The cat has a distinct worldview, and from it, constructs a world around him of idiots, loneliness, and angst. His perception of the events around him are clouded by a relentless despair. He does not understand why he feels nothing when he gets on the scale–his caretakers become irate; why does he feel no different? Objects in the world have distinct meanings for different observers. The scale has no fixed significance. To the humans, it means they have eaten too much and exercised too little. To Henri, it means he is emotionless. Even the display of happiness, for Henri, is not enjoyable, but insufferable. He calls the white cat an imbecile, and thinks he is surrounded by morons. The actions of the others could be completely logical from their viewpoint, but Henri has an egocentric gaze that has not been challenged by the events around him. What he has learned, he has learned through experience. If someone would have told him to avoid the “whipped cream” in the bathroom, he probably would have ignored them. He found out for himself, in an all-too-real situation.
learning in place 
Excellent – he sees things only from his own perspective (“It’s all about me!”).