A snapshot of cinemas favorite felines—many of which have (almost) stolen the scene from the stars they are acting beside.
First born in Lewis Carroll s 1865 book Alice s Adventures in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat is known for his zany quote “We re all mad here. I m mad. You re mad.” He later captured the imaginations of cartoon lovers in both the Disney Studios 1950s animated film and Tim Burton s live-action film.
We could never forget “a poor slob with no name,” Audrey Hepburn s cat in Breakfast at Tiffany s. Known off-screen by the mononym Orangey, moviegoers recognized his ginger coat in various American productions of the 50s and 60s. But his memorable appearance in as Holly s kitty earned him a PATSY Award in 1962, a special prize given to animals who have proven themselves on a film set.
Another childhood classic featuring animals, The Aristocats was inspired by a story by Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe and features a whole tribe of cats. Mother cat Duchess lives with her three kittens, Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz, in a Parisian mansion, and they are the designated heirs to a family fortune. But the butler has other plans…
No genre leaves our feline friends out, not even science fiction. In Ridley Scott s 1979 blockbuster Alien, we meet Jones, the little ginger cat of Lieutenant Ellen Ripley (played by Sigourney Weaver) Together, they sail aboard the Nostromo on a particularly violent space mission—no spoilers.
In Japanese animation, filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is an impossible jack-of-all-trades and an eternal animal lover. In My Neighbor Totoro, one of his most famous animated films, the bus (a symbol of escape) is transformed into the figure who leads an exciting journey.
She s one of his smallest heroines in terms of size, but certainly not in terms of charisma. As a 13-year-old witch, Kiki must complete her apprenticeship far from her family—but she brings a friend along. Kiki can count on the most charming (if sarcastic) of companions: her black cat, named Jiji. Rest assured, his presence is a good omen for our witch apprentice!
Salem was Sabrina s faithful sidekick, teacher, and occasional menace in this iconic show from the 90s. Years later, when streaming giant Netflix reinvents the story of the beloved witch in The New Adventures of Sabrina (2019), the Salem figure is still present, much to our delight.
This modern fairy tale finds Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldo, known simply as Mia, in the throes of coming-of-age—which of course, includes having a pet named Fat Louie. When Mia learns she s the heiress to the throne of a small kingdom ruled by her late father, Genovia, Fat Louie is one of the only things in her life that doesn t change.