The Cat in the Hat is a less eventful story than I remember. I remember it being a more fast paced and funny story. I guess when I was younger it was easier to find the humor in the balancing act and subsequent fall. I also realized that I had confused this book with other Dr. Seuss books. The story I was fondly remembering was one where the cat revealed smaller and smaller cats under his hat. Each cat had a smaller cat under its hat. Also, I seem to remember something about paint splatters and cleaning it up with mother's dress. So there are several things that are similar to this story (i.e. messing with mother's dress either by flying it as a kite or by wiping up spilt paint). I wish I could figure out which book I am thinking about, because I believe I would enjoy the other one more than The Cat in the Hat.