Warner Bros.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Maggie Smith, David Bradley
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Synopsis: Based on the popular novel by J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is a young boy who is surprised when he is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, unaware of his notorious past and the many dangers and adventures that await him.
Kitty Cameos: There are several cats in the Harry Potter universe, two of which are featured in this first film. The film opens on Privet Drive where Professor Dumbledore (Richard Harris) is planning to leave the baby Harry with his muggle relatives. As he dims the lights on the street a tabby cat is sitting to one side. Dumbledore greets her as Professor McGonagall. We see the cat’s shadow change into that of a woman (Maggie Smith).
Later we are treated to Professor McGonagall’s transfiguration on screen when Harry and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) are late to her class. When they arrive they see a cat sitting on her desk and assume they have made it before her.
She surprises them by jumping off the desk and transforming into her human self before their eyes. It has been reported that the cat playing this part ran away at one point but returned after two days.
The other cat featured in this movie is Mrs. Norris, the constant companion of Hogwart’s caretaker Argus Filch (David Bradley). Mrs. Norris appears to be a Maine Coon cat with almost reddish brown eyes that keeps an eye on the school hallways. The first time we see her is when the new students arrive in the main hall for Sorting.
Later when Harry, Ron and Hermione (Emma Watson) find themselves on the restricted third floor Mrs. Norris discovers them there, causing them to hide before Filch arrives. And still later when Harry wears his invisibility cloak to sneak into the school’s library he is able to elude detection by Filch but Mrs. Norris starts to follow him, causing him to almost run right into Professor Snape (Alan Rickman).
Mrs. Norris was played by showcat Pebbles with two other Maine Coons doing specific tasks as well.
Final Mewsings: Cats are most certainly magical!
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