A Man's Best Friend Is His Cat (24 Nov. 1973)

Sir Geoffrey and his wife are visiting her mother and he asks Duncan to look after his cat, Thomas, which wees everywhere and is not good-natured. Thomas gets put with the lab animals and ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Wallis

Writers:

George Layton, Jonathan Lynn

Stars:

Robin Nedwell, George Layton, Ernest Clark

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Robin Nedwell	...	Dr. Duncan Waring
George Layton	...	Dr. Paul Collier
Ernest Clark	...	Professor Sir Geoffrey Loftus
Harriet Philpin	...	Nurse
Desmond Jones	...	Patient
Bisi George	...	Sister
Joan Benham	...	Lady Elizabeth Loftus
Azad Ali	...	Ahmed
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maurice Bush	...	Patient

Storyline

Sir Geoffrey and his wife are visiting her mother and he asks Duncan to look after his cat, Thomas, which wees everywhere and is not good-natured. Thomas gets put with the lab animals and Duncan assumes he has been taken away for experimentation. He buys a replacement cat but Sir Geoffrey claims this is not his Thomas. Thomas is saved, making Sir Geoffrey think again about animal tests, but, oddly, gives birth to kittens. Lady Loftus explains that the first Thomas died and she replaced him behind her husband's back, unaware that this cat was a different sex.

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Details

Release Date:

24 November 1973 (UK)

Company Credits

User Reviews

The Mystery Of The Missing Moggy!

Loftus plans on looking after his sick mother-in-law for a few days, and unwisely entrusts the care of his pet tabby cat, Thomas, to Duncan.

Duncan grows fed up with the animal urinating in his room, and places it amongst animals to be used for experimentation.

On finding Thomas' cage empty, he and Paul assume the worst.

When Loftus returns, they present him with a different cat, but the surgeon immediately knows it isn't Thomas...

The controversial issue of animal experimentation is touched upon here. Loftus is in favour of it at first, but after he thinks Thomas has expired in the name of medical science, changes his mind. This was made as the animal rights movement was beginning to get established in Britain.

Azad Ali appears as a stereotypical Indian Doctor, replete with waggling head. He does not say 'goodness, gracious me' but you expect him to. Ali would later appear in the Hylda Baker sitcom 'Not On Your Nellie'.

Ernest Clark gets to show a more human side to 'Loftus' in this episode. When he thinks his cat is dead, he is genuinely upset. Its a pity the studio audience spoils his fine performance by tittering in all the wrong places.

Despite the uncomfortable nature of the subject matter, there's a nice happy ending.

Funniest moment - Duncan pretending to be a dog in the cat's presence!