Songfacts®:

• This whimsical song tells the story of a lazy cat who loves "to wallow all day" in his tree. There he is content, living "to eat 'cause it kept him fat." The kitty explains that at one time he was thin but during a journey to old Hong Kong, he learned the secret of life. This convinced him to give up his diet and spend the rest of his life feasting in his tree.
• The song is sung by Ray Davies with the sped-up voice of Dave Davies representing the cat himself. Dave Davies sees his brother Ray's lyrics as having a profound meaning.
  
  "It shows in a very cunning and thoughtful way the mystical and spiritual potential we all have," he told Rolling Stone. "'Phenomenal Cat' is the mystical side of all of us. It's a metaphor, saying, 'You do have a soul.' The cat is the coolest part of you. You don't know it yet but through healing we can throw your ideas up in the air and see which ones stick."
• The flute simulated by mellotron was arranged by Rolling Stones associate Nicky Hopkins.