Starring: Duncan
Directed by: Jonathan A. Rosenbaum
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Emma (Riele Downs) and her wacky distant cousin Barkley (Lizzy Greene) are accidentally shrunk by an elf and scooped up in Santa’s sack.
Featured Feline: The girls end up in the house across the street which belongs to a lonely woman named Mrs. Findlay (Patricia Drake). They attempt to alert the sleeping woman to their presence by having Barkley tickle Mrs. Findlay’s feet. Emma, standing on a nearby table, spies the woman’s Himalayan cat dressed in a Santa suit with reindeer antlers nearby.
The cat’s name is Tinselpaws, and he starts to stalk Barkley. Emma attempts to warn her cousin but she thinks Emma is just dancing.
Barkley finally sees the giant cat and screams.
She then makes a run for it.
Tinselpaws chases Barkley who jumps into a roll of wrapping paper. The cat tries to reach inside for the tiny girl.
After being rolled back and forth, Barkley stumbles out of the tube and stands facing the angry-looking cat. “Hey kitty kitty,” she stammers, “Look, I know you’re angry. I’d be angry too if I had to wear that.”
Emma gets an idea and turns on a singing fish plaque, which attracts Tinselpaw’s attention.
What Emma doesn’t expect is for Tinselpaws to jump up on the table with her. Now she’s the one in danger! She escapes by jumping off the table into the cat’s litter box.
Mrs. Findlay wakes up and takes Tinselpaws from the table. Emma tries to communicate with the woman by spelling out the word “Help” in candies. But Mrs. Findlay thinks Tinselpaws wrote the message and sets up a camera and board with magnetic letters, trying to get him to repeat the feat.
The girls eventually get home and back to their normal size. While at Mrs. Findlay’s they learn that her family won’t be coming to her home for Christmas, so they visit her the next day to ask if she wants to come share in their holiday. Mrs. Findlay is scared at first, remembering the weird experiences of the night before, and orders Tinselpaws to attack (by gently pushing the cat toward them). But when she hears their offer, she accepts.
Mrs. Findlay and Tinselpaws spend Christmas with her new neighbors, including Emma’s dad (Panou). She is even given a matching set of pajamas for herself and Tinselpaws. And all have a Merry Christmas.
Tinselpaws was played by cat actor Duncan. Steve Woodley was the animal coordinator working with Darcy and Macayla Bre-Ann as trainers.
Final Mewsings: The only thing scarier than a giant cat is one dressed up for Christmas.
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