Are you a cat person? Do you have a furry feline to call your own? Well, whether you do or not, we can all agree they are intriguing with their diverse personalities, ranging from playful and loving to aloof and mischievous.
August 8th is International Cat Day and was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. It is a day to raise awareness for cats and learn about ways to help and protect them. So what better time to also celebrate the wonderful fictional cat characters that have graced the big screen and books over the decades?
Here are 9 fictional felines that you may know and love just like me, and if not, check them out and see for yourself!
The Three Lives of Thomasina
A young girl named Mary lives in a small village in Scotland with her veterinarian father and beloved cat, Thomasina. When Thomasina is injured, the father has the animal euthanized, breaking his daughter’s heart. Unbeknownst to the family, Thomasina’s still-living body is rescued by a kind animal healer who nurses the cat back to health. Unfortunately, Thomasina’s memory is lost, and it will take a miracle to reunite Mary with her beloved cat. Ultimately, Thomasina brings the family together through her mysterious death and reappearance.
The movie was adapted from the 1957 novel The Cat Who Thought She Was God by Paul Gallico. It is a story about a cat, owned by a child, whose strict father must learn that love is powerful enough to help others. Both the movie and the book explore themes of death, grief, and the importance of communication. This may not be a light and fluffy tale, but it definitely sounds like a story the whole family could learn from, and it will be going on my list of movies to watch and books to read!
That Darn Cat
This adventurous tale came out in 1965 and is about a cat named D.C., which stands for Darn Cat, of course. The name is a family joke, because this wily Siamese tomcat truly is quite the character! In his evening galivant through town, he stumbles upon the hideout where two bank robbers are keeping a bank teller prisoner. When she manages to slip her wristwatch around his neck, D.C strolls from the hideout to the Randall family home with the only clue to this bank robbery. The FBI is called, and soon D.C. is under surveillance in hopes that he will lead them back to the robber’s hideout and the crime can be solved. The movie cover slogan says, “It takes a Siamese secret agent to solve the purr-fect crime.”, and D.C. does a purr-fect job being entertaining.
This move was also based on a book published in 1963 called Undercover Cat by Mildred Gordon, and a remake of the movie was done in 1997. It differed from the original in several aspects, including the tone, characters, and overall storyline. It was shorter, and they starred a different type of cat; an alley cat instead of a Siamese. Proving that even alley cats can be a true star!
The Aristocats
This cat tale is an American animated musical comedy that came out in 1970. It features a refined Parisian cat named Duchess and her three adorable kittens, living a life of luxury in Paris with their wealthy owner, a retired opera singer named Madame Bonfamille. When the Madame leaves her inheritance to Duchess and three kittens, the woman’s butler drugs the cats and abandons them in the countryside in order to inherit the fortune himself. While lost in unfamiliar territory, Duchess and the kittens meet Thomas O’Malley, an alley cat willing to help them return to their home in Paris. They meet several kooky characters along the way, including English geese and an alley cat jazz band. Their journey is filled with adventure, and with the help of their colorful friends, they foil the butler’s scheme, and he is sent away. The Aristocats return to Madame Bonfamille, and she rewrites her will, including O’Malley, and establishes a charity foundation for stray cats in Paris. This story has a little of everything, including a love story, and makes it a hit for the whole family! If you haven’t seen it yet, you can request it at the library. It is one of my all-time favorites!
The Cat in the Hat
The animated version first aired as a TV special in 1971 and was based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss book of the same name. I am fairly certain you know who he is: a tall, mischievous cat with a red and white striped top hat, known for his playful nature and inclination for causing trouble while attempting to have fun. Sounds like a lot of cats I have known, that’s for sure! I remember watching it many times growing up and being so entertained by his antics.
In 2003, a fantasy comedy film was produced of The Cat in the Hat. It was the second and final live-action Dr. Seuss film adaptation after How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000. It grossed only 20 thousand over the budget and was considered a box-office disappointment at the time, but has since developed a cult following.
Believe it or not, there is a new Cat in the Hat movie coming out in 2026. It will be an animated adaptation introducing some new characters and a reimagined Cat character that is hilarious and unlike anything we’ve seen before.
I guess we just can’t get enough Cat in the Hat!
Garfield
This orange tabby cat is my spirit animal; he loves lasagna, naps, hates Mondays, and exercise, but underneath it all, he is a softy. He was created as a comic strip by Jim Davis, and his reasons are quite simple. Davis saw that there was a comic strip about a dog named Snoopy, but wanted to create a cat-themed comic to appeal to cat lovers. It debuted in 1978, and the flabby tabby has now graced the screen with three animated movies and three theatrical releases.
He has had 13 or more television specials and two animated shows that have combined for twelve seasons and more than 200 full episodes. Garfield is definitely a household name. He is over 40 years old and going strong, or should I say, lazily napping with no plans of stopping soon.
You can get your Garfield on with comics, movies, TV, and memorabilia. I suggest checking out the comics first, that is what got me hooked as a Garfield fan!
Oliver & Company
This animated tale is a twist on the Oliver Twist story and was released in 1988. The main furry character, Oliver, is a brave and kind tabby kitten who begins as an orphaned street cat in New York City. He starts out nameless and joins a dog gang led by Dodger before eventually finding a wonderful home with a wealthy girl named Jenny. Unfortunately, through a series of events, a loan shark threatens his peaceful new life. This tale is a fluffy one that will make you feel warm and cozy inside, with a theme that conveys the message that genuine connection and love are more valuable than material wealth.
The Adventures of Milo & Otis
The favorite furry feline in this movie, released in 1989, is an orange tabby named Milo. Like most cats, he is curious by nature, and when he is born on Nippon Farm, located in a charming village in Japan, he meets a pug named Otis, and they soon become friends. One day, when Milo is hiding inside a box, it floats down river, breaks loose from the dock, and he ends up driving downstream. Otis runs after Milo, who himself goes on many adventures, escaping one obstacle after another. This one is another lesson in camaraderie and the beauty of loyalty and friendship.
You probably didn’t know this next bit of trivia, at least I didn’t, but it was originally a Japanese production titled A Kitten’s Story, hence the location of Hokkaido, Japan. It was edited and modified for our version with a different narrato,r and the original included poetry recitation that was edited out and released in the U.S. in 1989. Wow, you learn something every day!
The Adventures of Milo and Otis
A Cat in Paris
As you can probably guess, this is a French animated film, but it was an international co-production with France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland in 2010. The starring cat in this one is a black cat with red stripes named Dino, who leads a double life. By day, he’s the pet of a young girl named Zoe, a Parisian girl who has lost her voice after the loss of her father. By night, Dino is the partner of a cat burglar named Nico, navigating the rooftops of Paris. The entire storyline unfolds over a single evening, and it explores several themes related to people’s true nature, communication, and the impact of trauma.
This animated tale does have a PG rating with some intense scenes that might be too much for very young children; however, it also has a unique artistic style and charming story that can be appreciated by older children and adults too. Another cool feature to note is its jazz-infused soundtrack.
Puss & Boots
Now, last but not least, we have a ginger tabby cat named Puss in Boots, who sports a cavalier hat with a feather, a black cape, and, of course, his signature boots! His character is one that has been around in fairy tales for centuries, but we are going to focus on his starring roles on the big screen. His first movie appearance was in Shrek 2, where King Harold initially hires Puss and Boots to assassinate Shrek. However, after a failed attempt and a change of heart, Puss becomes Shrek and Donkey’s ally and friend, joining their quest. He goes on to play in all the Shrek movies that follow, and his story in the films is one of redemption and lots of adventure.
He goes on to have three stand-alone animated tales: Puss in Boots in 2011, Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos in 2012, and Puss and Boots: The Last Wish in 2022.
He also has a Netflix interactive short film called “Puss in Boots: Trapped in an Epic Tale,” where the viewer can make choices to help Puss escape from a fairy tale book. So, the Puss and Boots we have come to know and love is still captivating audiences with his charismatic, swashbuckling, and ultimately heroic character.
There are so many wonderful cat characters in film and books, and one that I wanted to quickly mention is the “wonderful” Felix the Cat. A black cat that walks like a man and is known for his silent film era popularity. He is famous for his mischievous and inventive magic bag of tricks to solve problems, and achieved widespread recognition in the 1920s. He hit the American TV screen in 1953, and I know he was on the screen in my living room, because I watched him every day. I can still recite the theme song!
More Fluffy Tales in Books:
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul
Add a comment to: The 9 Lives of Fantastic Fictional Felines for International Cat Day