The Hypo-Chondri-Cat (1950) User Reviews

This Is Offensive To Us Hypochondriacs!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 4 February 2007]

Hubie and Burt, two ratty-looking mice, spot some cheese inside and break into a home. (Actually, they just push the window up.) They enjoy the cheese while lounging at the fireplace. "Claude the Cat" them spots them, chases them, but then spots the open window and shuts in. The cat then runs back to its bed and gets out several medicines, saying "I hope I can't catch a cold with that draft, or pneumonia, or athlete's foot!

The cat obviously is a hypochondriac and the mice quickly catch on to that. They tell Claude he looks terrible, so the cat is shaking and feeling worse by the minute. They tell him he looks green, so the cat turns green. They tell him he looks purple, so Claude turns purple. One of the mice says he looks "plaid," so the cat turns plaid. "Don't overdo it," admonishes the smarter of the mice. You get the picture - it gets sillier as the mice pretend to be doctors and operate on the poor Claude, who thinks he's getting worse by the minute.

They put a sign on the cat's butt: "Danger! Men At Work: Excavating!" (Don't ask). As a hypochondriac myself, I was highly offended at this cartoon and the stereotype it portrayed of us poor suffering slobs.

Anyway, the mice don't really operate but pretend to, and the cat faints at the thought. The rest of the cartoon is Claude's dream and it is bizarre - and the best part of the seven minutes - with an even-stranger ending.

Overall, a very odd animated short.

Who?

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 25 October 2004]

I've never heard of Claude Cat but he's another one of those Cartoon cats who likes to chase after mice/birds but never gets them. Only this time there's a twist...he's a hypochondriac. Dumb mice Bertie and Hubie break into his house (so they are in the wrong!) in order to steal some cheese. Claude doesn't like this and gives chase. Only when he runs past the open window they came in from he gets a sudden chill and believes he might have pneumonia. Trust me, I've had it, and it's a lot worse than a sudden chill.

The mice pretend that Claude is dying and ending convincing him he has died a fake death. Since I have never seen Claude since watching this cartoon today I can only assume his weak personality and unaesthetic appearance only did send him to Cat Heaven forever.

poor cat

[movieman_kev · 7/10 · 24 November 2004]

A Hypochondriac Cat is endlessly tomented by two cruel mice. Thes mice are real assholes as they take advantage of the cats worrying and fears and for what? Just for a little bit of cheese. TThey're completely in the wrong here as they break into the house and whatnot. And by the way to a previous reviewer the cat doesn't think he has Pneumonia, just that he might catch a cold and then get it. If all this suggests that I disliked the cartoon, then I'm sorry that I gave the wrong impression as I did like it. This cartoon is on Disk 3 of the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1"

My Grade: B-

Classic, but sad, hilarious cartoon.

[rapt0r_claw-1 · 20 December 2003]

I love this cartoon! I don't remember too many Claude Cat cartoons, in fact I can't differentiate the events between the others. But this one sticks out. It's really funny visually, but the real hilarity is verbal. It makes me sad watching it, since the poor cat is defenseless against the sadistic and satanic Hubie and Bertie. It has the whole surgery routine, and Claude's dream is pretty freaky. But I guess he ends up happy in the end. By the way, what IS it with those mice? Claude hardly seems to do anything to them. Back to the visual comedy: Claude's expressions and his antagonists' gleeful and cruel expressions as each brainstorm hits and how their plot seamlessly unfolds are fantastic. Nice ending. Good to see it remastered, restored and uncut on the new Looney Tunes DVD. Looking forward to buying it. Highly recommended.

One of the darkest and saddest Warner Bros. cartoons but also completely hilarious

[phantom_tollbooth · 10/10 · 18 August 2008]

I've always been a big fan of black comedy so it's hardly surprising that Chuck Jones's Hubie and Bertie cartoons are amongst my favourite Warner creations. These fantastic shorts tackled such dark subjects as mental illness and attempted suicide but 'The Hypo-chondri-cat' is the grimmest of all, focusing on the big one; death itself. Pitted against their regular rival Claude Cat, a neurotic mess of a feline, the sadistic mice set about convincing him that he is fatally ill. This results in a terrific, nightmarishly surreal scene in which Claude visualizes himself being pursued by surgical equipment as he listens to Hubie and Bertie preparing to operate. When he comes round again is when the cartoon gets really cruel as the mice convince a terrified Claude that he didn't survive the operation. It's all very macabre but also hilarious in a deliciously sick way. The cartoon ends on a peaceful but troubling note with Claude still totally unaware he's not dead. With such dark subject matters, it's hardly surprising Hubie and Bertie didn't catch on with a 40s and 50s audience but these cartoons remain incredibly interesting and entertaining forgotten classics that give us a glimpse into the darker side of Warner animation. Riot!

It's Hubie and Bert!!!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 1 June 2014]

Among the least used but best characters Looney Tunes developed were Hubie and Bert--two extremely funny and sadistic little mice. Again and again, their cartoons make me laugh and I have no idea why they didn't make more. Perhaps audiences of the day didn't like how mean this pair was, but I thought their antics were hysterical.

"The Hypo-chondri-cat" is not their best appearance, but it's still classic Hubie and Bert. In this case, the pair wander into a house with a cat and are shocked to see that the cat is a hypochondriac and isn't a threat at all. So, they do what any mice would do--they torment the poor cat relentlessly!! They offer to help the cat with his fake illness but mostly just torture him and make the cat miserable. First, they tell them they're going to operate. Second, when the cat awakens, they've dressed him as an angel and the pair behave as if he's dead!! Third, and perhaps worst of all, they later say they CAN see him and offer to help him up to Heaven!! It's all a bit morbid and cruel--and that's exactly why I liked this one! Exceptional but I still prefer the one where Hubie and Bert convince another cat that he's living upside down--and you have to see this one to believe it!

Warner Bros. anticipates America's Middle Eastern Wars . . .

[oscaralbert · 8/10 · 17 February 2016]

. . . with its animated short, THE HYPO-CHONDRI-CAT. The title character here is a pampered Fat Cat, with nothing better to do than worry about its health. Since this inert malingerer can be mistaken for an Earthen Clod, Warner names it Claude Cat. It seems that Claude spends about 23 hours daily Cat-Napping. He devotes his remaining hour to popping pills and taking his own temperature. The biggest Terrorist Attack in his House's History happens on Claude's Watch, as multiple mice pry open a window and scarf down the Homeowner's lunch. Claude shuts the window, curls up back in bed, and yawns something that sounds a lot like, "Mission accomplished." However, the mice reopen the window and break out weapons of mass destruction, wielding WMDs such as saws, axes, and Acme Co. X-Ray machines. Being a yellow cat, Claude heads for the hills (probably under the pretense of "clearing brush"). The Rodent Terrorists convince Claude that he's died and should fly to Fat Cat Heaven. They tie a helium-filled red balloon around Claude's butt, and propel him toward the moon. About the only thing Warner Bros.' animators were not able to squeeze into their seven-minute prophecy is that Claude would return eight years later, pushing his brother Nod for the position of Head Fat Cat.

Claude Cat is expected to defend his home against . . .

[cricket30 · 8/10 · 5 August 2021]

. . . devious rodent invaders without so much as a pellet gun. Just because most cats do not possess over-rated "opposable thumbs," feline fanciers historically fail to adequately arm Mittens and Paws. While many Special Olympians are participating in the Tokyo shooting events this summer, firearms also can be modified to meet the special needs of our Persian, Calico and Siamese friends, as well. As Abe Lincoln famously remarked, "If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll chug down all your milk, but it you give him a musket ball between his eyes, he'll never harass you again."

Disturbing and Just Plain Cruel

[ceb35-633-162294 · 2/10 · 28 February 2018]

As a child this short shocked me terribly to the point that I can still "see" everything that was around me as I watched it in perfect detail. I thought that the mice had actually killed the cat, and so did my sister. While it could have been a funny short, the mice's plan doesn't really bring chuckles so much as winces and a feeling of discomfort. The surrealist, nightmarish images the poor cat sees as he's being "treated" are pretty scary for a kid, or a sensitive kid at least. The mice have the typical Looney Toons disregard for life, but somehow it seems like they take it up a notch or two. I love Looney Toons like crazy, but this just felt too sadistic. And then the ending, which convinced me that the mice had killed the cat...it was too much. This short has kind of a bad atmosphere to it and I don't personally recommend it. If you don't mind sadism in cartoon form, it is animated well enough, hence 2 stars.

A very strange cartoon

[slymusic · 17 June 2005]

In my opinion, "The Hypo-Chondri-Cat" is just an average, yet very bizarre, cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. The three characters in this short (Claude Cat, Hubie, and Bert) did not make it as real stars of the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, perhaps because of the weirdness of this cartoon. But I think the best aspects of this film are the vocal characterizations of the "man of a thousand voices": Mel Blanc.

Mel Blanc's voice adds to Claude's humor in his phobia about getting near an open window, about not knowing where Cat Heaven is, and about not being able to fly. Plus, Hubie and Bert take advantage of Claude by exclaiming that he is changing into some odd colors. And for some musical trivia, as the short opens with an exterior shot of the house that Hubie and Bert plan to invade while it is dark and stormy outside, the tune we hear is the popular "September in the Rain." As far as any humor goes, that's about it! The rest of the short is strange, involving a freakish dream sequence as Claude prepares for his operation. The final resolution is also odd, as Claude wears an angelic outfit with wings and simply accepts the fact that he's on his way to Cat Heaven.

"The Hypo-Chondri-Cat" is on Disc 3 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1 for those of you who would like to see it and judge for yourselves. It has its few good moments, but in my opinion it is not one of the better Warner Bros. cartoons.

The Hypo-Chondri-Cat is an odd masterpiece from Chuck Jones

[tavm · 10/10 · 8 January 2008]

Okay, this a Hubie and Bertie with Claude Cat cartoon. The two mice open an unlocked window and attempt to get some cheese. The cat chases them and then runs scared when he sees the open window. Turns out he's scared of catching a real bad cold. The mice take advantage of Claude's weakness with each taking turns saying which color the cat turns into next. "I see plaid!", says Bertie. They then pretend to operate on him before sending him to Cat Heaven. The end. While what the mice did to Claude can be construed as mean, at least the cat found some peace with his life as a result. It's to Chuck Jones' credit that he makes us care for all three characters even despite the odd behaviors of all three characters. Highly recommended.

the flip side of health care

[lee_eisenberg · 8/10 · 22 December 2006]

I swear that Hubie and Bertie get downright nasty when trying to expel Claude from the house that they want to inhabit (they also did in "Mouse Wreckers"). In this case, they play off of Claude's cryophobia to perform what he thinks is a lethal operation on him. I wonder why they can't just try and negotiate with him; if that cat's so afraid of the cold, couldn't he be willing to hold talks with a pair of wise guy mice? Oh well. "The Hypo-Chondri-Cat" is still a pretty funny cartoon, even if it is a little weird what Hubie and Bertie end up doing to Claude. Still, my favorite Hubie and Bertie-Claude pairing is "Cheese Chasers".

This Warner Bros. short cartoon is much better combined with its . . .

[pixrox1 · 8/10 · 11 March 2016]

. . . storyboards than it is by itself. On the 2003 two-disc DVD set, Looney Tunes Mouse Chronicles: The Chuck Jones Collection, one of the options under the Bonus Features menu is titled THE HYPO-CHONDRI-CAT STORYBOARD REEL. This version of the cartoon jumps back and forth between the finished product and the colored pencil drawings or storyboards used to guide the animation team in fleshing out the basic story line. Since Hubie, Bertie, and Claude all are fairly irritating personalities, seeing less of THEM in an animated form, with maybe half of the eight-minute running time here given over to reducing them to line drawings, will constitute a vast improvement for many. Naturally, students of Classic Animation also will lap up this dose of Behind-the-Scenes. This is one of several cartoons in this set for which Warner also offers an alternate commentator's soundtrack--in this case, voiced by Looney Historian Jerry Beck. Finally, if you keep clicking on the "More" button at the end of the Disc Two Bonus Features menu, you'll find a total of 11 complete animated shorts NOT listed on this disc's Main Menu.

Not as good as 'Cheese Chasers' and 'Mouse Wreckers', still fantastic

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 19 June 2016]

There are not many Hubie and Bertie cartoons around, and it's a shame. As well as hilarious and well-made they are wonderfully disturbing and deal with daring and dark subjects, especially this and 'Cheese Chasers' without ever trivialising.

While not their best cartoon, 'Cheese Chasers' and 'Mouse Wreckers' are superior, 'The Hypo-Chondri-Cat' is still fantastic.

It contains excellent animation, very like in 'Cheese Chasers' and 'Mouse Wreckers'. Attention to detail is meticulous, the colours are rich and vibrant and the characters are designed in a way that's distinctively Chuck Jones. Music from Carl Stalling always elevates cartoons he composes for to a higher level, have always said that he's my favourite of the regular Looney Tunes composers and he rarely puts a foot wrong and I don't think any differently still.

Here in 'The Hypo-Chondri-Cat', the orchestration is clever, rich and luscious, the energy, character and appropriately dark atmosphere are evident throughout and it not only fits with what's going on but adds to it.

Reviewers have commented on its very dark nature, and it's true that 'The Hypo-Chondri-Cat' is the grimmest and saddest of the Hubie and Bertie cartoons, not just the sometimes disturbing execution but the subject matter itself. That said, it is also very funny and entertaining, with the usual razor sharp wittiness and imaginative gags. The dream sequence is wonderfully surreal, and is as nightmarish to the cartoon's viewers as it is to Claude.

Even with the Hubie and Bertie cartoons adopting a bold twist on the cat and mouse dynamic, with the mice being the antagonists and the cat the victims, Hubie and Bertie are colourful and appealing characters and one does feel immense sympathy for poor Claude. Nothing to complain about with the vocal characterisations either.

Overall, fantastic cartoon though not my favourite of their cartoons. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Fun Short

[Michael_Elliott · 19 April 2009]

Hypo-Chondri-Cat, The (1950)

*** (out of 4)

The cat Claude is chasing mice Hubie and Bertie when he passes an open window and fears he's going to get sick. The cat, terrified of colds, soon starts to freak out when the mice make it seem like he's about to die. This is certainly middle ground Merrie Melodies but it's still got enough charm to make it worth sitting through. This is a rather mean-spirited short, which is why many people like it. I think it gives the short a certain edge that makes it worth watching but at the same time you can't help but feel sorry for this cat who is clearly terrified out of his wits. None of the three characters were all that strong. They weren't bad but they just weren't characters that I'd sit through various shorts with. Fans of animation will certainly want to check this out even though it's not the best of what's out there.

Not my favorite, but a classic for sure

[griffin84 · 30 October 2003]

I first saw this cartoon when I was a little kid, and naturally, I had no idea what was going on. I was utterly clueless that Claude the Cat has hypochondria and that Bert & Hubie decide to take advantage of it to their full potential. In a way, the whole cartoon is really sad, and Claude's dream sure has the potential to freak out any young child. Of course, for those of us who do understand hypochondria and know how Claude thinks that he has every disease known to man, it's a laugh riot.