Disney Cats

[Lumiéreconditiining]

Just a random thought, why do you guys think Cats are always villains in Disney films (pre-1967, thanks Michael Eisner!)? Food for thought.

 

[bcla]

Uh what? I could have sworn that Sgt. Tibbs in 101 Dalmatians was one of the good guys.

 

[Lumiéreconditiining]

Good point, score one for cats! Why no major characters though?

 

[bcla]

Good point, score one for cats! Why no major characters though?

Only so many movies. There was also Figaro from Pinocchio.

 

[Lumiéreconditiining]

Again, minor characters. Why no cat in the main role? Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Horace and Clarabel for goodness sakes but no cats?

 

[jdb in AZ]

What about the Aristocats?

 

[Lumiéreconditiining]

Post 1967.

 

[robinb]

That Darn Cat, D.C. was pre-1967.

 

[Lumiéreconditiining]

That Darn Cat, D.C. was pre-1967.

I like it, but not an animated character. You know what I'm looking for.

 

[robinb]

I like it, but not an animated character. You know what I'm looking for.

You never specified animated, I still score 1 for the good kitties .

 

[elphaba91]

Dinah and the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland are both good characters, as is Oliver from Oliver in Company (post 1967 though)

 

[Hikergirl]

OP, obviously you don't own a cat. They are evil creatures LOL.

 

[BrianL]

I am still wrestling with the realization that Big Pete is a cat. He was definitely the bad guy too. I always thought he was a dog, or generally the same species as Goofy, so whatever that is.

I doubt it was anything deliberate on the parts of the filmmakers. As we have shown, minor characters that were not bad guys were cats. I guess they just didn't have roles for them. It's probably just because I believe more people like dogs, and cats are necessarily adversarial to dogs (and mice). I love the Siamese cats from Lady and the Tramp, and I guess they are kinda bad guys (or creepy at any rate). I'm sure that overall Disney likes cats just fine though.

 

[rastahomie]

Maybe Walt Disney owned a cat and he (the cat) was a jerk.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Bagheera, The Jungle Book.

 

[Magpie]

Seems about 50/50 to me... (but I haven't counted).

 

[Lumiéreconditiining]

We've may have something perhaps with Tigger, although he's arguably not a cat since he's the only one. He was also created by A.A. Milne, so I'm not sure he counts. Donald Duck, why no Cleetus Cat?

 

[MamaBelle4]

We've may have something perhaps with Tigger, although he's arguably not a cat since he's the only one. He was also created by A.A. Milne, so I'm not sure he counts. Donald Duck, why no Cleetus Cat?

Seriously, why doesn't Bagheera count? He's a major character. It debuted in 1967, meaning the production was long before that.

 

[mom2rtk]

It seems like maybe Disney was partial to dogs.

Although The Aristocats had an awful lot of hero cats. Not just one, but practically an entire cast.

 

[DoleWhipAndHubGrass]

Seriously, why doesn't Bagheera count? He's a major character. It debuted in 1967, meaning the production was long before that.

Tigger is not even a tiger, he's a tigger and he's the only one! Bagheera definitely counts.