Our 5 Favorite Animated Cat Characters!

What would we do without the furry little feline friends in our lives? Well, probably get a good night's sleep and not have to replace our furniture every 3 months, but we forgive them because nothing beats a purring little sleeping kitty nestled in your lap. So, in honor of and inspired by the new totally cute Apple TV+ original, Luck, about a black cat (voiced by Simon Pegg) accompanying the unluckiest person in the world in her journey to the Land of Luck, here are some of the most unforgettable and adorable animated cats from recent years!

1. The Cat from Coraline (2009)

The Cat is voiced by the iconic Keith David and serves as an ominous but playful warning to Coraline. The Cat is her guide to the Other World and is the first to warn her of the Other-Mother’s façade. Not quite as cute or comforting as other cats on the list, but The Cat is still a great character whose anthropomorphic tendencies are completely unforgettable and fit perfectly within the spooky world of Coraline.

2. Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Kiki’s pet cat Jiji made me completely jealous as a child. From the opening credits, when she asks him to turn on the radio for her while flying, it became my dream to have a magic little critter to assist me with day-to-day things. He is the sweetest little guy, and incredibly deserving of the cat-girlfriend he finds throughout the film. The credit scene of them and their kittens is everything.

3. Puss in Boots from Shrek 2 (2004)

First of all, let me just say is hands down the best Shrek movie, and that is a hill I am willing to die on. This film gifted us the incredible pop culture icon, Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas. Originally introduced as a villain, the little guy quickly becomes part of the crew, and from there he became a fan favorite. He appeared in the rest of the films, and even got his own movie back in 2011. The love for the character is alive and well, as he is getting another film this December, which looks fantastic. His character gives a whole new (and ironic) meaning to "puppy eyes".

4. Mr. Mittens from Soul (2020)

While not as memorable as other cats on the list, Mr. Mittens from the Pixar film Soul is adorably chonky. The little-big guy is Joe’s therapy cat, who patiently waits by his bedside. After a mix-up on his return, Joe ends up in Mr. Mitten’s body instead of his own. The mix-up is short-lived but still an amazing use of a furry friend. Mr. Mitten’s little cat-soul patiently waiting to be returned to its rightful body is one of the cutest things to come out of a recent Pixar film.

5. Cat-Bus from My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

I'll be honest, it was hard to refrain from filling this entire list just with Studio Ghibli cats, but it would be a crime to leave out the Cat-Bus from My Neighbor Totoro. Looming in size but naturally gleeful, the Cat-Bus is the epitome of the fantasy that blankets Ghibli stories and is one of the most unforgettable moments of a very memorable film. The Cat-Bus’s iconic imagery rivals even the titular character’s.

Who are your fave fictional felines? Luck is streaming now on Apple TV+.