Cat cartoon characters have been stealing scenes since the earliest days of animation, and the 80s golden age gave us some of the very best.
From lasagna-obsessed tabbies to villains’ fluffy sidekicks to a literal sword-wielding lion, cartoon cats have come in every color and personality imaginable.
This is my ranked list of the best cat cartoon characters, leaning heavily on the icons who ruled 1980s TV, with each cat’s type and color noted, because a great cartoon cat is as much about the design as the attitude.
The Best Cat Cartoon Characters, Ranked
Zipper (The Get Along Gang)
Zipper Cat is the sporty, competitive feline of The Get Along Gang, always ready to turn any situation into a contest. He is not the deepest character on this list, but as a slice of mid-80s Saturday morning wholesomeness, he is a fun deep cut.
- Appears in: The Get Along Gang
- Cat type: an athletic domestic cat
- Known for: winning at everything, loudly
Henry’s Cat
Henry’s Cat is a British institution, a big yellow cat who is cheerful, greedy, and gloriously unbothered by logic. The show leaned into surreal, low-key humor, and Henry’s Cat himself is proof a cartoon cat does not need to be clever to be lovable.
- Appears in: Henry’s Cat
- Cat type: a domestic cat, yellow and round
- Known for: laziness, snacks, and gentle absurdity
Felicia (The Great Mouse Detective)
Felicia is the pampered, purring pet of the villainous Professor Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective, and she is properly menacing. Beneath the fluffy exterior is a cat used as an execution device, which makes her one of Disney’s more quietly sinister animal sidekicks.
- Appears in: The Great Mouse Detective
- Cat type: a plump domestic cat
- Known for: being a villain’s fluffy enforcer
M.A.D. Cat (Inspector Gadget)
M.A.D. Cat is the constant companion of the never-fully-seen Dr. Claw in Inspector Gadget, lounging on his lap while world domination is plotted. We almost never see Claw’s face, but his fluffy cat is always right there, the mascot of evil itself, in a very 80s kind of villain shorthand.
- Appears in: Inspector Gadget
- Cat type: a fluffy domestic cat
- Known for: being the face of Dr. Claw’s operation
Lion-O (ThunderCats)
Lion-O leads the ThunderCats, a race of feline humanoids, as the sword-wielding Lord of the Thundercats. He is technically a cat-person rather than a housecat, but with his mane, his claws, and the Sword of Omens, he is one of the most heroic felines the 80s ever produced.
- Appears in: ThunderCats
- Cat type: a lion-based cat-person
- Known for: wielding the Sword of Omens
Cringer / Battle Cat (He-Man)
Cringer is He-Man’s cowardly pet tiger, forever hiding from danger, right up until a blast of magic transforms him into the fearless, armored Battle Cat. That cowardly-cat-to-mighty-steed switch is one of the most satisfying transformations in all of 80s animation.
- Appears in: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
- Cat type: a big cat (a tiger)
- Known for: transforming from scaredy-cat into a war mount
Snarf (ThunderCats)
Snarf is Lion-O’s fussy, overprotective nursemaid, a small cat-like creature who worries constantly and complains even more. Fans love to razz him, but he saves the ThunderCats more often than he ever gets credit for, and his snarf-snarf muttering is pure 80s comfort noise.
- Appears in: ThunderCats
- Cat type: a small cat-like creature, a Snarf
- Known for: worrying, cooking, and quietly saving the day
Azrael (The Smurfs)
Azrael is the long-suffering cat of the wizard Gargamel, dragged into every doomed scheme to catch the Smurfs. He is more competent than his owner and clearly knows it, delivering some of the best exasperated cat reactions in animation. He easily ranks among the most popular cartoon cats ever.
- Appears in: The Smurfs
- Cat type: a domestic cat
- Known for: suffering through Gargamel’s terrible plans
Heathcliff
Heathcliff is the orange alley-cat troublemaker who ran his neighborhood with swagger, a scheming, fish-stealing, dog-taunting menace with real charisma. He is basically what would happen if Garfield went outside and started a gang, which makes him one of the great troublemaking cats.
- Appears in: Heathcliff
- Cat type: an orange domestic cat
- Known for: neighborhood schemes and pure attitude
Sylvester (Looney Tunes)
Sylvester the cat is the eternally thwarted Looney Tunes star, forever chasing Tweety and Speedy Gonzales and forever failing in spectacular fashion. His lisping sufferin-succotash outbursts and slapstick determination have kept him iconic for generations.
- Appears in: Looney Tunes
- Cat type: a black-and-white domestic cat
- Known for: chasing Tweety and never once winning
Tom (Tom and Jerry)
Tom is one half of the most famous cat-and-mouse rivalry ever animated. The grey housecat’s endless, violent, wordless war with Jerry the mouse is a masterclass in slapstick, and despite losing almost every time, Tom keeps every ounce of his dignity between beatings.
- Appears in: Tom and Jerry
- Cat type: a grey domestic cat
- Known for: an eternal, doomed war with a mouse
Garfield
Garfield is the definitive cartoon cat, full stop. The lasagna-loving, Monday-hating, Odie-tormenting orange tabby turned pure laziness and sarcasm into a global empire of comics, shows, and merchandise. No cartoon cat is more instantly recognizable, and none has ever been quite this relatable.
- Appears in: Garfield and Friends
- Cat type: an orange tabby domestic cat
- Known for: lasagna, naps, and hating Mondays
My Quick Cartoon-Cat Takeaway
Best villain’s cat: Azrael
Best transformation: Battle Cat
Most underrated: Henry’s Cat
Cat Cartoon Characters FAQ
Who is the most famous cat cartoon character? Garfield is the clear winner, with Tom from Tom and Jerry and Sylvester from Looney Tunes close behind.
Who are the best black cat cartoon characters? Sylvester is the classic black-and-white cat, and for a fully black cat, Felix the Cat remains the all-time icon.
Which orange cat cartoon characters are the biggest? Garfield and Heathcliff lead the pack, both orange tabbies with a serious amount of attitude.
Are there famous female cat cartoon characters? Yes. Felicia from The Great Mouse Detective is a standout, alongside later icons like Duchess from The Aristocats.
Where can I watch these classic cartoon cats today? Many live on streaming services, and a tool like JustWatch is the fastest way to find where each show is currently available.
From orange tabbies to armored tigers, these cat cartoon characters prove that a great animated cat can carry an entire show on charm alone. S
o who is your favorite cartoon cat, and which one did I leave off?
Let me know in the comments.
THE HEADLINERS & COMIC STRIP LEGENDS 🍝🏙️
1. Garfield (Garfield and Friends / Specials)
– Personality: Lazy, cynical, hates Mondays, loves lasagna.
– The 80s Vibe: Dominated the decade with primetime specials and the Saturday morning cartoon starting in 1988.
2. Heathcliff (Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats)
– Personality: The orange street-smart alley cat who terrorizes the fish market. Wears a leather jacket in the intro? No, that’s Riff-Raff. Heathcliff is the striped menace.
– Rivalry: Often confused with Garfield, but much tougher and more active.
3. Riff-Raff (Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats)
– Personality: The suave, short leader of the Catillac Cats (the “B-segment” of the Heathcliff show).
– Look: Wears a scarf and a hat, lives in a junkyard with Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo.
4. Oliver (Oliver & Company – 1988)
– Personality: The orphaned orange kitten in Disney’s take on Oliver Twist.
– Vibe: New York City street smarts meets Billy Joel music.
THE THUNDERCATS (THUNDER… THUNDER… THUNDER!) ⚡🦁
5. Lion-O
– Role: Lord of the Thundercats. A child in a man’s body (due to cryosleep aging). Wields the Sword of Omens.
6. Cheetara
– Role: The speedster. “Sixth Sense” psychic abilities and uses a bo staff.
7. Panthro
– Role: The mechanic/tank. Strong, drives the Thundertank, uses nunchucks.
8. Tygra
– Role: The architect and scientist. Uses a bolo whip and can turn invisible.
9. WilyKit & WilyKat
– Role: The “Thunder Kittens.” Mischievous kids with hoverboards.
10. Snarf
– Role: The nursemaid/mascot. “Snarf, snarf!” Not a warrior, but essentially a cat-creature.
11. Jaga
– Role: The ghost mentor.
ACTION & SCI-FI CATS ⚔️🤖
12. Battle Cat / Cringer (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe)
– Role: Prince Adam’s cowardly green tiger pet (Cringer) who transforms into the armored, fearless mount (Battle Cat) by the power of Greyskull.
13. Panthor (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe)
– Role: Skeletor’s evil purple panther. No magic, just a giant savage cat with a saddle.
14. Ravage (The Transformers)
– Role: Soundwave’s cassette tape that transforms into a robotic jaguar. Used for spying.
15. Steeljaw (The Transformers)
– Role: Blaster’s cassette tape (Autobot) that turns into a yellow lion.
16. Voltron Lions (Voltron: Defender of the Universe)
– Role: Five robotic lions (Black, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow) that combine to form Voltron.
VILLAINS’ PETS (THE EVIL COMPANIONS) 😈🐈
17. Azrael (The Smurfs)
– Role: Gargamel’s mangy orange cat. He wants to eat Smurfs just as much as his master does.
18. M.A.D. Cat (Inspector Gadget)
– Role: Dr. Claw’s cat. We never saw Dr. Claw’s face, only his metal hand petting this cat (or slamming his fist on it when he lost).
19. Precious (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under – 1977/1990)
– *Correction:* The 80s TV villain cat is **Dr. Viper’s Mutated Cats**? No.
– Let’s stick to **Gideon** (Pinocchio – older) or **Lucifer** (Cinderella – older).
– *Best 80s Fit:* **Scratch** from *TMNT* (Mutant cat villain)? No, that’s early 90s toy.
CUTE, PLUSH & TOY-BASED CATS 🧸🎀
20. Hello Kitty (Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theater – 1987)
– Role: Parodied famous fairy tales.
21. Proud Heart Cat (Care Bears)
– Role: The turquoise (or orange in early art) Care Bear Cousin. Symbol is a heart with a pink star.
22. Custard (Strawberry Shortcake)
– Role: Strawberry Shortcake’s pink polka-dotted cat. Snarky and sarcastic (especially in the 80s version).
23. Zipper Cat (The Get Along Gang)
– Role: The athletic cheerleader of the gang.
24. Potato Chip (Popples)
– Role: The yellow Popple… wait, Popples were bear/rabbit things.