Puss Café (1950)

Puss Cafe poster

Walt Disney Productions
Starring:
 Pinto Colvig
Directed by: Charles Nichols

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

Synopsis: Two street cats named Milton and Richard think that Mickey Mouse’s yard looks like one giant cafe, what with bottled milk, a busy birdhouse and a well-stocked goldfish pond.  But Pluto does everything he can to make sure the cats stay out.

Cartoon Cats: This short marks the first appearance of Milton the cat.  Here he is paired with a dumb partner named Richard.  Milton would go on to co-star with Pluto in several other shorts, but this was Richard’s only appearance (many online sites refer to this second cat as being named Lucifer, but since that is the name of the cat in Cinderella and a dark name for this type of character we will stick with Richard).

Puss Cafe - Milton and Richard cats

Milton is the one who spots the idyllic backyard and rushes off to the alley where he knocks on a garbage can lid.  Richard answers and Milton meows something in his ear.

Puss Cafe - Milton cat whispers into Richard's ear

They hurry to the yard and take in the bounty of spoils there.  Milton points out all of the delicious possibilities but Richard points out the Beware of Dog sign.  Milton isn’t fazed by this.

Puss Cafe - Richard cat points out Beware of Dog sign to Milton

The cats help themselves to the milk, Milton taking on the guise of a high-class waiter serving champagne.

Puss Cafe - Milton and Richard cats helping themselves to bottled milk

Pluto interferes and the cats go out through the open gate, closing it behind them.  Later they must gain entrance to the yard through a loose brick in the wall.

Puss Cafe - Milton cat and Richard cat with brick from wall

A game of dog and mouse ensues with Milton and Richard sneaking into the yard again, first to try raiding the bird feeder (they both end up getting stuck inside of it.)

Puss Cafe - Milton cat and Richard cat on birdhouse

Then Milton slaps the empty milk bottle on Richard’s head and sends him into the pond to do some underwater fish shopping.

Puss Cafe - Richard cat shopping underwater for goldfish

Each time Pluto chases them from the yard.  In the end Pluto chases them all the way to the alley and ends up running into the garbage can where he is confronted by a giant cat the same breed as Milton and Richard, we assume their big brother (considering the cat is bigger than Pluto it doesn’t seem plausible that Milton and Richard are supposed to be kittens and this their mother.  But who can say for sure?)

Puss Cafe - Milton cat and Richard cat with giant cat in alley

Final Mewsings: Wouldn’t it have been easier for them to just jump over the wall?


Relevant Links:

IMDb logo  Amazon logo

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on
Facebook and Twitter.


Share this with your cat and movie loving friends!