Birdy (1984)

Starring: Hobbie

Directed by: Alan Parker

This review contains a Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: Returning from Vietnam after being injured, Al Columbato (Nicholas Cage) is summoned to a mental institution where his childhood friend, Birdy (Matthew Modine) is suffering from PTSD which has left him catatonic.

Kitty Cameos: We see scenes from Birdy’s life when he developed his fascination for birds. He visits a bird seller where two cats are looking longingly through the window.

Birdy - white and black longhair cats looking in window

Birdy - longhair black and white cats looking at bird through window animated gif

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Birdy buys a beautiful yellow canary he names Perta. Unfortunately we see in flashbacks that a ginger tabby cat was outside Birdy’s home.

Birdy - ginger tabby cat walking on old tire

Birdy - ginger tabby cat walking on fence

Birdy - ginger tabby cat walking over old tire and along fence animated gif

Birdy - ginger tabby cat jumping from board in yard animated gif

Without Birdy or his mother seeing him, the cat stalks up the stairs and gets into Birdy’s room.

Birdy - ginger tabby cat walking up stairs

Birdy - ginger tabby cat walking past railings

Birdy - ginger tabby cat walking up stairs and entering Birdy's room animated gif

Birdy is shocked when he enters the room to find Perta in the cat’s mouth (we naturally assume the bird was not real).

Birdy - ginger tabby cat with fake yellow canary in mouth

Birdy - ginger tabby cat with fake yellow canary in mouth spotted by Birdy Matthew Modine animated gif

Kitty Carnage Warning! Birdy lunges at the cat and wrestles with it, forcing the animal’s mouth open to free his bird. It would appear all of this was done with the real cat actor but we suspect the grunting sounds and yowling were added to make it seem more forceful than it actually was. Birdy shoos the cat from his room and fortunately Perta survives this attack.

Birdy - ginger tabby cat with fake yellow canary in mouth wrestling with Birdy Matthew Modine

Birdy - hands trying to open ginger tabby cat mouth to free canary

The ginger tabby cat was played by cat actor Hobbie. The other two cats were uncredited. The assistant animal trainers on the film were Mark Jackson, Gwen Johnson and Larry Payne.