The French Cat, by Siné: what does this drawing mean?

Cafe Society
1

If you enjoy puns, you might enjoy a tiny cartoon book I first saw in the 1950’s called The French Cat, by “Siné.” It illustrates such words as Chat-Plin with a stylized feline, complete with beret, made up as The Little Tramp, and Gei-Chat as a cat wearing a Japanese kimono.

Here are some references to it:

http://www.logan.com/loganberry/specials-cats.html
http://www.verdenet.com/sepa/chat-sine.html

But I can’t figure out what this drawing means. Can anyone explain it?

2

Following the pattern of the puns you listed turned up this possibility: http://www.grandi-tenori.com/articles/reflections_fragala_chaliapine_02.htm

3

Aha! I think you found it! I guess I was led astray by thinking about Tolstoy’s “Liapine” house and the English verb “to pine”, neither of which made any sense. An opera singer, Chaliapine, would fit the bill perfectly both in word pronunciation and intent.

Thanks, Idlewild! God, I love the SDMB – an answer in only 5 minutes!