by Linda Kay

Directed by: Chuck Jones

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

Synopsis: Claude Cat is driven to distraction by Frisky Puppy’s barking and seeks revenge which always seems to end in a watery backfire.

Cartoon Cat: One of three shorts which feature the nervous Claude (who previously appeared in shorts with the mice Hubie and Bertie and would later costar with the kitten Pussyfoot) with the irrepressibly vocal Frisky Puppy. Claude is eating food from his bowl and finishes. He then devilishly sneaks over to Frisky’s bowl.

Just as Claude is about to partake of the unattended meal, Frisky pops up behind him and barks, sending Claude flying up and clinging to the ceiling in fright, a signature bit which is repeated frequently in this short alone.

Several minutes are spent following the well-named pup as he plays with a ball and scratches at a pesky flea. The woman of the house catches the dog scratching and insists he must have a bath. Claude smirks at this turn of events and even helps his owner find the pup when he tries to hide.

Claude is gloating over the tub of hot bath water when Frisky barks again and sends the cat flying into the water.

Trying to seek revenge, Claude scoops up a bucket of water to douse the dog, but of course ends up on the ceiling inside the bucket, which then dumps on him as he drops to the ground and does his cartoonish stop and turn over in midair right before landing on his feet.

The battle moves outside with Claude looking for the pup behind a tree but still managing to get startled by the sudden barking, this time sending Claude into a watering can (see a theme developing here?)

Next Claude tries to catch Frisky with a bone tied to a fishing pole but ends up inside a fish bowl himself.

What does any cat do in such a sitation? Start sharpening an axe in the shed and then go after the dog! Of course Claude ends up hanging from the axe handle on the ceiling.

After dropping from the axe, Claude slides down the lengthy stair banister and lands on a roller skate.

This leads to a long series of rides on wagons, flying into neighboring windows, being kicked out and then being scared by Frisky to fly up into the air again.

After rolling down the stairs on some loose logs holding a water bottle, Claude ends up inside the bottle!

Another jump to the ceiling breaks the bottle.

Chasing after Frisky again causes the dog to run through a dry cleaning truck and get caught up in a sweater. Claude grabs a thread from the sweater and ties it to the truck then follows the thread through the house. The thread is amazingly interwoven through stair railings, mouse holes, teapots and vase handles. When Claude finally picks up the end of the thread it is just in time to see the truck drive away.

Claude is dragged through the obstacle course, out the door and then flies through the air to land in a swimming pool. Only in the twist ending the pool is devoid of any water.

Final Mewsings: It’s no wonder poor Claude cat is so nervous!

Relevant Links:

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