Cheese It, the Cat! (1957)

May 18, 2026

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Robert McKimson

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

Synopsis: One of the several “Honeymousers” Looney Tunes cartoons produced by Warner Bros. In this entry, Ralph Crumden enlists the aid of Ned Morton (both voiced by Daws Butler) to help him retrieve a birthday cake for Alice (voiced by June Foray) from the refrigerator in spite of a new cat being present in the kitchen.

Cartoon Cat: As Ralph casually walks out of the mousehole into the human residence he lets out a cry and comes scurrying back as a giant cat’s paw reaches around for him.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat reaching into mousehole

The ginger cat is reaching inside the hole then lets out a screech and holds his paw after Ralph hits him with a mallet.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat letting out screech while reaching into mousehole

Ralph realizes the cat, who has one black eye and one red one, is staring into the mousehole and slams the door, giving the kitty a black eye.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat with black eye

After consulting with Ned, Ralph is presented with a fully weaponized armored toy tank his friend had been keeping for just such an occasion. When Ralph drives it up to the sleeping beast, the cat simply holds his thumb (??) over the gun barrel and the gun backfires.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat sleeping as toy tank approaches
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat holding thumb over gun as toy tank explodes

Later Ralph paints Ned with invisible ink and convinces him he can’t be seen. Ned strolls into the kitchen and bravely defies the cat, who doesn’t know what to think, even when Ned pulls out one of the kitty’s whiskers.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat threatening Ned Morton mouse
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat surprised as Ned Morton mouse pulls out whisker and walks away
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat looking confused

On the way back to the mousehole, Ned squeezes the cat’s nose. The cat is still confused but unsheaths his claws anyway.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat have nose squeezed by Ned Morton mouse
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat looking confused as Ned Morton mouse walks away
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat unsheathing claws

Later Ralph tries to reach the refrigerator by having Ned shoot him on a champagne cork. The cat is waiting on a ladder for the mouse on the projectile, but both Ralph and the cork shoot right through the cat and come out through his tail!

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat with mouth open on ladder as Ralph mouse flies on cork
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat holding tail with hole in it

The cat chases Ralph and Ned around the kitchen and ends up by the sink. Ned pulls the cat’s tail into the drain and Ralph switches on the garbage disposal, which leaves the cat’s fur torn to shreds.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat chasing Ralph mouse by refrigerator
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat spotting Ralph and Ned mice up on counter
Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat being pulled into garbage disposal
Cheese It, the Cat! - partly shaved ginger and cream cartoon cat retrieving fur from sink drain

In the end the mice do get a cupcake for Alice’s birthday, only Ned uses dynamite sticks instead of candles. The cat watches through the mousehole as the two try to get rid of the explosive treat. Eventually they shove it into the cat’s face and close the door.

Cheese It, the Cat! - ginger and cream cartoon cat looking into mousehole as Ralph and Ned mice try to get rid of explosive cupcake

Ned opens the door after the explosion and reports there were no casualties, but he doesn’t notice the cat who is on top of the ceiling light moaning, “No casualties, he says!”

Cheese It, the Cat! - beat up ginger and cream cartoon cat on ceiling light fixture

Final Mewsings: Cats should know better than to tangle with cartoon mice.

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