by Ted Davis and Linda Kay

Original Air Date: December 19, 1966

Directed by: John Peyser

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

Synopsis: In the first episode of a three-part adventure, The Rat Patrol, a four man combat squad consisting of Sgt. Sam Troy (Christopher George), Sgt. Jack Moffitt (Gary Raymond), Pvt. Mark Hitchcock (Lawrence Casey) and Pvt. Tully Pettigrew (Justin Tarr), is tasked with the mission to enable the escape of five thousand Allied prisoners from a North African dock area controlled by the German army.

Kitty Cameos: There is a brief flurry of street cats in the episode, seen when the four soldiers dodge German nighttime patrols to wind their way through mostly deserted streets toward the mission objective. First up is a cautious dark cat which scurries along the sidewalk.

Next in line is a white cat which is also seen briefly running down the sidewalk.

The last cats are a vocal tortoiseshell, his tuxedo partner and a gray tabby which attract the attention of Pettigrew, who looks back at them.

It appears that all the cats were actual street cats filmed on location in what is most likely Spain. It isn’t immediately apparent, since these cats were all filmed in second unit shots without the cast included, but the gist of their appearance is that the ‘Rats’ have been smuggled into the area on a fishing boat and smell of fish, so the cats are supposed to be chasing after them. Moments later Pettigrew informs the others that they are being followed. “By what? Another cat?” Sgt. Troy asks. “Not unless this one has shoes,” Pettigrew replies.

Final Mewsings: The cats were hungry for fish, not ‘Rats’!

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