How is the dead cat symbolic of Kenneth Rattner?

The idea of reincarnation is floated at a later point by one of the boys. While the cat is not literally meant to be a reincarnated human, she probably is at least meant to be symbolic of the most important dead character in the story: Kenneth Rattner. The cat's life, in a way, encompasses everything that is known about Kenneth Rattner. He is a predator whose predations eventually led to his demise: The cat was killed when it was looking for squirrels to eat.