Original Air Date: December 27, 1979
Starring: Ralph Waite, Keith Coogan, Martha Nix
Directed by: Gwen Arner
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!
Synopsis: A pregnant Cindy (Leslie Winston) is feeling neglected while Ben (Eric Scott) is busy with work and so she tries taking advice from a book called The Fastidious Wife. Meanwhile, Jeffrey (Keith Coogan) brings home a stray cat that’s about to have kittens.
Featured Feline: The cat which Jeffrey brings home is a gorgeous tabby whom he names Harold. Jeffrey doesn’t want to change the cat’s name even when it is revealed she is about to have kittens.
At the dinner table Jeffrey tries to convince Uncle John (Ralph Waite) to let them keep Harold, but Uncle John doesn’t want a houseful of kittens. After Jeffrey pouts and plays the orphan card Uncle John gives in.
Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): Harold gives birth to four adorable kittens. Understandably, Jeffrey doesn’t want to give them away but Uncle John insists they can’t keep them. Nevertheless they name the kittens after Greek gods (although Jeffrey calls them by more every day names).
The highlight of the episode is when Jeffrey and Serena (Martha Nix) take the last two kittens to the general store to try to talk Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) and Ike (Joe Conley) into taking one by placing a mouse on the floor. Corabeth agrees to take Aphrodite and places the tiny kitten on the floor before ordering her to “Kill!”
Unable to give away Apollo / Charlie, the last and tiniest kitten, Jeffrey and Serena plan to leave him in the woods but then decide to get Harold from the house and leave her with the kitten to take care of him.
Jeffrey is surprised to find Harold and Apollo in his bed that night after the Mama cat carried her kitten back to the house. Jeffrey and Serena hide them in the closet.
When Apollo is found the next morning Jeffrey and Serena explain to Uncle John how they tried to give him away. Uncle John is won over by the tiny kitten and agrees Harold and Apollo / Charlie can stay in the barn to hunt mice.
Final Mewsings: Cats know all about being fastidious!
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