True Tale About a Lion’s Tail (1950)

True Tale About a Lion’s Tail (1950)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage shows a lion living with a family in Auburn, Washington. Reality Cat: The female lion, whose name was Little Tyke, is shown hanging around the house with Mr. George and Mrs. Margaret Westbeau. Little Tyke runs through the snowy yard before coming inside and licking and chewing on Mr. Westbeau. […]

An Unusual Friendship (1955)

An Unusual Friendship (1955)

Reuters / British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage of a collection of friendly pets in Berlin, Germany. Reality Cats: The pets of Mrs. Meier are seen sitting on a table with her as she makes a phone call. They include a tabby kitten, a parakeet and a puppy. The tabby kitten and a black kitten are […]

Flood Disaster in New South Wales (1949)

Flood Disaster in New South Wales (1949)

Cinesound Review Synopsis: Newsreel footage of devastating flood damage which occurred in New South Wales, Australia. Reality Cat: During a tour of the devastation, a calico cat is shown stranded on a table in a flooded yard. The narrator states, “He’s safe now, but he has only eight lives left.” Never mind the fact the […]

Luxury Cats’ Home (1958)

Luxury Cats’ Home (1958)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage of a cat hotel in Holyport, Berkshire, England. Reality Cats: Two little girls carry a large brown tabby cat to the hotel. The narrator explains the home, run by Mrs. Mollie Turney, is a place where people leave their pet cats when they go away for a short time, and […]

Kitten Goes for a Ride on a Horse (1936)

Kitten Goes for a Ride on a Horse (1936)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage shows a kitten riding in a basket on a horse. Reality Cat: There is no real explanation of exactly why the kitten is riding in the basket, but the narrator says the kitten and horse are friends. The kitten’s basket is placed on the other side of the horse’s blinder, […]

Peeps Through the Window of the World No. 66 (1935)

Peeps Through the Window of the World No. 66 (1935)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage on various subjects, including a cat “wrestling” with a goose, a woman cleaning windows, men stretching a cable across the Danube and men climbing across glaciers. Reality Cat: The opening segment was shot in Australia, although no real context is provided. The narrator says that wrestling season is now open […]

Pet Shop (1946)

Pet Shop (1946)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage of the many animals in a pet shop in London. Reality Cats: A wide variety of animals are showcased, including numerous dogs, birds, fish, and even a monkey and some mongeese. A pair of Blue Persian cats in a cage appear to be about the only cats in the shop. […]

Animal Sanctuary (1956)

Animal Sanctuary (1956)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage of cats, dogs and horses at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary in Dorset, England Reality Cats: This newsreel includes wonderful footage of some of the 84 cats fed and cared for at the sanctuary. The sanctuary was founded in 1939 by the late Duchess of Hamilton during World War II as […]

Box Office Draw (1945)

Box Office Draw (1945)

British Pathé Synopsis: Wonderful newsreel footage of actor James Mason and his wife Pamela Kellino at home in Hertfordshire, England. Reality Cats: James Mason is coming home from working at the studio and joins Pamela in feeding their geese. As they head out to feed the birds, they are followed by one of their cats, […]

Kitten and Chicks (1937)

Kitten and Chicks (1937)

British Pathé Synopsis: Newsreel footage of white kittens hanging out with baby chicks. Reality Cats: The description above really says it all. The first kitten is sitting in a top hat with a chick on the brim. Next two kittens sit with two chicks. And two chicks watch a kitten drink some milk. Oddly, there […]