Original Air Date: February 27, 1991
Directed by: Bob Walsh
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!
Synopsis: Mr. Rogers (Fred Rogers) spends the episode talking about growing.
Reality Cat: At the beginning of the episode Mr. Rogers steps outside for a moment and returns with a tabby cat.
Mr. Rogers introduces the cat as Jimmy and tries to hold him up for the kids at home to see, but Jimmy is fidgety and wants to crawl under the railing behind them.
After retrieving Jimmy, Mr. Rogers recalls how Jimmy visited the neighborhood as a kitten in the same place. This happened back in 1986, some five years before (Season 16, Episode 9). They fade into a flashback of Jimmy’s previous visit.
Jimmy was fidgety as a kitten and continues to be fidgety as an adult, trying to wriggle out of Mr. Rogers’ arms. Mr. Rogers then sets Jimmy down to show the audience a book of baby photos.
Once again Mr. McFeely shows up to pick up Jimmy and collects him at the door.
Mr. McFeely gives Mr. Rogers a bouquet of flowers and there is an awkward moment where they try to exchange the fidgety Jimmy for the flowers.
Final Mewsings: Even cats grew up with Mister Rogers!
Many thanks to Erin T. Aardvark for letting us know about Jimmy the kitty and the cat!
Relevant Links:
To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on Facebook and Twitter.