Cat in the Hat is undoubtedly inspired by Abraham Lincoln in many ways, shapes and forms. Even a simple thought of comparing the two brings many similarities.

Starting with the obvious, both are taller than life, a notable characteristic for both of them. The Cat was larger than the average cat, and Lincoln was considered larger than most men of his time. Along with this, what else was Lincoln known for? His top hat. What does The Cat also have?

A top hat.

Going beyond looks, there are a few more similarities. They both have a history of rhyming. The Cat rhymes in his day-to-day conversations, but Lincoln wrote poetry.

“My childhood’s home I see again, And sadden with the view; And still, as memory crowds my brain, There’s pleasure in it too,” said Abraham Lincoln’s poem “My Childhood Home I See Again.”

The Cat has notorious rhyming lines, all in his original book, cartoon movie, cartoon show and live-action adaptation. Beyond this similarity, there’s more. Both Abraham Lincoln and The Cat are familiar and friendly with pets.

Lincoln had many pets documented, including cats, dogs and even letting his son care for a turkey that his son wanted pardoned from the Thanksgiving slaughter, according to the National Park Service website. The Cat can communicate with the kids’ fish, and has mingled with various animals in his wide array of media.

Both Lincoln and The Cat have inspired communities in different ways. For The Cat, he has become the poster child of libraries to encourage kids to read, as well as to be creative and explore the world around them. In the live-action movie, The Cat also inspired the kids to be better to their mother, making sure they let her know she is appreciated and loved.

Lincoln changed the nation both around him and for years later, by making the transition to a nation where no slaves were kept and most likely normalizing the concept of being taller than the average height.

As Lincoln provided opportunities, The Cat provided opportunities for the children to be removed from the gross boyfriend’s reign and plans in the live action movie. The boyfriend wanted to send the boy to military school, and was terrible to them while lying to the mother – and The Cat freed them from that.

While Lincoln has done admittedly shady things during his turn in the spotlight, The Cat is still inspired by him. Many cartoons and children’s content have censored the negative aspects of a person or event in history in order to make it appealing to children, and this is not an exception.