Throughout history, there have been many famous cats, from movie and television cat-actors to the famous felines of the internet age. From the witty and endearing Mr. Jinx in Meet the Parents to Hemingway’s famous six-toed cats, and every YouTube sensation and meme in between. Here are 10 famous cats to read about right meow!
1. Grumpy Cat
With a face that launched a thousand memes, Grumpy Cat, real name “Tardar Sauce”, became an overnight celebrity back in 2012. Known for her less-than-thrilled facial expressions, Grumpy Cat’s rise to fame started on Reddit. A now famous photo of her unique expression was posted and quickly turned into countless memes.
Grumpy Cat’s distinct appearance was due to a form of feline dwarfism, and although she consistently looked bothered, she was reportedly a normal, happy cat. Grumpy Cat’s fanbase had grown to millions on social media, and she even made press appearances.
Unfortunately, Grumpy Cat passed away in 2019, but her legacy lives on. She is still one of the most “memed” cats to this day. Official Grumpy Cat merchandise is still available on her website, much to the delight of everyone who enjoyed her adorable signature frown.
2. Morris the Cat
An icon since 1968, Morris the Cat has been played by 3 different cats over the years. Always an orange tabby and always a rescue! The first Morris came from a Humane Society in Chicago and quickly became the beloved mascot of the 9 Lives Brand. Morris has starred in 58 television commercials.
With the help of Morris, 9 Lives has led many successful adoption and food donation campaigns for cats in need. Morris continues to be the 9 Lives mascot and bring awareness to cat adoption.
3. Mr. Jinx from Meet the Parents
The beloved sidekick of Robert DeNiro’s character in Meet the Parents, Mr. Jinx became an early 2000s icon. Played by two Himalayan cats, Bailey and Misha, the Mr. Jinx character was central to many of the hilarious moments of the movie.
Robert DeNiro reportedly liked interacting with the cats so much that he requested they be in more scenes. Mr. Jinx received a star on the Animal Actors Walk of Fame at Universal Studios Hollywood.
4. Mr. Bigglesworth From Austin Powers
Mr. Bigglesworth was Dr. Evil’s notorious partner-in-crime in the Austin Powers film trilogy. He was memorably portrayed by a hairless Sphynx named “Ted Nude-Gent”. Instantly stealing every scene he was in, Mr. Bigglesworth became a pop icon in the late 1990s. Merchandise featuring the stone-faced hairless cat became a huge hit with stuffed toys being a popular accessory to the Dr. Evil Halloween costume.
5. Goose from Captain Marvel
Half cat, half alien, Goose was a beloved character in the Marvel Comic Books long before making a debut on the big screen. In 2019, Goose came to life by way of an orange tabby named Reggie in the film Captain Marvel. Reggie did an excellent job portraying the witty extraterrestrial feline. CGI versions of Reggie were created for his alien transformation sequences.
Goose merchandise became wildly popular including a series of figurines documenting his transformation to “flerken”.
6. Bandit from the Office
While Bandit had many appearances on The Office as one of Angela’s several cats, he is most known for the infamous fire drill episode. In one scene, Angela erratically tosses Bandit into an open ceiling tile during a fire, only for him to fall back out from another tile. Of course, no real cats were harmed and the Bandit we see being thrown was a prop. Bandit was portrayed by several different domestic shorthair cats throughout the show’s run.
The “Save Bandit” scene was famously memed, parodied, and even emblazoned on t-shirts. In 2018, much to the delight of fans, Angela and Oscar from The Office recreated the famous scene during a baking show.
7. Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus
Perhaps the most endearing character of the 90s cult classic, Hocus Pocus, Thackery Binx has been a fan favorite for 3 decades now! The legendary talking cat was a human character trapped in a cat’s body by witches. Thackery became the scene-stealing sidekick and confidant of the film's lead characters as they fought to stop the witches.
Thackery was played by 8 different black cats as well as a lot of CGI for his talking scenes. Hocus Pocus and Thackery Binx pick up new fans every year as the movie is often replayed around Halloween.
8. Crookshanks from Harry Potter
In the Harry Potter Franchise, Hermione’s clever cat Crookshanks became one of the most well-known and well-loved characters. Featured in several movies of the series, Crookshanks was the unsung hero of Hogwarts.
Crookshanks was played by two red Persian cats, Pumpkin and Crackerjack. Replicas of Crookshanks are prominently featured at the Magical Menagerie in Universal Studios, mirroring where Hermione first met him in the film.
9. The Hemingway Cats
The Hemingway Estate in Key West was famously home to world-renowned writer, Ernest Hemingway, but it is also famous for another reason, its cats! The cats at the Hemingway Home all share the rare characteristic of being polydactyl. These six-toed cats are descendants of Ernest Hemingway’s original cat, Snow White. Gifted to Hemingway as a kitten in 1935, Snow White was believed to be the first polydactyl cat on the island.
Hemingway was very fond of his cats and had many over the years. About 60 cats still roam the Hemingway grounds and are cared for by his estate. Although the Hemingway cats are spayed and neutered, new polydactyls do show up from time to time due to the overall population throughout the island.
10. Cole and Marmalade
If there’s one thing the internet loves, it’s cat videos, and this adorable duo delivers! Cole and Marmalade have amassed over 1.4 million followers on YouTube and have grown into a full-fledged brand. The hilarious hijinks of Cole and Marmalade have brought smiles to millions across the world as well as raised awareness for cat rescue. They even have their own unique line of merchandise.
You can’t watch a Cole and Marmalade video and not smile, it’s virtually impossible!
