The black tomcat with the chewed off ear...

[The Lord's Kiss]

The thing that pretty much convinced me it was being warged, and probably by Bloodraven, was something I noticed about Mormont's raven;

Syrio Forel describes Balerion as being pretty much the apex predator in the Red Keep. He's so bold he snatches food from Tywin Lannister's hand, and is clever and swift enough to defy humans. Of all the cats, mice, rats, birds and kitchens in the Red Keep, you have to imagine this old cat really has his run of the place, and doesn't have to work very hard at all to catch or steal food.

So why would he bother going all the way up to the Rookery for ravens? Why, unless he's there for something that isn't food.

That. is. insane.

(ETA: (-ly cool! sorry, mind is too blown right now to say anything else)

[Matoro]

It's the real heir to the Iron Throne.

[not in the face]

How long do cats live?

[Rose of Ice]

We had a cat who lived to be 18.

[Blackfyre Rebellion #5]

Has a skinchanger been able to see the memories of an animal it inhabits? If so than any skinchanger could find out. If not.... well I'm just speculating anyway, so Ser Gregor's soul was lost in the cat. And he is disgusred on what the Lannister's made his body do. So he takes revenge the best he can.

[Alistair's Pantaloons]

I had a cat that was at least 22 though my family adopted him at an unknown age. Perhaps if they are magical cats being inhabited by a human, they can live even longer?

I hope it is eventually revealed that this cat plays a significant role in the events to come. I'd forgotten about it clawing Joff's hand once, that makes my esteem for the creature grow.

[para]

Both Balerion, the kitten, and the mean old tom cat are first mentioned in AGOT. It's easy to come to the conclusion that they are the same cat. And if you do, you have a pretty neat foreshadowing.

Because, for a cat to be a favorite toy of a little child, it has to unusually compliant for a cat. So if Rhaenys' sweet and gentle kitten became the meanest and most powerful asshole cat in all of Westeros because she watched her closest friend die, what can we expect of the human characters when they undergo a similar trauma?

Four books later and we have Lady Stoneheart and Arya the child assassin and no end in sight.

[BionicBarry231]

The thought that came to my mind is how this theory can be related to the real vs fake Aegon argument. What a great way for GRRM to subtly convey dramatic irony to the readers than to have princess Rhaenys' cat bite Aegon when he sits the IT? Surely if Balerion is the same cat Rhaenys loved, it has a good chance of "knowing" Aegon. Im not saying westeros would confirm or deny Aegon the IT based on the asshole cat, but GRRM does love him some foreshadowing.

[Lyse Stark]

The thought that came to my mind is how this theory can be related to the real vs fake Aegon argument. What a great way for GRRM to subtly convey dramatic irony to the readers than to have princess Rhaenys' cat bite Aegon when he sits the IT? Surely if Balerion is the same cat Rhaenys loved, it has a good chance of "knowing" Aegon. Im not saying westeros would confirm or deny Aegon the IT based on the asshole cat, but GRRM does love him some foreshadowing.

:thumbsup: and if Rhaeny's cat bites Aegon then it proves he's a fake.

[BitsOfBrains]

The thing that pretty much convinced me it was being warged, and probably by Bloodraven, was something I noticed about Mormont's raven;

Syrio Forel describes Balerion as being pretty much the apex predator in the Red Keep. He's so bold he snatches food from Tywin Lannister's hand, and is clever and swift enough to defy humans. Of all the cats, mice, rats, birds and kitchens in the Red Keep, you have to imagine this old cat really has his run of the place, and doesn't have to work very hard at all to catch or steal food.

So why would he bother going all the way up to the Rookery for ravens? Why, unless he's there for something that isn't food.

Good catch on the raven killing stuff.

I always thought The Bad Cat was warged, but that raven assassination was something I missed.

[ckal9]

I'm not, that's why i don't make definitive statements about the story

But it's not just a cat, that's the point.

But I'm sure you support this definitive statement, because it is what you believe to be correct. Am I right?

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

But I'm sure you support this definitive statement, because it is what you believe to be correct. Am I right?

I believe this is a definitive statement because the author has heavily implied that it's the same cat.

[The Mother of The Others]

That cat sure has one life! What if the cat brings Tommen and Aegon together by "ruining" the moment when Tommen is about to get thrashed, meowing and running in to interrupt the tension in the room, then both kings start petting on the cat? No?

[Lady Fevre Dream]

The cat is definitely Balerion, and there's at least decent reason to think that the animal is being skinchanged by Bloodraven or someone. For instance, it has a definite hatred of Lannisters, and I'd argue that it led Arya to where Varys and Illyrio were talking; the intel she got was good, it's just that Ned had no good reason to believe it. As for its significance, how about this — the cat was alive during the Sack, and may have seen quite a bit that night. Including, say, whether or not the real Aegon was actually slipped out.

What I do not believe is that Princess Rhaenys is having a "second life." There's no reason at all to think she would have been a warg.

Hmmmmmm, all very interesting. It isn't beyond the pale to think that a warg could get into Balerion and find out, once and for all, if Aegon is fake or not. Not to mention, I just like the idea that the cat has lived, regardless of warging possiblities and the idea that Bloodraven wargs everything and everyone, LOL I had a cat that lived to be almost 18 years old, and I've known cats that were even older. I like the idea of this cat being Balerion just for those reasons alone. Cats can and do live that long.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

Hmmmmmm, all very interesting. It isn't beyond the pale to think that a warg could get into Balerion and find out, once and for all, if Aegon is fake or not. Not to mention, I just like the idea that the cat has lived, regardless of warging possiblities and the idea that Bloodraven wargs everything and everyone, LOL I had a cat that lived to be almost 18 years old, and I've known cats that were even older. I like the idea of this cat being Balerion just for those reasons alone. Cats can and do live that long.

And the cat has other thematic purposes. "That black bastard is the real king of the castle." Jon is called "the black bastard of the Wall." An interesting tie-in on its own, but make that cat the pet of Jon's real sister and the skinchanging residence of Bloodraven and that just adds other layers of meaning.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

And the cat has other thematic purposes. "That black bastard is the real king of the castle." Jon is called "the black bastard of the Wall." An interesting tie-in on its own, but make that cat the pet of Jon's real sister and the skinchanging residence of Bloodraven and that just adds other layers of meaning.

This is one animal I do think that Bloodraven may warg, I guess I should have been clear on that. It's just sometimes, I read things all over that have Bloodraven warging everything to the point that I wonder if some think any characters, or animals for that matter, do anything of their own free will.

All those bastard connotations are very interesting, though. I will need to keep all this in mind for when I finally do get my hands on the novellas. If you do look at the cat with the ideas of helping or leading Arya to information, to the way the cat seemed to dislike or disrespect Tywin with the food incident, the knowledge that the cat and Bloodraven have of Tywin's involvement in Rhaenys death, it makes me wonder, warging or no........does the cat itself have an end game? Is it alive to see those who cost him his Rhaenys pay, and see the realm put back to some type of rights? Now, I am definately going to pay more attention to that cat, in rereads and with the eventual appearance of a new book.

ETA; I still do just love the fact that the cat still lives, though. The poor thing is the only one who survived the purge in The Red Keep and I can't help but cheer for him and wish him well.

[Lyse Stark]

This is one animal I do think that Bloodraven may warg, I guess I should have been clear on that. It's just sometimes, I read things all over that have Bloodraven warging everything to the point that I wonder if some think any characters, or animals for that matter, do anything of their own free will.

All those bastard connotations are very interesting, though. I will need to keep all this in mind for when I finally do get my hands on the novellas. If you do look at the cat with the ideas of helping or leading Arya to information, to the way the cat seemed to dislike or disrespect Tywin with the food incident, the knowledge that the cat and Bloodraven have of Tywin's involvement in Rhaenys death, it makes me wonder, warging or no........does the cat itself have an end game? Is it alive to see those who cost him his Rhaenys pay, and see the realm put back to some type of rights? Now, I am definately going to pay more attention to that cat, in rereads and with the eventual appearance of a new book.

ETA; I still do just love the fact that the cat still lives, though. The poor thing is the only one who survived the purge in The Red Keep and I can't help but cheer for him and wish him well.

And that quote of the black tomcat stealing Tywin's quail from under his nose seem to be foreshadowing the Lannisters' downfall, and loss of their riches in my opinion.

[The Mother of The Others]

Was that Raven's protest of Tywin's anti-Stark letter writing campaign?

[Florina Laufeyson]

And the cat has other thematic purposes. "That black bastard is the real king of the castle." Jon is called "the black bastard of the Wall." An interesting tie-in on its own, but make that cat the pet of Jon's real sister and the skinchanging residence of Bloodraven and that just adds other layers of meaning.

Da HELL?! You guys just keep blowing my fucken mind with this stuff!

[King Pellinore]

It may wind up being Arya's eyes into KL.