Ben Arnold is making his way to Mr. Dodds's Pet Emporium to buy a pair of Mongolian Fighting Fish. As he is about to purchase them, a cat in a nearby cage speaks to him and insists that Ben buy him rather than the fish. When Ben states that he prefer the Fighting Fish, the cat exposes Mr. Dodds as a fraud, by telling him that Mongolia is landlocked, thus making it impossible for there to be fish. Mr. Dodds appears. On finding out that Ben intends to buy the cat, he unsuccessfully attempts to persuade Ben to buy the Fighting Fish instead. When Ben stubbornly refuses, Mr. Dodds reluctantly allows him to buy the cat. At home he lives with his mother Isadora, father Clive, and two sisters.