Some of the response to this post, while perhaps not surprising, is pretty disappointing. The Cat King is not in the pilot, firstly, but I also don't think the text as a whole supports the idea that his interactions with Edwin are an allegory for SA either.
The Cat King is flirtatious. He's overt. He's abrasive and forward and prickly. He shoots his shot with a repressed Edwardian ghost twink and then goes on to shoot himself in the foot at every given opportunity.
But DBDA is not a show that shies away from difficult topics. In fact, it's one of the things that I love most about it, that the story handles topics of abuse and oppression and shame and autonomy and injustice with such nuance and care. Which is why I believe, if CK were meant to be an allegory for SA, we would never get the final alley scene (in which Edwin plays and flirts with the Cat King and parts with a kiss - the first kiss he gives another person on his own accord, for what it's worth). No other "perpetrator" of allegorical/actual SA (Brad, Hunter, David, Esther, Maxine, etc.) is "redeemed" in the same way that the Cat King is, and I don't think that's an accident! Rather, I think it's a clear sign that Edwin (and the narrative as a whole) does not consider the Cat King in this light.
(I actually think the more interesting/impactful lens through which to examine the Cat King and SA is through his relationship with Esther, in which he is yet another victim of hers - but that could be a whole essay in and of itself.)
I also think it's worth noting that while the Cat King is certainly not a role-model for handling rejection, he does heed Edwin's unspoken discomfort and repeatedly adjusts accordingly, largely without Edwin ever having to say a word! He is rather adept at reading both Edwin's attraction and his reservations, and in their final encounter, Edwin all but says as such - even going so far as to admit that they are rather similar!
For what it's worth, I completely understand why some viewers might find the Cat King off-putting or creepy on a personal level. You by no means have to enjoy him as a character, and if it is better for you to curate your fandom experience in a way that you don't have to engage with him, that's absolutely valid! But I think what bothers me the most about the (repeated, continuous) vitriol against the Cat King is the broader implications it has about queerness and double standards.
The Cat King is perhaps the most visibly queer character in a very queer show, but he is far from the only character who struggles to take a hint or misreads matters of the heart (RIP Monty). In fact, one of the many similarities that can be drawn between Charles and the Cat King is that they are both flirts. Even more, I think there is an argument to be made that Charles is significantly less savvy than the Cat King at taking hints from Crystal (who, especially when they first meet, is not exactly on an even playing field with him in terms of power dynamics).
And just to be abundantly clear, this is not meant to condemn Charles in any way! It is simply a call to examine why your knee-jerk reaction might be to view queer flirting as predatory and disgusting while swooning over similar "hetero" behavior. Because at the end of the day, the Cat King is just a character in a show - but to paint queer desire and pursuit as somehow being inherently negative while not holding other characters to the same standards has real implications on real people who use media to explore and understand their own identities.
As queer people, it is okay to experience attraction and desire and lust. When it comes down to it, I think that is the very lesson that the Cat King imparts to Edwin in the first place. 👑
