Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Directed by: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A young man named Milo Thatch (voiced by Michael J. Fox) jumps at the chance to go on an expedition to find the lost city of Atlantis, a place which his grandfather firmly believed existed.

Cartoon Cat: Milo quits his boiler room job at a museum when they refuse to even discuss his findings on Atlantis. As he returns to his dark apartment he calls for his kitty, Fluffy. Instead he is met by a woman named Helga (voiced by Claudia Christian) who says her employer wants to meet him. Her boss turns out to be Preston Whitmore (voiced by John Mahoney), an old friend of Milo’s grandfather, who wants to fund Milo’s search for the lost city. Once Milo realizes the opportunity of what he’s being offered, he starts thinking aloud about all the things he needs to take care of . . . his job (which Whitmore reminds him he just quit), his apartment (Whitmore says it is taken care of), his clothes (packed), his books (in storage) and finally his cat. At that moment Fluffy, his adorable white cat, climbs up onto his shoulder.

Atlantis The Lost Empire - Milo with white cat Fluffy behind shoulder

Atlantis The Lost Empire - Milo with white cat Fluffy in arms

Milo is dumbfounded as Fluffy jumps down to the floor and walks away.

Atlantis The Lost Empire - Professor Whitmore with Milo and white cat Fluffy

Fluffy appears again at the end of the film. Milo has decided to stay in Atlantis but the other members of the expedition return to give Whitmore their story of what happened (most of it underplayed vocally but revealed in photographs they have given the old man, who is basically making sure they will keep their discoveries a secret.) The crew’s engineer, Audrey (voiced by Jacqueline Obradors) is sitting on the couch petting Fluffy on her lap.