Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat

By starting the novel on planet Lyttyrboks, Johnny Marciano immediately sets a humorous tone and introduces The Importance of Exploring Different Viewpoints, for Klawde’s experiences in his own feline society contrast sharply with the lives of the humans and the cats on Earth. Cats on Lyttyrboks resemble humans in that they have developed higher thinking and have formed an advanced society, but their philosophy and outlook is completely different. Additionally, although Klawde and the cats from Lyttyrboks share similarities with Earth cats, such as having dedicated naptimes, Klawde’s arrival on Earth soon shows that his perceptions of this planet are influenced by his time in his home world. For example, because Lyttyrboks’s military technology is far more advanced than Earth’s, Klawde thinks in military terms, mistaking fences for defense perimeters and cars for tanks. When Klawde mistakes the doorbell for an entry button, this moment also shows that his misinterpretations are not limited to weapons, and his horror at being caught in falling liquid (rain) suggests that the weather patterns of Earth are very different from those of Lyttyrboks.

At the beginning, Raj and Klawde have both been forced away from the only home that they have ever known, and their contrasting reactions to these circumstances show the differences in their characters. Whereas Klawde is angry and terrified because he believes that Earth is a death sentence, Raj is sad and despondent because he misses his home. Raj moved from New York City, and thus, he finds the open space and nature of Oregon to be a little frightening, though nowhere near as terrifying as Klawde does Earth. Despite these different perspectives, Raj’s and Klawde’s similar reactions suggest that emotions of loss and fear are universal, as these two very different creatures are both afraid to explore this new, unfamiliar place. As the story progresses, both Klawde and Raj find a level of solace in each other, though Raj arrives at this point much sooner than Klawde. In these opening chapters, Raj is desperate to keep Klawde because he wants companionship, but Klawde’s main focus is on scheming new ways to use the humans and their technology to find a way back to Lyttyrboks. His goal-oriented and independent mindset contrasts greatly with Raj’s need for belonging and companionship.

While Raj and Klawde’s interactions suggest that they have a universal understanding of emotions, Klawde’s experiences on Earth reveal that these similarities do not automatically help him to understand Earth’s very different culture. For example, the pet store feels foreign to Klawde, especially when he cannot understand the Earth cats. The Importance of Exploring Different Viewpoints—and the risks of failing to do so—become apparent when his warlike temperament causes him to believe that the vet is attacking him. Klawde doesn’t think twice before responding with all claws extended, and although this would have been a reasonable reaction on Lyttyrboks, it is not acceptable on Earth. Furthermore, Klawde does not understand the items that the humans buy at the store because he has no frame of reference for cat culture on Earth. Instead, he interprets these objects according to his own perspective, as when he mistakes the scratching post for a statue or the chew toys for military training devices. Klawde’s inability to acclimate to Earth cat culture foreshadows his quest to return to Lyttyrboks, and because he shares greater similarities with humans, he will eventually reveal his true nature to Raj and learn to speak English. Along the way, Klawde will also unwittingly gain a greater understanding of humans.