Mouse-Placed Kitten (1959)

Directed by: Robert McKimson

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

Synopsis: Matilda (voiced by June Foray) and Clyde (voiced by Mel Blanc) are a mouse couple who adopt a kitten then visit him as an adult cat in the human home.

Cartoon Cat: The opening placard is the silhouette of a kitten in a darkened doorway.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - opening placard

The kitten is in a sack which is thrown from a passing car. The bag lands right at the mouse couple’s home and Matilda considers it an answer to her prayers; the stork has finally come through. She opens the bag and the tiny orange kitten walks out. Clyde tries to reason with Matilda but she is already in love with the kitten.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange kitten Junior coming out of bag in front of mouse Matilda animated gif
Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange kitten Junior being carried by mouse Matilda past Clyde

She places the kitten in bed and then worries he has the colic when he starts to rumble. Clyde points out that it is a cat and is purring and insists they can’t keep him.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - mouse Matilda listening to orange kitten Junior purring

Of course in the next scene Clyde is walking the floor with the kitten, whom they name Junior.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange kitten Junior being carried by mouse Clyde

Unfortunately, Junior cannot bring himself to eat cheese and so the mice decide to take him to the people home.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange kitten Junior at table looking at cheese with mice Matilda and Clyde

Clyde leaves Junior on the front step and tearfully leaves. Seconds later Junior is found by the woman of the house (also voiced by June Foray).

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange kitten Junior on front porch alone

Some time later, Clyde and Matilda decide to go visit Junior, who is now a grown cat (also voiced by Mel Blanc).

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior lying in cat bed

The woman of the house screams for Junior about mice in the kitchen. Junior leaps into action and catches Matilda and Clyde.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior catching and growling at mice Matilda and Clyde

At first Junior seems destined to eat them, but then he sniffs them and in a delightful bit of animation his memory registers and he realizes these are his parents!

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior recognizing scent of mice Matilda and Clyde
Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange kitten Junior recognizing scent of mice Matilda and Clyde animated gif

He gives them kisses which makes the woman of the house wonder. Clyde quickly puts his parents in his mouth to cover for them.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior kissing mice Matilda and Clyde
Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior holding mice Matilda and Clyde with woman looking at him

Junior insists on treating his parents and raids the refrigerator for cheese and sardines. Again the woman of the house catches him and gives him a scolding.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior caught raiding refrigerator by woman

Clyde goes back to the refrigerator to try to get the cheese but falls into a bottle of liquor instead. Junior sees him as Clyde is about to walk into a mousetrap. Somehow he gets the cheese without getting hurt but when Junior attempts to throw the mousetrap out the window the woman catches him. “Well, afraid of a little competition?”

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior looking shocked with mouse Matilda

The drunken Clyde then stumbles into the living room where the woman is vacuuming. Junior runs in and unplugs the vacuum, infuriating the woman who orders him out.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior unplugging vacuum

Eventually Clyde is sucked into the vacuum so Junior turns off the main power switch. As the woman is checking the power, Junior shakes out the vacuum cleaner bag on the floor to retrieve his dad. The woman catches him and has a fit.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior emptying out vacuum cleaner bag on floor

After getting his father back to the mousehole safely, the woman comes into the kitchen and warns Junior that just one more boo boo will get him banned from the house forever.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior being scolded by woman in kitchen

Fortunately Matilda and Clyde decide to go home and Junior says they can come back any time.

Mouse-Placed Kitten - orange cat Junior saying goodbye to mice Matilda and Clyde

Final Mewsings: Cats wish they knew how to unplug the vacuum cleaner!

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