Famous Cat Actors
Cats are an important part of many films and commercials, from Crookshanks in Harry Potter to Floyd from Gabby Cats. A cat actor needs to have a special degree of trainability, and a certain amount of boldness to make it on the big screen. Here are 3 cats who purred their way to fame in front of a camera.
Morris the Cat
Even if you’ve never owned a cat, you are probably familiar with Morris from the 9 Lives commercial. Morris was originally a cat rescued from a kill shelter hours before he was slated to be euthanized. Instead of being put down, he became the iconic face of the 9 Lives brand.
Although he has now passed on, he left behind a legacy. Thanks to his endearing qualities, all cats playing Morris must be a rescue cat.
Tiki
90s children loved the classic story “Homeward Bound,” a story about two dogs and a cat trying to make it home on a very long journey. This story was played by live animal actors, one of which was Tiki, the Himalayan who had to work alongside dogs during the movie.
Tiki had a rough start in life. She lived in a tiny cage at a cat mill, and was already having litters at just 1 ½ when she was transferred to the new owner. She was carrying a dead kitten at the time. It took 4 months before she would even come out from under the bed of the trainer, but she became the most “unflappable” cat the trainer ever owned.
This is part of why she was chosen for the role of working with two dogs on Homeward bound. She performed over 60 days in Oregon, just months after learning to like humans again.
Pebbles
Cats were an important part of the Harry Potter series, but none are more memorable than Pebbles, one of the tabby cats that played Mrs. Norris. When ever Mrs. Norris was needed to walk down the hallway, it is always Pebbles playing her.
Although Mrs. Norris was a girl, Pebbles was also the only female cat playing the role—one of 3 cats.
It takes a special kind of cat to be a good actor, and these wonderful pets truly made outstanding animal actors.
https://petfocus.ca/eastern-shore/famous-cat-actors-past-present/