Australia Out for a Duck (1948)

British Pathé

Synopsis: Newsreel footage focuses on a duck named Dilly owned by Mrs. Joyce who garners attention while strolling in public in Australia.

Reality Cat: After walking down the street in a business district and visiting the beach, Dilly returns home to harass a poor tabby cat whose just trying to eat some food from a dish. Oddly enough the dish is empty when the cat is first shown.

Australia Out for a Duck - tabby cat sniffing at empty dish

The cat turns his back to Dilly and uses his paw to snatch food off the dish.

Australia Out for a Duck - tabby cat being harassed by Dilly duck during dinner
Australia Out for a Duck - tabby cat being harassed by Dilly duck during dinner

Dilly repeatedly pecks the poor cat and bites the kitty’s ear, all the while dubbed over by someone doing their best Clarence Nash Donald Duck impersonation. Despite all this, the cat persists in simply trying to finish their meal.

Australia Out for a Duck - tabby cat being harassed by Dilly duck during dinner

Dilly garnered celebrity down under as a surfing duck who “visits shops and strolls in traffic”. The Brisbane Telegraph reported on December 30, 1948 that the only snag in Dilly’s happy life was that she and the pet cat didn’t get along and that dinner time always resulted in a squabble. So Dilly was given the privilege of eating her meals at the dinner table with her owner, standing on a chair and eating off a plate on the table top. Why Dilly was rewarded for attacking the poor cat is beyond us, but at least maybe kitty was finally able to eat in peace.

Australia Out for a Duck - newspaper clipping showing tabby cat being harassed by Dilly duck during dinner

Final Mewsings: Cats think ducks are for the birds.

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