Schoolhouse Rock! - "Naughty Number Nine"

Original Air Date: May 17, 1973

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

Synopsis: A gangster cat plays pool using a mouse as the cue ball while teaching children their multiplication tables for the number 9.

Cartoon Cat: The fat orange cat has a white muzzle and wears a suit and hat. He also wears a tie with the number nine on it and smokes a cigar.

Schoolhouse Rock - Naughty Number Nine - cartoon fat orange cat gangster behind pool table

The cat torments the white mouse who is trapped on the pool table as the cat shoots pool.

Schoolhouse Rock - Naughty Number Nine - cartoon fat orange cat gangster about to break with tied up mouse and pool cue

Schoolhouse Rock - Naughty Number Nine - cartoon fat orange cat gangster chalking pool cue

Schoolhouse Rock - Naughty Number Nine - cartoon fat orange cat gangster blowing smoke while chalking pool cue

Undoubtedly the cat was used because of his connection to the number nine (cats having nine lives). The reason the cat is a bad guy is because the nine times table is often considered difficult to learn by school children.

Schoolhouse Rock - Naughty Number Nine - cartoon fat orange cat gangster blowing smoke to read 9 x 9

At the end of the short the cat lifts his hat, showing his eyes for the first time, and smiles. After walking away, the mouse pops out of the nine ball and giggles, showing that no real harm was done.