Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? (1986)

Directed by: Bruce J. Russell

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

Synopsis: This entry in the Coronet Films educational Wonder Cat series finds the animated feline pondering why cats have whiskers.

Cartoon Cat: Wonder Cat is an animated orange and white cat who asks questions that are answered by an unseen narrator. After finishing a tiny ice cream cone and licking the remains off his whiskers, he asks the title question and the narrator delves into an explanation about the senses and how they help cats to learn about the world around them.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - cartoon orange and white cat eating ice cream cone

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): With such a cat-centric question it’s only natural that lots of film footage of cats is included in this education short. They start out showing a mama cat and her kittens.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - Siamese mama cat with ginger tabby and black kittens
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - ginger tabby kitten

A Siamese cat gets a close up.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - close up of Siamese cat

Then the narrator explains how cats can see at night and we get some nice shots of cats with reflective eyes.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - Siamese cat with eyes reflecting
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - tabby cat eating with eyes reflecting

Wonder Cat can also see in the dark!

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - cartoon orange and white cat with eyes showing in dark

Numerous cats are featured as the narrator explains about cats as predators and their sense of balance.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - tuxedo kitten in grass
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - Siamese cat on carpet
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - gray tabby cat on fence
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - gray tabby cat coming out of barn
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - orange and white tabby cat on fence
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - ginger and white tabby cat close up

They also discuss how expressive cats are and signs of annoyance.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - gray cat hissing
Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - tabby cat preening

At the end of the film Wonder Cat sees a mouse and hurries off, presumably to hunt the critter.

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? - Wonder Cat - cartoon orange and white cat about to run away

Final Mewsings: It would have been very educational for the kids to see Wonder Cat dismember a mouse!

Many thanks to A/V Geeks for making this film available to view.

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