It’s no secret that we’re big cat lovers here at Natusan, and our love of cats doesn’t end with our pets at home. From the big screen to the small screen, cartoon strip to storybook, we all have our favourite feline characters—and maybe your pet cat is even named after one. We’ve taken a look at some stand-out cat characters, including a few blasts from the past.
Salem Saberhagen
90s kids, raise your hands. I think we can all agree that Salem Saberhagen was the best character in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and there’s truly a Salem quote for every occasion.
On our TV screens from 1996 until 2003, Salem was a sassy black cat living with three witches, and very much the star of the show. If you need any more proof, Salem Saberhagen was voted the Kids’ Choice Awards “Favourite Animal Star” for three years in a row.
Salem’s magic was created from a mix of peak 90s animatronics, puppetry, and real feline ‘actors’. If our cats could talk, we have a feeling they’d sound something like Salem: “The sound of the can opener is the only thing that makes me feel truly alive.” If you’re ever having a rough day, may we recommend watching this video of Salem highlights.
Garfield
While we all know that cats are *technically* not supposed to eat lasagne, we can make an exception for Garfield. The famous feline creation of cartoonist Jim Davis debuted in 1978, and he’s been iconic ever since. Garfield loves food and sleeping, and hates Mondays—making him a deeply relatable star.
With an animated TV series running from the late 80s to the mid 90s, and multiple Garfield films (including those voiced by Bill Murray), he’s a pretty famous cat. The cartoon strip is still running, and as of 2013, held the Guinness World Record for most syndicated comic strip—appearing in over 2500 newspapers. That’s a lot of orange cat.
Top Cat
If the Top Cat theme tune isn’t already playing in your head, then you might as well skip this one. Top Cat, the cartoon about a gang of streetwise New York alley cats, was the creation of the Hanna-Barbera animation studio, which also produced Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones and Yogi Bear.
Unbelievably, only one season of Top Cat was ever made. It was originally deemed a ratings failure after it was first broadcast in the US in1961, but the BBC picked it up and it debuted on British TV in 1962—and was still being shown well into the 1990s!
The Cat in the Hat
Dr Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat was first published in 1957. It sold almost one million copies in the first three years after publication, and it’s gone on to become one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, making him a very famous cat indeed. It’s been translated into multiple different languages, including French, Polish, and even Latin.
The Cat, with his stripey top hat and bow tie, was played by Mike Myers in the 2003 film version of the book. He’s also appeared in various television series and specials, and even has his own ride at the Universal Studios theme park in Florida.
Puss in Boots
This Shrek scene-stealer may be the ultimate cat of the 2000s, and a quick poll of “who’s your favourite fictional cat” got a fair few Puss in Boots responses. But this cat’s story goes a lot further back. Starting out as an Italian fairytale, Puss in Boots first appeared in the 16th century before making his way into wider European culture.
After a starring role in the second Shrek film in 2004, Puss, voiced by Antonio Banderas, went on to star in more Shrek movies. He even got his very own film in 2011, and a spin-off Netflix TV series.
Tell us who we missed!
We’d love to know if you think we missed some classic cats, so get in touch with us and tell us your favourite fictional felines. And if you can’t get enough of cats on the big screen, take a look at our round up of spooky films featuring cats!
28/03/2022 by NatuTeam