that.

Fantastic Beasts says a kneazle has "an uncanny ability to detect unsavoury or suspicious characters and can be relied upon to guide their owner safely home if they are lost."

I wonder if Mrs. Norris is part or all kneazle if that is why she followed Harry around all the time. Maybe she sensed something about him. But then, Crookshanks helped Sirius and seemed to like him and at the time, he was an unsavory character.

Well as you said - Hermione's is a cross breed - perhaps they need to be full blood to be any good?
Perhaps the dilution of the blood makes them less reliable and thus they become pets?

IDK, was just MHO but I figured magically aware and smart cats for people that have no knowledge or ability just makes sense to me ...

 

[kashlie]

Hermione bought Crookshanks, and kneazles are intelligent, so he would know that Hermione owned him.
I do believe Crookshanks spent some time with other students, or following them, because he wasn't always with Hermione. Or he and Mrs Norris...

there has to be more to Mrs Norris, the way she appears and Filch follows...but how does he know where she is? Does she go back and get him, or communicate with him somehow?

 

[Alz]

Yeah it is interesting it usually is Mrs Norris followed by Filch - makes you wonder how they communicate ...
I know that Filch see's her as a true friend, just look at the way he acted when she was petrified in CoS ... there is a big bond between the two but with Filch being a squib, wonder how they link together so well?

 

[kashlie]

here is my thoughts...

he is very attached to her, right? she may well be his link to the magical world. he has no magic himself, we have learnt that, but what we have also learnt is that he WANTS to be magical, so having a magical cat is as close as he can get.
i would say almost certainly, that she has some kind of power, if only to communicate with Filch.

 

[Alz]

I suppose he could use it kind of like you are saying - he isnt able to harness magic himself but maybe to 'own' something that is magical is almost akin to having magic by proxy right?
I'm not sure Mrs Norris is magical - I do think she might be a kneasle but that emphasis is more on intelligence versus magic ability?
As Forte wrote - the kneasle is somewhat a guide right - well going back to guide dog it still fits maybe?

 

[ChienNoir]

There is ALWAYS more to cats than meets the eye.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

[Meagan091484]

The theory that Mrs. Norris is more than just a cat has some valid points. My own cat seems to be more than just an animal sometimes as well. But on 12/25/05, JKR addressed this theory on her official website:

Rumor: "Mrs. Norris is an unregistered Animagus."
Response: No, she's just an intelligent (and unpleasant) cat.

However, I do believe that almost all animals living around Witches/Wizards seem to be more intelligent than Muggle pets. There has to be some residual magic that they absorb being around it nearly 24/7. Not to mention some of the spells that their owners might test out on them or accidentally hit them with.

 

[Morfin Gaunt]

well hmm ... maybe crookshanks and mrs norris hook up.....dont stop reading wait for it lol. Mrs Norris stops communticating with filtch out of love for crookshanks and when needed heads filtch off in the wrong direction so harry can get on with breaking the rules.
Therefore saving harrys butt a few times
feel free to scream at me lol

 

[Dr Winterbourne]

For a while now I've wondering if maybe all squibs can communicate with cats (Filch, Mrs. Figg, the insane woman down the street from me).

I don't know about the kneasle thing - I thought it was just drawing on the common idea of a witch's familiar.

And DO seem to know what's going on, don't they?

 

[Dr Winterbourne]

Cats, that is. Cats seem to know what's going on.

 

[Mr_Bandman]

I have a good friend who fully believes that cats spend most of their time trying to devise a way to kill humans....

Aside from that, I have a lot of questions about the all pets in the series. Trevor, Scabbers (I still think we'll learn more about his life as Percy's pet), Crookshanks, Hedwig, Mrs. Norris, Norbert, Fang, Fawkes, Nagini, Buckbeak----there is something beneath the surface here that She wants us to pick up on----some meaningful connection between humans and the animals they choose (or are chosen by?). It could be as simple as a reflection of personality types, or it could be something deeper that points to the path each character is on (and has been on). What is She trying to tell us through Harry's wise old owl, Hermione's sneaky cat/kneazel, and Ron's filthy rat? Neville's slimy toad? Hagrid's predilection for pets that range from somewhat dangerous to downright deadly? There is something here....

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[keeron_man_boy]

that is a actually a good pick up there Bandman

hermiones cat is a very smart like herself.

nevilles is as lost as his toad in a way.

i feel that harry and hedwig are kinda the same but have nothing atm to back it up.

and there is ron and his "filthy" rat. hint to ron turning evil? hmmmm


maybe pets do reflect on their owners personality. hagrid is hard to say though lmao