Alice didn't think that proved it at all; however, she went on: 'And how do you know that you're mad?''To begin with,' said the Cat, 'a dog's not mad. You grant that?''I suppose so,' said Alice.'Well then,' the Cat went on, 'you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.''I call it purring, not growling,' said Alice.
Alice questions whether certain behaviors truly prove someone is mad, indicating her curiosity and skepticism. The Cat responds with a logic game, comparing animals’ behaviors like growling and tail wagging as indicators of their mood, and then humorously claims that its own contradictory actions suggest it must be mad.
The conversation highlights the playful use of logic and language, illustrating the book's whimsical approach to examining madness and sanity. Alice’s observations and the Cat’s clever reasoning emphasize the book's theme of questioning reality and the nature of madness.