If you look at all the best pets in Hollywood history, it doesn’t all that long to come up with a handful (or a few handfuls) of iconic cats from yesterday and today. However, while all the great movie dogs get a ton of attention, their feline counterparts don’t always get as much love. In fact, they’re often portrayed as the villain or the butt of a “nine lives” joke.
That said, let’s change the narrative by highlighting 32 amazing cats in Hollywood history, even if some of them are more than a little evil.
Jonesy (Alien)
Though there are some outrageous theories out there about this memorable movie cat being in cahoots with the Xenomorph, let’s not disparage the name of Alien’s Jonesy. This adorable and fearless orange tabby cat pulled off what most of the Nostromo crew failed to do in Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror classic: survive.
Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)
Voiced by the late Phil Hartman in the 1998 English dub of this iconic Studio Ghibli movie, Jiji was at the heart and center of Hayo Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. The sassy counterpart of the 13-year-old titular witch finding her way in the world, Jiji was there to keep the young girl on track while also providing some great moments along the way.
Sassy (Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey)
Cats rule and dogs drool, or at least that’s what Sassy, voiced by Sally Field, would lead you to believe in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. As her name implies, this furry heroine didn’t take crap from either of her canine companions, though she did come through for them on more than one occasion.
Garfield (The Garfield Cartoon, Movies, And Comics)
When it comes to iconic cats, few hold a lasagna-scented candle to Garfield. Yeah, he’s a grump and pretty much hates everything besides lasagna, his bed, and Grandma in Garfield’s Thanksgiving, but it’s all part of his charm.
Cat (Breakfast At Tiffany's)
Would Breakfast at Tiffany’s work without Holly Golightly's (Audrey Hepburn) cat? Yeah, more likely than not. However, this pesky, hungry, and adorable orange cat makes the 1961 romantic comedy so much more enjoyable.
Milo (The Adventures Of Milo And Otis)
Though The Adventures of Milo and Otis has been marred by controversy in the decades since its release, there’s no denying that Milo, the cat at the center of the film, is unforgettable. Again, probably for the wrong reasons, but so it goes.
Tonto (Harry And Tonto)
Harry and Tonto resulted in Art Carney winning the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 47th Academy Awards thanks to his portrayal of a man going on a road trip with his pet cat. That cat, Tonto, would end up being one of the most iconic movie pets of all time, thanks in part to looking fresh hitchhiking across the American landscape.
Jinx The Cat (Meet The Parents)
Was Jinx the cat a force of evil in Meet the Parents? Yeah, there’s no denying that. However, there’s also no denying the fact that Jack Byrnes’ (Robert De Niro) most-trusted family member is pretty much the most impressive cat in big-screen history. Like, this cat does its business in the toilet for crying out loud.
Ulysses (Inside Llewyn Davis)
No matter how many times we watch Inside Llewyn Davis, we cannot get enough of Ulysses, the cat Oscar Isaac’s down-on-his-luck folk singer brings along with him on his perilous odyssey. Pretty much the second lead of the film, this precocious little cat is always getting into mischief, as all cats should.
Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)
Though the cat that played Thackery Bink reportedly wasn’t the best co-star on the set of Hocus Pocus, let’s speak ill of this bewitched black cat. A boy trapped in a feline body, this beloved movie was always quick with a joke or nudge in the right direction.
Goose (Captain Marvel)
Okay, Goose isn’t technically a cat but a flerken, but you try telling that to everyone who fell in love with this intergalactic being in 2019’s Captain Marvel. If she can melt Nick Fury’s heart (even if her scratch led to him adopting his signature eyepatch) and pretty much everyone else in the movie, she’s more than deserving of a spot.
Mr. Bigglesworth (The Austin Powers Movies)
It’s not all that hard to feel bad for Mr. Bigglesworth, Dr. Evil’s cat from the Austin Powers movies. This guy started out as a long-haired Persian with a beautiful coat and ended up becoming some hairless hench-cat of a crazed madman. Despite his appearance, we’d still let him make biscuits.
Mrs. Norris (The Harry Potter Movies)
Though Mrs. Norris was a rather unpleasant cat that was often doing the bidding of Argus Finch in the Harry Potter movies, there’s still a place for her in the hall of cats. This evil feline was a stickler for the rules and looked cute despite being a pain in the butt.
Oliver (Oliver & Company)
An animated feline version of Oliver Twist? Say no more! The adorable kitten at the center of Oliver & Company managed to steal the show and our hearts, which was no easy task as he shared so much time on screen with a stray dog voiced by Billy Joel.
Puss In Boots (The Shrek And Puss In Boots Movies)
There’s so much to think about with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and much of that is to do with Antonio Banderas’ titular swashbuckling cat. Ever since the character was introduced back in Shrek 2, he’s found a way to entertain audiences with his infectious charm and enchanting nature. Plus, cats with beards should be more common.
DC (That Darn Cat)
That Darn Cat! is a classic Disney film that’s just as much fun watching in 2024 as it was in 1965, and a lot of that is because of DC the Cat. This wise Siamese cat becomes the center of a bank robbery investigation and finds a permanent place in our hearts for his heroics along the way.
Keanu (Keanu)
You know when an entire movie plot centers around someone trying to get their kitten back it’s going to be a good time. And that’s exactly what happens in this 2016 comedy starring Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. Plus, the cat is voiced by Keanu Reeves, which adds so much.
Don Corleone's Cat (The Godfather)
Though the unnamed cat in Don Corleone’s lap is only featured in one scene in The Godfather, the pet helps make that opening sequence one of the most iconic in all of cinema. Sometimes less is more, and that’s very much the case here.
Marlowe's Cat (The Long Goodbye)
Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye features what could be one of the best opening scenes in Hollywood history, and it all revolves around Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) finding his cat some food late at night, and that pretty much sets the tone of the friendship and the feline’s character.
Blofeld's Cat (From Russia With Love)
There have been countless villainous James Bond characters over the years, and that includes Blofeld’s cat, who appeared multiple times in the 007 movie timeline. With appearances in From Russia with Love to Spectre, this faithful feline has been there for the evil mastermind who’s constantly had a bone to pick with a certain MI6 agent.
Church (Pet Sematary)
Though not the best Stephen King adaptation, Pet Sematary does feature one of the prolific author’s most iconic characters: Church the Cat. Brought back to life after a tragic accident, the cat also known as Winston Churchhill is a force of pure evil in this 1989 horror classic and comes up with some diabolical ways to hurt (and kill) people.
The Entire Cat Cast (The Aristocats)
Everybody wants to be a cat, at least that’s what the feline cast in Disney’s The Aristocats wants you to believe. And guess what, they’re not wrong. The cats at the center of this timeless animated classic do it all, including stealing our hearts.
Jake (The Cat From Outer Space)
Jake, also known as Zunar-J-5/9 Doric 4-7, isn’t really a cat, but we’ll have to let it slide because pretty much everyone he meets in The Cat from Outer Space thinks he’s just a normal feline. This 1978 Disney flick sees the mysterious lifeform get in all kinds of trouble, looking cute the whole time.
Pyewacket (Bell, Book And Candle)
Not just a normal everyday Siamese cat, Pyewacket is a powerful (and adorable) supernatural entity in Bell, Book and Candle, the 1958 adaptation of the play of the same name. One of the best cases of “more than meets the eye,” Pyewacket is one of those iconic and memorable cats we just couldn’t stop thinking about, even if we wanted.
Buttercup (The Hunger Games Movies)
Though everyone is obsessed with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), and for good reason, we couldn’t not include Buttercup from The Hunger Games movies on this list. Sure, he’s not the most handsome of cats and doesn’t appear all that much, but there’s a certain charm that makes him unforgettable.
Tao (The Incredible Journey)
Based on the novel of the same name, The Incredible Journey follows three pets – Luath the labrador retriever, Bodger the bull terrier, and Tao the Siamese cat – as they go to great lengths to make their way back home. And while there are a lot of similarities with Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, essentially a star-studded remake, this 1963 Disney movie doesn’t need celebrity voices to make you fall in love with its pets. This is especially true for Tao, who comes through big on more than one occasion. Hunting, scouting, and putting his life on the line to save his canine friends are just part of his incredible feats.
The Alley Cats (Batman Returns)
Do the alley cats in Batman Returns have some mysterious powers? It seems to be that way, as they seemingly bring Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) back from the dead and transform her into Catwoman, one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. The anti-hero/villain who steals Bruce Wayne’s (Michael Keaton) heart while also pulling off some insane heists along the way, pretty much gets her powers (and nine lives) from this pack of mysterious strays.
Kovacs' Cat (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Though the cat belonging to Deputy Vilmos Kovacs (Jeff Goldblum) in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel suffers a rather sudden and unfortunate fate at the hands of J.G. Jopling (Willem Dafoe), he makes for an unforgettable big-screen feline in his limited screentime. We’re not saying the cat makes this one of Anderson’s best movies, but he certainly doesn’t hurt.
Mike Tyson's Tiger (The Hangover)
Cats come in all shapes and sizes, and that’s the case for Mike Tyson’s tiger in The Hangover. This massive apex predator makes for the perfect pet for the larger-than-life boxing legend and also leads to some of the funniest bits in the 2009 comedy. We just wish there was more of the tiger (and Iron Mike) to go around.
The Turkish Cats (Kedi)
Though technically a documentary and not a feature film, Kedi does feature some unforgettable cats. Set in Istanbul, the documentary follows the lives of thousands of street cats that live in the iconic city. Danger, cuteness, and a whole lot of heart can be found in this charming film.
Azrael the Cat (Doctor Sleep)
A cat that knows when people are about to cross over into the Great Beyond? Say no more. That’s the case for Azrael the Cat in Doctor Sleep, a mysterious and powerful feline that sits with dying patients, offering them slight comfort before they go to sleep for the final time.
Ser Pounce (Game Of Thrones)
The fate of Ser Pounce was left up in the air after Cersei went all crazy near the end of Game of Thrones, and we’re not sure he survived the attack on King’s Landing, but at least Tommen’s pet cat looked adorable while he was still around.
