# Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats (1984)

> A vain, scheming alley cat and a rival gang of scrappy felines trade gags and get-rich-quick schemes across an animated neighborhood.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/12847

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 172
- Episode runtime: 22 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, comedy, family
- Created by: Jean Chalopin, George Gately, Bruno Bianchi
- Network: France 3, FR3
- Cast: Mel Blanc, Donna Christie, Peter Cullen, Jeannie Elias, Danny Mann, Marilyn Lightstone
- TMDB rating: 6.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: cheerful, whimsical, breezy, mischievous, lighthearted

## What critics say

Viewers remember it as a funny, pleasant cartoon, though some find it a cheaper, less distinctive take on Garfield-style comedy.

## Synopsis

Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats (1984-1985) is a Canadian, American, French and Japanese co-produced animated comedy created by Jean Chalopin, George Gately and Bruno Bianchi, aired in syndication on France 3. Its title character is Heathcliff, a self-assured, vain and cunning orange cat voiced by Mel Blanc, who struts through his street terrorizing any person, cat or dog in his path, yet fiercely defends neighbors when an outsider pushes them around. Across the town, the rival gang of Catillac Cats, led by the scheming Riff-Raff, spends its time chasing get-rich-quick plans and hunting for food, and their misadventures collide with Heathcliff's in short self-contained episodes built around slapstick gags and mischief. Voice work from Donna Christie, Peter Cullen and Danny Mann fills out the ensemble. The show spans two seasons and roughly 170 episodes, each a light, breezy half hour aimed at children and nostalgic adults. Its tone is cheerful, cartoonish and loosely whimsical rather than dark, with a catchy theme tune that lingers. Fans of Garfield and Friends, Top Cat and Inspector Gadget will find the same kind of gag-driven, animal-led neighborhood comedy from the 1980s syndication era.

## Shows like Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats

- [The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show (1980)](https://ember.film/tv/13703)
- [Heathcliff (1980)](https://ember.film/tv/11943)
- [The Tom and Jerry Show (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/42814)
- [SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron (1993)](https://ember.film/tv/557)
- [Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks (1958)](https://ember.film/tv/19787)
- [Garfield and Friends (1988)](https://ember.film/tv/4384)
- [Tom and Jerry Tales (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/639)
- [The Raccoons (1985)](https://ember.film/tv/4566)
- [Catscratch (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/3620)
- [The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries (1995)](https://ember.film/tv/9159)

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