Perhaps you don’t have your own house cat for company during this Coronavirus pandemic? Or maybe your cat is having to stay at someone else’s house for quarantine? I hope that these 10 animated shorts and cartoon show episodes featuring fluffy felines lift your spirits!

FARFALLA

If you want to switch your mind off right now, then maybe Farfalla is for you? It’s just a cat chasing a butterfly! The gorgeous cat is authentically animated with feline elegance. The butterfly is a pretty little thing that flutters like an angel and sparkles in the sunset light. The cherry on top has to be the French street backgrounds and exotic music; they’ll make you feel like you’re on holiday! ^_^

“FUTURAMA” – THAT DARN KATZ

In this Season 6 episode of the Sci-Fi sitcom “Futurama”, a race of evil alien cats try to steal Earth’s rotation using the Planet Express boiler room. With most employees under the cats’ spell, it’s up to Amy and Nibbler to save the world.

Even when cats are put in the role of villainy, they can still be undeniably cute! Throw in our favourite fluffy Nibblonian for good measure, and you get one adorable episode of Futurama.

Of course, the whole feline conspiracy premise has been done before (most notably the family film “Cats & Dogs”), but this episode expands on the concept by making it a more galactic sized threat.

PETALS

This animated short follows two anthropomorphic little girls. An idealistic bunny called Pan, and a cynical cat named Robin. Who try to chase down a flower in a wagon that’s rolling down the hill.

What makes “Petals” so sweet, is how these two polar opposite characters cross paths. Robin has destructive interest in the plant, but Pan sees the the flower as a glimmer of hope for the burned down local forest, and the former must understand Pan’s mission.

The comic animation is really well timed and full of cute little anime-esque nuances. Both girls’ distinctive personalities are vividly illustrated in every frame too. While the premise might sound like a preachy environmental lecture, it’s more about how this violent little kitty girl comes to appreciate Pan’s nature-loving sentiments.

“RECESS” – OPERATION STUART

In this episode of Disney’s Recess, Mikey finds a poor tattered cat that he names Stuart, and he tries to keep it a secret from the teachers, but all the other students want to play with it too. Everyone is eager to use the cat for their own purpose, and no one will stop to realise what the kitty itself needs.

Stuart may not be the most beautiful cat, but it’s terrible state will make you pity it, and it’s still a sweet innocent animal at the end of the day. Most of the episode’s story focuses on different characters’ ideas for what the cat can be to them. However, the episode ends on a surprising nice twist that I won’t spoil.

DECAF

“Decaf” is about a dog giving a kitten coffee to wake him up, but the kitty becomes addicted to the caffeine! On the surface, this is just a funny cartoon about a pug dealing with a dementedly hyper baby cat. However, it’s also the tale of a pug dealing with how coffee dependence changes his best friend – and this doggo maybe feeling guilty for introducing the java.

You can either appreciate it as a goofy cat vs. dog animation, or find valuable meaning to it’s profound message of supporting a self-abusive pal. Both interpretations are completely valid! As long as it brings a smile to your face then I’ll be happy for suggesting it.

“HEY ARNOLD!” – HAROLD’S KITTY

In this “Hey Arnold!” episode, Harold finds a lost kitten, and he becomes very attached to it. When it’s owner is found though, Harold refuses to give up his new best friend.

The kitty in this episode is too cute for words. Just so darn cute. The major appeal of the episode though is the friendship between Harold and the kitten. Harold always puts on a tough guy exterior, but this pet and boy relationships touches on his softer side.

The episode does get a bit crazy once Harold keeps the cat hostage, but don’t worry, a solution that benefits everyone is found, and you’ll leave this episode feeling really warm inside.

THE CAT’S MEOW

In this cartoon, a cat has made it’s owner’s beret hat into their bed, and the two fight over ownership. The whole comedic dynamic of this short comes from the human’s advantages over his cat, but also how said kitty turns the tables on him.

It’s also just really cute seeing a cat being THIS possessive of a simple little hat. Sometimes pets can be really difficult to cooperate with, and I think that “The Cat’s Meow” nails the hardship of getting back something claimed by a domestic animal.

FEED THE KITTY

This Chuck Jones short features a dog called Marc Anthony befriending a homeless kitten called Pussyfoot. When Marc takes his new pet home though, he is afraid if his owner will refuse to let him keep the little fluff-ball.

This is one the most wholesome Merry Melodies cartoons ever made. Most of the short is all about how Marc Anthony tries desperately hard to hide Pussyfoot from his Mom. However, underneath all of these comical sketches is a big heart.

The friendship bonded between these two animals is what makes this cartoon special. A charming friendship that’s founded on Marc Anthony’s protective need to look after his new pal. Everything does lead to one big misunderstanding that’ll tug at your heartstrings, but rest assured that it’s a happy ending!

“THE WILD THORNBERRYS” – THE TEMPLE OF ELIZA

Perhaps you are more in the mood for a cartoon about BIG cats? Especially after maybe marathoning Tiger King on Netflix! Well, there’s a bunch of episodes of “The Wild Thornberrys” that feature these kinds of cats. One example is an episode titled “The Temple of Eliza”.

Eliza feels ignored by her very distracted family. So, after winning over the trust and interest of a pack of jaguars, she convinces all these big cats that she’s a sacred princess to them.

It’s quite interesting to see the usually righteous Eliza conning the animals that she can talk too, showing that she does have a devious side if a void needs filling. If Eliza always did the right thing, then she’d be too perfect, less relatable, and one dimensional.

When someone feels neglected by those around them, they can end up going to extreme lengths to find ANY kind of attention. These jaguars are very susceptible to Eliza’s lies, because humanity is so alien to them, and this leads to a psychological dependence. Of course, she does eventually learn her lesson!

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE THREE DIABLOS

The biggest budgeted cartoon on this list, “The Three Diablos” is an animated short spin off of Dreamworks’ “Puss in Boots” movie. The story follows Puss on a mission to retrieve a crown jewel from a crook called “The Whisperer”, with royally assigned help from the Whisperer’s hench-kitties.

These kittens are perhaps the most fluffy and adorable cats out of all the cartoons in this list. Yes, they are little brats when we first meet them, but we learn about a tragic reason why these kitties are so misguided, and Puss becomes their role model for being better cats.

Puss is once again his usual charming self, backed by the charismatic voice of Antonio Banderas. His bond with the kittens is the heart of the short, because he is a light in the darkness for their lost childhoods, and someone who genuinely wants to raise them better.

The Whisperer himself may have the one joke of talking too quietly, but he makes for a very menacing antagonist! It’s clear that he abuses his hench-kitties, which is what makes us resent him beyond being a thief. I do also like that Puss does TRY to show this criminal mercy, because he’s the bigger person in spite of the Whisperer’s evil.

______________________________________________________________________________

Well, that’s my list! I hope you enjoyed reading it. If a cartoon featuring cats din’t make it into my recommendations, please know that it wasn’t done out of ignorance or neglect. This is less of a definitive “best of” countdown, and more of a random selection of suggestions for cat lovers. If you have any suggestions yourself, feel free to comment them below! Also, if you’re a dog fan, maybe check out my new review of Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright ^_^