Animated Cats of the 80s

M.A.D. Cat - Inspector Gadget

"M.A.D. Cat is Dr. Claw's fat pet cat, and is always at his side, usually curled up next to Claw's control panel. M.A.D. Cat serves as a foil for Dr. Claw, often being petted when Dr. Claw is happy, to the point of getting beaten up when Dr. Claw gets angry. M.A.D. Cat "talks" in cat sounds, and has an evil, hissing laugh. His main enemy is Brain the dog." via

Azrael - The Smurfs

"Gargamel (sorcerer and sworn enemy of The Smurfs) lives in a run-down, though solidly built hovel with his mangy cat Azrael. Gargamel frequently denigrates, insults, and abuses Azrael, but he does in fact love him. In one episode of The Smurfs, Gargamel is depressed and saddened that Azrael had run away, and wishes he would come back. In another episode, Balthazar wants to kill Azrael for his fur, and Gargamel begged him not to." via and via

Zipper Cat - The Get Along Gang

Zipper Cat is "an athletic feline who was always playing the tough guy, despite being friendly to the rest of the gang." via

Custard - Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry scented BFF (Best Feline Forever) to Strawberry Shortcake.

In a recent reincarnation of the classic 80s franchise, a pants wearing Strawberry Shortcake sings a nearly two-minute long tribute to her faithful feline friend, called "I Love Custard". The song features lyrics such as, "I love my kitty cat Custard, (we) go together like a hot dog goes with mustard" and "Some tell me she's bossy, but she's just applesaucey, oh I could eat my Custard with a spoon."

Thundercats

"ThunderCats followed the adventures of the eponymous team of heroes, cat-like humanoid aliens from the planet of Thundera. The original characters included Jaga (jaguar), Tygra (tiger), Cheetara (cheetah), Panthro (panther), WilyKit and WilyKat (wildcats), and their fearless leader, Lion-O (lion)." via

Pound Purries

Pound Purries were the less popular companion product in Tonka's wildly successful Pound Puppies franchise. "Pound Puppies came in a variety of colors, some with spots. Each one comes in a carrying case with an adoption certificate. Smaller versions were also created, and a line of cats called Pound Purries was also released. Each authentic puppy had a heart shaped emblem near its tail that sported a "PP" logo with either a dog (Puppies) or cat (Purries) peeking around it." via

Kitty Brite - Rainbow Brite

Colorful kitten companion to Rainbow Brite.

Bumblelion and Tycoon - The Wuzzles

The Wuzzles were a colorful mix of two animals, and they all had wings. My favorite character was Eleroo (elephant/kangaroo), because he was my two favorite colors at the time: pink and purple.

"Bumblelion: Half bumblebee and half lion, Bumblelion is mostly lion in appearance.. He is a short, squat orange furred creature with a pink mane, fuzzy antennae, a lion's tail, small insect wings, and horizontal brown stripes up his tummy. He lives in a beehive, likes sports, is courageous, and has a crush on Butterbear. He is said to be the sort who "...rushes in where angels fear to tread". He and Eleroo are best friends."

"Tycoon: Half Tiger and half Racoon. Tycoon is the rich kid of Wuz. He owns a money tree. He shows the other Wuzzles that he got his wealth from smart investing and saving his money, and teaches the Wuzzles about fiscal responsibility." via

Percy - Beetlejuice: The Animated Series

"Percy is Lydia's pet cat, an animal so high-strung that he makes Charles look relaxed. Considering the amount of torment that Beetlejuice puts Percy through, this isn't really surprising. Although Percy is most times a victim of Beetlejuice's pranks, he sometimes manages to take revenge on him, in more than one way." via

Proud Heart Cat, Care Bear Cousin - The Care Bears

"A regular in the animated movies and series, Proud Heart Cat is the "purr-fectionist" of the Care Bears family, and reminds us to do our best in everything we do. She is turquoise (originally orange) and her symbol is a curved pink star with a red heart inside. In the first season of the series, after she says her lines, she tends to meow, purr and screech. She is also the main character in the episode "Home Sweet Homeless" where she talks with a normal attitude." Proud Heart Cat was changed into a bear in 1991, and back into a cat in 2002. via and via

Catra, She-Ra: Princess of Power

Previously discussed in Catra - Jealous Beauty. "Catra is the Force-Captain of Hordak's Evil Horde, a position previously held by Adora, before she defected. Catra displays minor sorcery abilities. She possesses a magical mask, which when slid over her face gives the ability to transform into a purple panther. She has also shown telepathic control over all cats. The mask once belonged to the Queen of a race of cat people called the Magicats and has many other powers known only to the Queen herself and her advisor, Minister Cloudfoot." She also rides a hot pink lion named Clawdeen. via

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And finally, no cats were a part of this 80s favorite of mine, but I did find an awesome Italian advertisement for Popples featuring a real life kitty. "Please, someone explain to the cat that it is not a ball of wool!" via

Animated Cats of the 80s