The Top 10 Best Cartoon Cats from Movies
These Cartoon Cats are the Cat’s Pajamas!
Some might argue the only thing better than movie cats are cartoon cats. I’m not sure if I agree, but I do love me some animated felines. That’s why I’ve decided to pull together a list of the 10 best cartoon cats of all time (don’t worry, there’s a list for dog lovers too). The only requirement for this list is that the cats have to have appeared on the big screen in a feature-length film (sorry, Kitbull). I’m also only going to allow one cat per movie or franchise. Even with those rules in place, I still found it incredibly difficult to narrow it down to just 10 cartoon cats (I’m kind of a cat guy). In the end, I managed to narrow it down to some pretty prestigious pussycats from the big screen. So, grab yourself a healthy dose of catnip and settle in, because this list of the 10 Best Cartoon Cats from Movies is ready to pounce!
10. Dino- A Cat in Paris
Kicking off this list of cartoon cats is un chat français named Dino AKA Mr. Cat. Why the alias? Well, as any cat owner will tell you, outdoor felines definitely lead double lives. There’s no telling what kitties get up to unsupervised outside. Luckily, A Cat in Paris gives us a glimpse of the mischief this tomcat gets up to when the sun goes down. By day, he’s the adorable companion of a sweet little girl. By night, he is the accomplice of a Parisian cat burglar. When his two worlds collide, Dino has to recruit his felonious comrade to help rescue his young master from some vicious criminals. Of course, the lack of thumbs makes it a little difficult, but cats are nothing if not tenacious, and Dino manages to save the day, making him a very good kitty indeed.
9. Cat- Coraline
Just like the real thing, cartoon cats are fickle creatures and not all of them are kind. Anyone who’s seen the stop-motion movie Coraline can attest to that. This black cat appears to be especially bad luck for young Coraline as it follows her through a tunnel into a strange world filled with button-eyed doppelgangers of her parents and others in her life. At first, Cat seems to have little interest in helping Coraline when she discovers this dream-like paradise is actually a nightmare. Like most felines though, Cat only appears apathetic and despite trying to play it cool, he ends up helping Coraline out of a few tight spots. Without Cat, there’s no telling if Coraline would have ever managed to escape back to her own reality. He definitely deserves a nice saucer of milk for his efforts.
8. Cheshire Cat- Alice in Wonderland
A lot of cartoon cats end up acting as spirit animals offering mysterious guidance to those lost in strange worlds. Perhaps the most recognizable of them would be the Cheshire Cat. A being of Wonderland, this mysterious feline is best known for his oversized grin and unhelpful tidbits of advice. This ethereal feline is a favorite among kids and psychedelic aficionados. That makes sense, given the damn thing can detach his head and just let it float around, which is pretty trippy. Then there’s the whole ability to turn invisible (notably leaving just his eyes and grin visible). As bizarre as this cat is, he’s a pop-culture phenomenon and probably one of the most iconic literary cats of all time. Besides, I have a feeling that if a housecat was actually given similar abilities, they’d be just as obnoxious.
7. Mittens- Bolt
If one pair sums up the difference between dogs and cats perfectly, it’s Bolt and Mittens. A TV star, Bolt actually believes all the hype surrounding him (including that he has actual superpowers). When he sets off on a real-world adventure though, he finds himself in over his head. Luckily, he managed to run into Mittens, a streetwise alley cat who wants nothing to do with this crazy dog. Bolt doesn’t give her much of a chance and drags her along as he tries to save his beloved owner, Penny. Mittens is the kind of cat that claims to be a realist but is actually a pessimist. Snarky and sarcastic, she isn’t afraid to let Bolt know just how dumb and ridiculous he seems. Still, when push comes to shove, Mittens comes through to help her canine companion, proving that cartoon cats are nearly as callous as they pretend to be.
6. Thomas O’Malley- The Aristocats
Another cliche that we love about cartoon cats is that alleycats tend to have more fun. At least, that’s what it seems like in The Aristocrats. The film is filled with cats, including three little adorable kittens (Berlioz, Marie, and Toulouse) and their fancy feline mother Dutchess. However, when they find themselves trapped outside, it’s Thomas O’Malley who decides to show them what real Parisian living is like. Sure, he’s an animated animal, but Thomas is about as suave as they come and oozes charm as he gives them the grand tour of the city. It turns out that the Dutchess and her kittens are quite a handful, especially since they’re being pursued by a man who wants to ship them off to Timbuktu. Thomas isn’t about to let that happen on his watch, and he pulls out all the stops to rescue them.