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Feed the Kitty (1952) More at IMDbPro »

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33 comments in total

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Chuck Jones is a genius, and this is one of his many masterpieces., 20 November 2001
Author: TC Raymond from England

This cartoon isn't shown on television enough. It's one of those fantastic 'once seen, never forgotten' shorts that everyone should watch and enjoy. Chuck Jones, one of the true animation legends, takes a very simple premise and turns it into seven minutes of absolute joy. A huge, slobbering thug of a bulldog (naturally named Mark Anthony!) encounters an adorable black and white kitten, which he initially tries to terrorize. The kitten, however, is just too naive and trusting to be scared, and responds to the threat with pure and simple affection. Against logic, his instincts and most of all nature, the bulldog falls hopelessly in love with the kitten and a relationship develops that is both very touching and hilariously funny. There are three facial expressions in this cartoon I can't forget. Firstly, the dog's face when the kitten gives him a delicate little lick. Secondly, the exquisite look of agony when the kitten claws his back. Finally, and perhaps most memorably, the priceless "Who, me?!" look Mark Anthony gives his owner just after he hides the kitten in the kitchen. Apparently, Jones re-drew this expression fifty-three times (!) before he was happy with it! Perfectionism, the like of which we shall probably never see again. Brilliant from start to finish.

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Best 6-minute cartoon ever, 2 July 2001

Author: mreisman (mreisman@prodigy.net) from New York, NY

Chuck Jones has finally been given proper credit for his enormous contribution to animation, from Bugs Bunny to the Grinch, but not everyone is aware of this 6-minute gem which doesn't feature any of the famous WB characters. "Feed the Kitty" is a simple play on the dog/cat cartoon rivalry: a gruff bulldog named Marc Anthony unexpectedly falls in love with a little fluffy kitten. Simple enough concept, but the range of emotion expressed by this silly dog trying to protect his "pet" makes me laugh and cry upon each viewing. I'm given to superlative language when discussing Chuck Jones, but I honestly think it's the most wonderful 6 minutes of animation you're likely to see.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Not That Humorous, But Very Touching, 4 February 2007

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

"Marc Anthony," the big, brutish-looking-but sensitive bulldog, has a new friend, a tiny little kitty who makes a "home" by sleeping on Anthony's back. The big dog takes a shine to the little one and then protects him as he gets, or seems to get, into domestic trouble.

The homemaker in the house makes it clear early on to the dog that she doesn't want him bringing anything into the house. The dog thinks he has to hide the cat, but the little animal gets loose and gets into various predicaments. While trying to hide the identify of the cat or save him being being in the mix-master and being made into a cookie, the dog is always pestering the woman and getting admonished. I read somewhere where this cat was in subsequent cartoons and named "Pussyfoot."

The beginnings of this animated short were both touching and very funny. Then, the one- joke story started to drag a bit until Marc Anthony thought the cat was killed a cried a river of tears, which actually was funny. (I've never a dog cry or sweat like this dog!) They even showed the poor dog's bloodshot eyes after his crying spell!

Another very funny touch was when the dog came back in the house and was given a cookie by the woman. He thought it was the poor little cat-made into-a cookie and placed it on his back where Pussyfoot laid before. This is one sensitive, caring dog! The end of this is more of the same - more touching and sweet than humor - but it was nice to see.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the Best Films, Long or Short, of All Time. (Yes, I'm Serious.), 21 September 2001

Author: MadReviewer from Oldwick, NJ

"Feed the Kitty" is possibly one of the best stories ever captured on film, whether it be full-length feature or short subject, live-action or animated. In seven minutes, it spins effortlessly between being laugh-out-loud funny, heartbreakingly sad, and tenderly sweet. The relationship between the little kitty Pussyfoot and the gruff guard dog Marc Anthony is magic, infinitely better than some of the relationships in so-called "serious" motion pictures. Pure, unadulterated genius almost seems an inadequate description of "Feed the Kitty" . . . but it'll have to do. It's simply one of the best films ever made. If you ever wanted to know why director Chuck Jones is held in such high regard by the likes of Spielberg, Lucas, and Scorsese (to name just a few), look no further than this little gem. This is absolutely a must-watch piece of animation.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Must watch., 11 June 2005
Author: Will_Kane from Canada

Absolutely, one of the finest cartoons of all time. Your life would not be complete without watching Feed the Kitty. This short combines all the finest elements that make a Looney Tunes cartoon great. Comedy, drama, action. And the best part, you're drawn in not just by how adorable the kitty is, but also including the Oscar worthy performance of Marc Anthony and the great lengths he goes through to keep his friend out of harm's way.

Dangerous Marc Anthony meets a kitten and is smitten by its charms.

This cartoon is perfect. I look at the IMDb website and there is no link to the 'Awards & Nominations' section and I shake my head in grief. Warner Bros. has always had its icons in Bugs and Daffy but it was the little cartoons such as One Froggy Evening and Feed the Kitty that made Looney Tunes the rightful great it is today. I feel deep down that this short should get some recognition today, and it is an absolute must watch, for anyone, for all ages. It never gets old with each viewing.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Cats and Dogs, 30 October 2004

Author: Shawn Watson (gator_macready@yahoo.com) from The Underverse

For anyone who foolishly believes that canines and felines hate each other then perhaps this cartoon will sway your mind. Never before have a kitty and doggy gotten on so well.

It marks the first appearance of Pussyfoot and the curiously named Marc Anthony, a massive bulldog who goes through hell to protect cute little cat who constantly, walks into danger unawares. I find the idea of a dog having a pet of his own utterly charming and funny.

The animation and backgrounds echo Tom and Jerry rather than Looney Tunes, but for 2 lesser characters Pussyfoot and Marc Anthony make for a great twosome.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
I absolutely ADORE this cartoon! My favorite WB cartoon of all time..., 17 August 2002

Author: domenicarose from United States

I had the unexpected treat of seeing this short animated masterpiece on the big screen several years ago while at one of Spike & Mike's Festivals of Animation in San Francisco. All of a sudden, in the middle of the repertoire of recently made amateur and obscure animated shorts, the 40's/50's era Warner Brothers'/Looney Tunes cartoon short intro flashed on the screen. I could immediately sense the surprised hushes and confused murmurs of most of the audience members because vintage "mainstream" shorts weren't the usual fare for these shows. However, the surprised and confused reactions gradually turned into joyful enthusiasm as I and the rest of the audience members finally recognized which particular vintage Looney Tunes short this was... 'Feed the Kitty.' Sure, a lot of us probably didn't remember it merely by the title as it showed on the screen, but as soon as I saw the beloved slobbery bulldog (Marc Anthony) I knew!!! (-: I was also overjoyed that I could see this on a big screen in all its original theatrical glory of the era in which it was created. This gem is utterly timeless! I know that most everyone in that audience that night at the animation fest, along with myself, were instantly transported back to the time when they first saw this cartoon and how much it touched them then. I myself am a huge lover of kitties ever since childhood so when I first saw this cartoon on T.V. as a young child, I know it must have made me laugh tremendously and melted my heart then. Seeing it at the fest was so wonderful because I believe that it was the first time I'd seen it since I was a child in the 70's and I'd nearly forgotten about it up until that point. But ever since seeing it again that night, it definitely re-captivated me. It's such a charming, adorable, and hilarious feature for all ages. That dog's facial expressions are priceless! I'll never forget this one. It's for all ages. Chuck Jones R.I.P... what a genius!

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
A Short That's Beautiful, 1 January 2001

Author: ronnie from United States

An expressive bull-dog becomes attached to a furry black kitten, but chaos threatens to separate them. I glimpsed this on a tribute to the director, Chuck Jones. The dog is so real-acting and animated (sorry about the pun) that the ending will have you in tears. This is a classic that MUST be released on DVD, along with the other brilliant Warner Brothers cartoons of the 1940s and 1950s.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Just a wonderful piece of cartoon work, 18 April 2005

Author: rpatrick100 from United States

Marc Antony the bulldog sees and barks ferociously at a tiny kitten who completely ignores his display of bravado, eventually winning him over. Marc Antony had been warned by the lady of the house to not bring a single thing home and when he shows up with he kitten on his back, a series of misunderstandings leads him to believe his little friend has been baked into a plate of cookies being made by his master. I had never forgotten about this wonderful little cartoon and had a wonderful moment with an ex girlfriend when we both remembered it after neither of us having seen it for decades. I agree with the previous reviewer...just an outstanding sweet little gem of animation.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Chuck Jones Directorial Tour-de-force, 23 September 2003
Author: Michael Daly (fanstp43@aol.com) from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Warning - spoilers.

Spoilers are necessary to best analyze the strengths of this, one of Chuck Jones' directorial tours-de-force; indeed, as is so often the case, reviews of Chuck Jones' work cannot do it justice without provision of some details in certain key scenes.

Two large blue eyes stare out of the darkness - of a small tin can from which emerges a gorgeous little kitten (not named in the film but referred to as Pussyfoot in subsequent reviews). Seeing the seemingly helpless feline, bulldog Marc Anthony charges forth, roaring and barking with savage aplomb - and to no avail as Pussyfoot calmly coos at him. Jones scores his first bullseye with Marc Anthony's hilarious reaction to Pussyfoot's calmness, then cuts back to savage growling. Pussyfoot, however, calmly walks onto Marc Anthony's back, makes himself at home (Jones delights in the hilarious shots of Pussyfoot digging into the fur on Marc Anthony's back and the dog's pained expressions before the feline goes to comforting sleep), and Marc Anthony is immediately smitten, especially when Pussyfoot gives him a loving link.

But Marc Anthony's guardian is displeased with the tattered objects her dog frequently brings home, and warns him not to bring any additional objects within. Thus is Marc Anthony compelled to hide Pussyfoot from his guardian, but the engaging kitten has a mind of his own and the result is several incidents - funniest of all is the cereal bowl mistaken for a mouse that turns up a real mouse while Pussyfoot calmly eats out of Marc Anthony's bowl; when the dog realizes what's happening, the expressions by the mouse and the dog are hilarious.

But then the cartoon becomes more dramatic when Pussyfoot is hidden in a container of flour - that Marc Anthony's guardian is mixing for cookies. When the dog tries to stop her she throws him out for the afternoon and finishes making cookies. Marc Anthony watches in horror as the dough is mixed and chopped into cookies - unaware that Pussyfoot has calmly escaped and is cleaning himself in safety; that we are witnesses to the kitten's safe escape does nothing to reassure the audience as Marc Anthony breaks down in very real tears, leaving the audience genuinely shaken as if the kitten really was destroyed - especially cutting is the scene when the guardian gives Marc Anthony a cookie in the shape of a kitten, which only reminds the be-grieved dog of what he's lost all the more painfully.

Thus do Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese engage the audience on far more than two levels to make these cartoons compelling viewing. Just when you think this will be another comedic effort, you find it is a genuinely emotional act of storytelling.

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