“Tybalt” was another word for a cat. In this speech Mercutio makes fun of Tybalt for being a gentleman duelist who spends a lot of time practicing the art of fencing when in actuality he’s unlikely to ever swing a sword with the intention of harming anyone. In the play, Tybalt is the butt of Mercutio’s satirical ridicule, but he was just a stand in for the typical pretentious, fashion-conscious young noblemen whom Shakespeare saw every day in London. (For more background on gentlemen duelists, view our video, "Love and War in Shakespeare's Time," located under Resources in the Play Menu).