Glass Cat (Bungle)

In The Patchwork Girl of Oz Dr. Pipt uses his Powder of Life to animate an ornamental spun-glass cat owned by his wife Margolotte; because the cat fails to serve as a useful mouser Margolotte names it "Bungle." The animated glass figure becomes a sentient companion within Oz rather than a servile mouser.

The Glass Cat is transparent—so clear one can see through it—except for a hard blood-red ruby heart, two large emerald eyes, and bright pink brains in the top of its head that look like a collection of marbles and can be seen working; it has a spun-glass tail and an overall jewel-like, ornamental aspect.

The Glass Cat is sentient and displays intelligence above that of an ordinary cat, with intimate knowledge of Oz's terrain from constant prowling. She uses her keen vision to guide characters in darkness (for example leading Ojo to shelter) and has been shown in Baum's stories to be virtually invulnerable in some episodes despite being made of glass, though she fears being shattered. Her temperament is vain, aloof, and slow to show emotion; she nonetheless can and does assist Dorothy and companions in rescue and guidance roles. In The Patchwork Girl the Wizard replaces her pink brains with clear ones to make her more agreeable, and later books show the pink brains and original personality restored.