Used as a noun, “puss” usually means a cat, especially a household cat addressed or referred to affectionately. The word can carry a rustic or informal tone, making it useful in comic, conversational, or domestic scenes. In older literature, “Puss” is often capitalized when the cat is treated as a named character. Although the word has acquired other meanings in later slang, its meaning in this poem is simply “cat.”

“Puss” has been used as a familiar name for a cat since at least the early modern period. It appears in titles and stories such as Puss in Boots, where the word functions almost like a personal name. In Swift’s poem, the capitalization of “Puss” suggests a particular household animal rather than cats in general. The cat, along with the rat, pigeon, and dog “Shock,” contributes to the chaotic, unglamorous setting. Do not confuse this older feline sense with later slang uses of “puss,” including meanings relating to a person’s face or, in vulgar usage, female genitalia. Context determines the intended meaning.