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Introduction

The "cat and mouse" policy emerged as a government response to hunger strikes by prisoners. Under the policy, prisoners who went on hunger strikes were set free and then arrested again once they had recovered. In this way, the government hoped to undercut the effectiveness of hunger strikes while not suffering the negative image of force-feeding women.

Questions to Consider

• What does the position of the suffragette relative to the police officers indicate about perceptions of the "cat and mouse" policy?

• What symbols are associated with the suffragette?

• Is this a compelling image?

Document

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Caption:
Cat and Mouse.
By Order of the Law.

Source:
"Cat and Mouse," Suffragette, 1(42) (1 Aug 1913).

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