The Crookshanks Theory

Book 5: HP & the Order of the Phoenix Forum

As before, I have stated that Crookshanks is not an ordinary kitty. Upon reading Order of the Phoenix, I have discovered something very startling.

Crookshanks is described in the other books as a bandy legged ginger cat.

Mundungus Fletcher is described in OOP as "short bandy legs, straggly ginger hair".

Hermione said that Crookshanks had been in the pet shop for ages. What is ages? The store might have a quick turn around on cats, so he could have been brought in after the 2nd term ended. Is Crookshanks a plant by Dumbledore to protect Harry? Is he really Mundungus? Cats hide for many hours a day. Is is possible.

Wow, never noticed that before. Great find Sherry.

What I don't get is, what would Crookshanks, as an apparently ordinary cat, be doing in a wizard pet shop anyway. There are all kinds of extraordinary animals that wizards keep as pets... wouldn't a usual cat be *un*-usual? Your theory fits quite well in all of this, Fuscia! Maybe there was someone who wanted to revenge Mundungus so he casted a spell on him, turning him into a cat - and Dumbledore realised it somewhere on the end of PoA, released him, that's the favor D'dore has done to deserve Mundungus' loyalty, but Mundungus had to promise him he'll be keeping an eye on Harry, therefore he remained a cat... Yeap, makes sense. Heck it's not like pets of Harry's friends don't have a tendention of actually being human.

I am just saying that something strange is going on with the cats. Crookshanks may or may not be Mundungus, but he aint no common kitty.

Well, I don't think that Mundungus can be Crookshanks for one reason:

He goes in Hermiones dorm room with her. If he was an animagus, he couldn't get up those stairs... could he? I don't think that it would be possible.

Though, I think that the descriptions and similarities between the two make you think.
So, is JKR throwing us a red herring... trying to get us 'off track' so-to-speak?

Very good point Kris Hm....

what what what what

Kris, I think that it could be a red herring, but it is a very odd coincidence. It just might be a clue that the cats are all wizards in hiding or some other thing.

Agreed... it probably is a clue... but still a red herring.

I think the fact that males cannot get up the staircase to the girls' dorms is significant here. That part was thrown in for a reason. After knowing her for 5 years, you'd think Harry and Ron would know they couldn't get to Hermione's room, especially since she's been in theirs many times.

Therefore, I don't think it's Mundungus. Besides, not all of the Gryffindor pets can be an animagus. Next thing you know, people are going to be suspecting Hedwig!

yea, as good as a connection it was, im almost positive crookshanks is a kneazle. JKR basically almost said this, or well she said that the answer was in " magical beasts and where to find them" I highly doubt mundugus is in that book
no but seriously definetly part or all kneazle. I think he's only part tho, cuz the book says you have to have a lisence to have one. I dont think hermione has one, and if he was only part kneazle she might not need a licencse.

What is a kneazle?

A small catlike creature thats intelligent, independent and sometimse agressive though sometimes it takes a certain liking to a certain wizard and makes a great pet, it has the ability to detect " unsavoury or suspicious characters"

Yes Crookshanks is part Kneazle. I started the thread before I knew the facts. Still, it is funny to think about how mad Hermione would be if my theory had been true.

The point about the girls' dorms is a good one, but I still like the Crookshanks theory.

Sherry's theory might also explain why "crookshanks" (if that is his real name) hated "scabbers" so much: maybe mundungus realized what petter pettigrew had done. Remember, in book 3, Crookshanks believed that Sirius (in his animagus form) was innocent. And at the end of book 3, Sirius said something to the effect of "This is no ordiniary cat...he's the smartest one of his kind that I've ever met."

well, hes not an ordinary cat .. hes part kneazle!

I was rereading OOTP last night, and I noticed something that completely squashes the the possibility that Crookshanks is Mundungus. The night that Harry is brought to headquarters they are all sitting eating dinner. Mundungus is there, talking to Fred and George. And Ginny is playing with Crookshanks on the floor.

Yes, my theory did not hold water. BUT I think there is something that JKR is trying to clue us in on about the cats. Why would Mundungus look so much like Crookshanks? I have a lot of suspicions about the cats. Are they all cats or are they transformed wizards in hiding?

Well, we KNOW from JKR herself, that Crookshanks is not an ordinary cat.
She tells us to look for clues in one of her books - Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

We know that he is part kneazle, but there is something strange about all the cats.