Famous Pet Cats

They say a man’s best friend is his dog, but it turns out cats are just as valuable to many people. And on top of that, a few notable cats have risen to fame thanks to TV shows and movies.  These cats are as charming as can be and have captured the hearts of audiences all over the country, and even the world.

Famous Cats

Mr. Bigglesworth

If you’ve ever seen the Austin Powers movies, you probably fell in love with Dr. Evil’s cat, Mr. Bigglesworth. Though the character was a tabby cat, the role of Mr. Bigglesworth was played by a Sphynx cat. He was left hairless after spending time in a cryonic capsule.

One of the reasons they chose a Sphynx cat to play that role is that they are more trainable than other breeds. They are also better at socializing with people. In fact, Mr. Bigglesworth (real name: Ted Nudegent,) had a particular fondness for Mike Myers. This resulted in the movie taking longer to film than anticipated, due to the many naps Ted Nudegent took on Mike’s lap.

Jones

Though most people think of Ripley when they think of the movie Alien, Jones comes to mind almost as quickly. As the resident cat in the movie, this feline has a worldwide fan base. He was owned by the Nostromo crew and worked to keep the ship free of rodents. The role of Jones was played by a curious ginger tomcat. Jones was so popular with fans that he also made an appearance in Aliens, the second movie in the franchise.

Fans have long speculated about the real purpose of Jones’ presence in the movies. While some believe he was there to help the xenomorph, others are convinced that Jones is meant to be the feline version of Ridley Scott. One could argue that this tomcat was perfect for the movie because the small mass and size of his body meant he could go virtually anywhere on the ship, including its hypersleep capsule.

However, he wasn’t the only one who played the role. In total, it took four cats to film all of Jones’ scenes. Each of the four cats they used served a different purpose, with one being used for scenes where the cat had to hiss, and another being used for scenes where Jones was running around the ship. The fourth cat was used for the scenes where an actor had to hold Jones in their arms.

But being cats, they didn’t always cooperate with the director. In fact, it’s been said that one scene may have been cut from the special edition of Aliens because Jones was supposed to pounce on a bird and kill it. To do this, the cat would have had to jump up and hit a wall, something that was never actually accomplished.

In Aliens, the cat that played Jones was really named Boris. His main job when filming the movie was hissing when a scene called for it. This was said to be his strong point because he was described by the movie’s crew as being horrible.

Mrs. Norris

Fans of the Harry Potter books and movies should remember Mr. Filch’s cat, Mrs. Norris. Though five different cats played the role, all five of them were Maine Coon cats. There is a discrepancy between the books and the movies though, because, in the books, Mrs. Norris was described as having fur the color of dust, bulging eyes, and a skinny body. Since this is pretty much the opposite of the typical Maine Coon cat, fans questioned why that breed was chosen. The answer is that not only do they have a great personality, but they also take direction better than other breeds. They are also known for their confidence and intelligence, two traits that Mrs. Norris possessed.

The various cats were used in the scenes their personality and behavior were best suited. One cat, Maximus, stayed with Filch and jumped up on his shoulder whenever the scene called for it. Another, Pebbles, was used in scenes where the cat needed to patrol the hallways of Hogwarts because she was able to be trained to sit on command.

Pampering Hollywood’s Famous Cats

Being cats that have to perform certain acts at certain times means they always need to be happy and comfortable. One way to keep any cat that way is to use the CritterZone Air Naturalizer. This piece of equipment keeps the air they breathe clean and refreshing, along with eliminating the natural odor cats give off.