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4[[quoteright:349: [[WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tiger_6.png]]]]
5[[caption-width-right:349: Feline buffoonery at its finest!]]
6
7Felines are typically associated with [[FemaleFelineMaleMutt femininity]], [[CoolCat coolness]], elegance, [[CuteKitten cuteness]], [[CatsAreSuperior arrogance and smug appearances]], [[CatsAreLazy laziness]], [[CatsAreMean villainy and hostility]], dignity, and grace, but a lot of male cartoon cats can be quite [[TheDitz clownish]] or [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish]] instead. This trope is based on the fact that cats, especially tomcats (as [[MenAreGenericWomenAreSpecial females]] aren't [[BeautyIsNeverTarnished a common choice]] for {{slapstick}}) are more [[CatStereotype often portrayed]] in cartoons/media as tough, [[CoolCat cool]], streetwise, clever, charming, crafty, cunning, belligerent or even [[CatsAreMean mean]], marginally buffoonish, typically clumsy, and/or oversexed than elegant, graceful, and dignified.
8
9This can be considered partly a result of early cartoons heavily relying on HeroicDog, and NiceMice, thus making the cats the villainous fall guys to make the former look better. A FollowTheLeader vibe from shows like ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'' or the ''WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird'' shorts are probably another influence with both cats being seen as the WesternAnimation feline equivalent of clowns.
10This trope could also be used to invert the behaviors of a typical [[CatDogDichotomy cat and dog duo]] from shows like ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy'' being a prime example of how inverting a smart cat and dumb dog duo can be presented instead by having a smart dog (as Dogs Are Mean) paired with a stupid cat (being the Cats Are Dumb) being the exception [[SmartJerkAndNiceMoron personality-wise]], or this trope would just show how making a feline character the more foolish, comical or goofier one when around other characters, group(s) of cats or the scenario of a show, short or film can be done humorously.
11
12Sometimes this trope can be also used for rooting for a cat in a show with talking mice, [[CarnivoreConfusion they have to be less of a predator than the other cats]]. So it's really a case of DesignatedVillain[=/=]DefectorFromDecadence. And other times, this trope is used for presenting cats as playful, foolish, and humorously exaggerated characters.
13For instance, these cats may be drawn with big, bulbous, clownlike noses that are often red in color or are given silly voices and with the comedic dialog to enhance how goofy and humorous they can be.
14
15There was a period in animation history when cats were the generic [[ButtMonkey fall-guy animal]] and having a clownish [[CatsAreMean bad guy]] with this trope in cartoons when some cats can also go hand & hand with [[CatsAreMean being irritable, villainous]] or just [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist comically mean-spirited cats]] at the same time, although it is starting to become a DeadHorseTrope now when there are some buffoonish cats that are later on depicted as [[NiceGuy friendly to be around]], [[DumbIsGood and also pleasant]] or [[KindheartedSimpleton even kindhearted in a goofy way]] because of how they can be portrayed as the cat being rooted for as the protagonist or are less of a predator.
16
17This trope can apply to [[ThisIndexMeows any species of cat,]] including [[PantheraAwesome tigers]], [[KingOfBeasts lions]], but this exceptional trope usually applies to housecats. Leonine examples are often portrayed this way to subvert or play with their regal, noble image.
18
19Contrast CoolCat and CatsAreSuperior for obvious reasons. Relating to MenAreGenericWomenAreSpecial, WomenAreWiser, and MenAreUncultured. Also compare and contrast with CatsAreLazy (Where cats can be portrayed as dumb when lazy, yet those kinds of cats that are portrayed as [[LazyBum common, everyday cats being listless]] rather than being goofy, comedy-based cats like the buffoonish ones are.)
20
21----
22!!Examples:
23
24[[foldercontrol]]
25
26[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
27* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Happy is Natsu's winged cat sidekick who often engages in SnarkToSnarkCombat with his friends, especially Lucy, and is often a source of comic relief, mainly as TheGadfly, but occasionally due to AmusingInjuries.
28* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': Team Rocket's Meowth is another anime example. He grew up as a stray Pokémon in the streets, and as a member of Team Rocket, he's the show's biggest ButtMonkey.
29* ''Anime/SpaceDandy'': Meow is a rare anime variant of this trope. Also, he's an alien and rather prone to AmusingInjuries instead of being an utterly goofy cat.
30[[/folder]]
31
32[[folder:Comic Strips]]
33* ''ComicStrip/BloomCounty'': Bill the Cat is TheUnintelligible at best. Normally, he's portrayed as [[TheDitz clueless and stupid]] while being a massive {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, the beneficiary of notoriety he doesn't deserve.
34* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'': While he is a [[CatsAreSnarkers snarky]] UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist at best and a FatBastard at worst, whenever Garfield is courting a female -- usually Arlene -- [[LoveMakesYouDumb he seems to lose half his IQ.]] Aside from this, his buffoonish moments are the only times he's written specifically as a tomcat being [[PluckyComicRelief comedic]] rather than a generic feline.
35* ''ComicStrip/GetFuzzy'': Bucky Katt is an epic example of breathless ignorance and feline nastiness, sometimes serving as a richly-deserved ButtMonkey. Neither he nor any of the cats in the strip come off well. In contrast, dogs seem to have a range of intelligence in the strip, even the [[BunnyEarsLawyer unwitting Satchel.]]
36* ComicStrip/KrazyKat is either a straight example or a rare female example as [[AmbiguousGender his/her gender is ambiguous]].
37[[/folder]]
38
39[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
40* In ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'', the male cats all fit the CatsAreMean trope except for [[AvertedTrope the one who averts it all]], Tiger (voiced by the late Creator/DomDeLuise), who is the poster boy for this trope that is a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, MinionWithAnFInEvil, and [[PluckyComicRelief comical]] CowardlyLion that can be quite the ButtMonkey[=/=]IronButtMonkey type.
41** He initially is the FatComicRelief in the sequel, ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'', though with training he is able to show [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass how skilled and competent he can be for all of his goofiness and buffoonery]].
42* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] in ''WesternAnimation/TheAristocats''. Alley cat Thomas O'Malley may not be as refined as the [[CoolCat sophisticated, well-bred society cat Duchess]], but that doesn't stop him from being smooth and he's certainly streetwise. On the other hand, there are also several moments where he's the [[ButtMonkey butt of the joke]].
43* The main character, Fritz the Cat from the film: ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat'', but this was probably {{Justified|Trope}} because all of the characters are [[TheDitz goofy]] and have their moments of [[PluckyComicRelief silliness]].
44* ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'': Ratigan's pet cat is a RareFemaleExample and used as his personal executioner, but because of [[FatComicRelief her pudginess and slapstick depiction]] comes off as [[GenderInverted a gender swap of this trope]], especially in her bout with Toby.
45* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'': Nuka is an inept [[TheDitz doofus]] with zero self-confidence and [[TheKlutz has a clumsy streak]]. While trying to ignite a blaze in the Pride Lands, he manages to set the grass surrounding him on fire. He's a rare, tragic example of this trope.
46* ''WesternAnimation/OpenSeason'': Roger is a Turkish Van who's the KindheartedSimpleton of the cats and [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} is quite a goofball,]] having tons of [[ChaoticStupid crackbrained]] habits such as his foolery, having spacey appearances with tons of quirks, and is occasionally prone to {{slapstick}} jokes due to him being an ExtremeDoormat SycophanticServant to [[JerkassToOne Stanley]] and [[BigBad the group he's friends with that involve Fifi,]] for example in ''Open Season 2'', in a scene with Fifi and his gang encounter Boog's friends is a prime example while Roger was [[CaptainOblivious still unaware overall]]; he was a literal doormat for Fifi's introduction to Boog's friends and there are also other examples that show his [[PluckyComicRelief moments of buffoonery]] usually when his absurdities ensue. Roger is still [[UndyingLoyalty loyal to his friends]], is kindhearted and [[DumbIsGood friendly towards others.]]
47* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'': Gideon is a [[TheSpeechless mute]], [[TheDitz dim]] and [[TheKlutz pretty clumsy character]] similar to Dopey of ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' fame. While he is presented as [[PluckyComicRelief a goofy character most of the time,]] he goes on the more BewareTheSillyOnes side of this trope when he can be [[TheBrute a skinny brute]] when he gets Honest John's hat off his face by hitting him with a mallet [[ForTheEvulz being his answer to everything]], showing how [[NotSoHarmlessVillain not so harmless]] he also is out of his foolery.
48* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatoing}}'' had the fat cat named Palo. While [[TheMockbuster a horrid mockbuster..]] this dumb cat, in particular, had a ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'' style of chasing their prey and having buffoonish defeats/backfires when Marcel meets Palo and before his HeelFaceTurn, Palo was also given an [[SillyWalk amusing running animation]] while being the buffoonish and harmless one against [[VillainProtagonist Marcel.]]
49* ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood1973'': Prince John is [[TheDitz an incredibly dumb]] and foolish {{Manchild}} of a king that is [[StupidEvil heartless and very inept at his sadistic plans.]]
50[[/folder]]
51
52[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
53* ''Film/{{Garfield}}'': Nermal was hit with {{Flanderization}} when turning into this trope in the films, while downplayed and unremarkable overall. He went from being an innocently cute, gullible kitten in the comics and was turned into Garfield's [[KindheartedSimpleton dimwitted best friend]] in the films, for better or for worse.
54** Garfield in the first movie had him being prone to slapstick humor or taking physical abuse that was occasionally PlayedForLaughs.
55* ''Film/StuartLittle'': Snowbell and Monty have their moments providing some [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]] by moments of silly, humorous dialogue and both of them having their slapstick-based moments, [[CowardlyLion Snowbell]] having more of the [[ButtMonkey conflict-induced]] situations, or even situations that would have Stuart outsmart Snowbell in the first movie with an obvious homage to ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'' when Monty met Stuart or just having [[FatComicRelief Snowbell being comical in general]].
56** Meanwhile, Snowbell's friend Monty usually has some scenes with him providing tons of [[PluckyComicRelief comedic relief]] by his ditzy moments when his silliness ensues like him [[TheHyena laughing a lot in ''Stuart Little 1'']] when slowly realizing that Stuart lives with Snowbell and finds it hilarious {just enough to the point that [[NiceMice Stuart]] starts to find Monty's ditziness amusing} and [[TheDitz Monty himself]] was also having a short [[UsefulNotes/LogicalFallacies Non-Sequitur Fallacy]] in ''Stuart Little 2'' when thrown out of a restaurant, to [[ItAmusedMe then have a moment of laughing a lot about Snowbell's comment about how fearful he is with learning about what the falcon does to its victims as if he thought Snowbell told a side joke]] for example. Monty also had a moment of his ditzy demeanor in ''Stuart Little 3'' where Monty thought monkeys lived in the American wilderness.
57[[/folder]]
58
59[[folder:Literature]]
60* ''WesternAnimation/{{Felidae}}'': Inverted in the book (and film) in which the main characters are intelligent male cats. This becomes a plot point as [[spoiler:it allows Francis to realize why Claudandus is committing the murders.]]
61* ''Literature/TheMasterAndMargarita'': Behemoth is a demon cat who's part of Satan's retinue. He's a ButtMonkey who often makes an ass of himself and annoys the others with his commentary (he's constantly being told to shut up). Even a mere mortal like Margarita can punish him without consequence, pinching his ears when he butts into a conversation.
62* ''Literature/TheMuddleHeadedWombat'': Tabby is vain and neurotic and frequently the [[ButtMonkey victim of]] {{slapstick}} disasters inadvertently brought about by Wombat.
63* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': This is both averted and used at the same time. Male Clan cats are normal cats, but the male kittypets however tend to be a lot more [[DumbIsGood goofy and friendly]]. The latter likely occurs because male kittypets are usually neutered.
64[[/folder]]
65
66[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
67* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Cat is an extremely vain and irresponsible humanoid who evolved from a cat.
68[[/folder]]
69
70[[folder:Video Games]]
71* ''VideoGame/{{Bubsy}}'': Bubsy The Bobcat is [[TheDitz clownish]], [[PluckyComicRelief quite buffoonish]], [[TheChewToy accident-prone]] and an {{slapstick}}y ButtMonkey in the 2D games who was [[{{Pun}} full of cat puns]], [[MotorMouth being excessively talkative]], was known as [[CuteButCacophonic an annoying character]], and was senseless in his [[HumorDissonance 'sense of humor']] in every game.
72** However, he became [[TheKlutz a blithering klutz]] to an extreme IronButtMonkey[=/=]TheChewToy status in his 3D title who is still senseless in his badly-done style of jokes and goes overboard with them; yet still incredibly slapstick-prone when his clumsiness was better shown in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkcjb9l7NI0 level completion cutscenes,]] some idle animations, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5NIYbELwiY countless]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A92S1R2VeVM&t=3s death animations]] [[TheManyDeathsOfYou of him]] being [[TheChewToy this]] as this was what brought some [[MemeticMutation memetic value from one out of those death animations]] and was the notably good highlights of the game.
73*** Since the series had begun, [[InsufferableImbecile Bubsy]] was always an IdiotHero, as the series continued after the infamous 3D game killed the franchise for over a decade, his character since ''The Woolies Strike Back'' had a clear direction with being characterized by his voice clips and was seen to be this naive, [[TheDitz dumb]] little bobcat who thinks he's the [[CoolCat coolest cat]] around who [[LoveHungry tries to show how "awesome" he is]] with [[ItsAllAboutMe taking any chances of doing something cool to show it off to anyone]] or tell someone [[{{Pride}} anything awesome about himself]] or tries to make himself seem awesome & charismatic towards others [[SmallNameBigEgo by how he thinks]]. [[{{Irony}} Yet, it always comes to the fact that Bubsy]] is so lame and pathetic that it is comical.
74* ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim'': The muscle-bound, humanoid cats from the games ([[WesternAnimation/EarthwormJim and in the cartoon]]) are a bunch of {{Dumb Muscle}}s that are henchmen and serve a highly intelligent, villainous goldfish named Bob the Killer Goldfish. Having Number Four being [[TheDitz one of the many dimwitted cats]] that [[UndyingLoyalty carries Bob's fishbowl as his appearance]].
75* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Big the Cat is as buffoonish as they come, though he's not usually the one for slapstick, albeit rare for being prone to slapstick or humor in general. The female Blaze is ''much'' more dignified and intelligent (though she still falls to occasional {{Slapstick}} moments).
76* The cat from ''VideoGame/{{Stray|2022}}'' has his moments, such as his reaction to wearing the backpack the first time (he slumps over onto his side, then walks around like a great weight is crushing him for the next several minutes) or how B-12 outright states that his best quality is breaking things.
77* ''VideoGame/StayTooned'': Fiddle is a friendly black and white [[ShowWithinAShow cartoon]] cat that is constantly followed by bad luck and antagonized by various pranksters. Overall Fiddle clearly takes inspiration from many classic cartoon cats. The game's plot has [[RefugeeFromTVLand all the cartoon characters escape from the TV into the real world]], with Fiddle being the [[TokenGoodTeammate only cartoon character that doesn't antagonize the player]].
78[[/folder]]
79
80[[folder:Web Original]]
81* In general, the entire WebOriginal/LOLCats phenomenon could be considered a modern incarnation of this trope. See also, TheInternetIsForCats.
82[[/folder]]
83
84[[folder:Web Videos]]
85* In general, [[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=clumsy+cats those searches based on compilations of clumsy cats, "hilarious cat fails" videos]] or those "funniest cat" related videos ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTasT5h0LEg even those universally known cat videos like this one that was originally known for being the funniest cat videos on the web]]) you can easily find on [[Website/YouTube YouTube]] can be also considered a modern embodiment of this trope, for better or for worse. Check out TheInternetIsForCats.
86* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpl5mOAXNl4 I'm a Stupid Cat!]] is a classic, jolly, upbeat, lighthearted, and catchy song made by Mike Polk Jr. that has lyrics in a verbally abusive yet amusing, humorous way ''(if [[SirSwearsALot having swears]] in [[ObligatorySwearing there]])'' that relate to his cat's usual behavior and persona that can be best described as what it is like to be a FunPersonified, [[TheDitz happily goofy]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} somewhat spacey & slow-witted]], [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny preoccupied]] in a [[RuleOfFun joyful way,]] and cheerfully [[CaptainOblivious oblivious cat]] in everyday life.
87* [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/maru-the-cat Maru the Cat]] is a Japanese tomcat who got his fame due to his playful and goofy tricks posted on Website/YouTube. At one point, Maru's [=YouTube=] channel [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome was the 8th Most Subscribed channel and 11th Most Viewed [=YouTube=] channel of all time]] in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}. As of 2016, he had won a Guinness world record because of this.
88* The titular character in ''WebAnimation/SimonsCat'' is often this. He frequently gets himself into trouble with his antics, especially when trying to bully the kitten or hunt birds.
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder:Western Animation]]
92* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': The title character is the modern, [[KidHero younger]] version of this trope in most of the first season, he was [[TooDumbToLive very dumb]], [[SkilledButNaive naive,]] {{slapstick}}-prone and very overconfident. From the second season on, [[DumbassNoMore while Gumball does get smarter]] and tends to be more towards the CatsAreSnarkers trope, but he is still [[TheChewToy very accident-prone,]] can lack ''some'' common-sense ([[RuleOfFunny comically]] or not) because of his impressionable nature/youth or just his naivety, and [[ButtMonkey is perfectly capable of making an ass of himself.]] All of this contrasts with his mom Nicole, the only other cat in the show who is hyper-competent and a badass.
93* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bonkers}}'': The titular Bonkers D. Bobcat is an utter mess of being [[TheDitz clownishly ditzy]], [[TheKlutz massively clumsy]], [[PluckyComicRelief & cartoonish]].
94* ''WesternAnimation/TheBrakShow'': Brak is an [[AgeLift teenage]] Alien Cat that is [[PluckyComicRelief incredibly buffoonish]] and is a KindheartedSimpleton who is [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} very eccentric]], [[ThePollyanna optimistic,]] and [[CheerfulChild very chipper.]]
95** Also Brak resulted in this in later adaptations such as ''WesternAnimation/CartoonPlanet'' and ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhostCoastToCoast'' because he was given a more {{slapstick}}-prone, [[AdaptationPersonalityChange lovable and funnier demeanor]] from his [[CatsAreMean villainous]] and intelligent counterpart in ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost''. A segment on ''Cartoon Planet'' gives the explanation that the unknown circumstances that spared him from his canonical death by Piranhamite swarm left him an idiot.
96--->'''Zorak:''' Brak, how ''did'' you survive that swarm?
97--->'''Brak:''' I-I don't know, it's all a blur! I musta fallen asleep and when I woke up I was stupid!
98* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bunnicula}}'': Patches the Weredude is a [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} slow-witted]], [[FunPersonified fun-loving]], [[ForgetfulJones and forgetful]] HalfHumanHybrid that evolved from a cat and still acts like one despite his human transformation.
99* ''WesternAnimation/{{Catscratch}}'': Waffle is [[TheDitz a dimwitted, goofy, bit of a dingbat]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} and quite oddball & a goofball]] who is yet [[DumbIsGood kindhearted cat]] who is also an IronButtMonkey due to him sharing his friends' ButtMonkey status in the slapstick mayhem, he is also the innocent [[{{Pun}} ding-cat]] of the trio.
100* WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts: Louie the mountain lion was a very buffoonish, goofy, dorky [[{{Determinator}} if determined,]] graceful most of the time, a bit of a thinker, [[BewareTheSillyOnes can be rough, tough, grumpy & quite ferocious to Donald and others,]] yet still a pretty clownish feline whenever he was in a ''WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}'' short, or a ''WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' short.
101* ''WesternAnimation/HeathcliffAndTheCatillacCats'':
102** Riff Raff is somewhat on the averted or zigzagged side of this since he isn't exactly dumb, but just a loser who's [[TheSmartGuy smart]] in general and has his [[StrawLoser moments and history of screwups]] whenever normal or [[CatsAreMean being mean-spirited at his worst]] since he's an UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist overall.
103** [[TheBigGuy The portly, tall, muscular cat]] Mungo, however, would easily count as more of an evident DumbMuscle GentleGiant version of this trope due to him just being a [[KindheartedSimpleton kindhearted if dimwitted character]] who is gentle but [[LethallyStupid is pretty clumsy with being gentle towards his friends.]]
104* ''WesternAnimation/HermanAndKatnip'': Katnip was [[FollowTheLeader inspired by Tom]] of ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'' with having Tom's [[PluckyComicRelief clownish and buffoonish]] ButtMonkey [[TheChewToy status]]. Unlike Tom, however, Katnip was a cat who ''[[FailureIsTheOnlyOption never]]'' once won against [[InvincibleHero Herman]], [[TeamRocketWins while there were some exceptions,]] he never won against others like [[CleverCrows Buzzy]] however. While Herman was intended to be a heroic mouse, [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation many viewers considered]] Herman's attacks on Katnip to be rather sadistic and lacking in anything humorous. When Katnip is paired with Buzzy when attempting to consume him to get some rest or from advice from a book he read on solving his problems, [[GuileHero Buzzy]] always finds a way to defeat him in either old-fashioned cartoony ways or not, this is all due to [[TheDitz Katnip himself]] being the [[{{Pun}} cat's-paw]] when clumsily [[SuperGullible gullible]] for Buzzy's deceptions and is also [[TooDumbToLive too oafish to live]] in the process.
105* ''JustForFun/TheItchyAndScratchyShow'': Scratchy is invariably portrayed as a simple, kindhearted, slapstick-prone [[PluckyComicRelief if somewhat buffoonish, silly]], [[TooDumbToLive comically self-destructive]] and [[ButtMonkey easily defeated fellow]] who's usually minding his own business and is [[VirtuousCharacterCopy perfectly friendly to mice (unlike Tom and Katnip)]], but [[VillainProtagonist the psychotic and sociopathic mouse]], Itchy, invariably gets him killed ForTheEvulz. Itchy invariably succeeds in torturing and killing Scratchy due to his [[SuperGullible gullibility]] or how easy to torture Scratchy is when Scratchy has a similar style of sharing Tom's [[TheKlutz clumsiness]] and [[ButtMonkey incompetence]], but [[BloodierAndGorier more gory and bloody]] -- and only in some cartoons did [[TheDogBitesBack Scratchy bite back]].
106* ''WesternAnimation/KittyIsNotACat'': While all of the cats get their fair share of slapstick and silliness, some definitely qualify for this trope more than others, notably the SmallNameBigEgo [[AuthorityInNameOnly King Tubby]] and resident CloudCuckoolander Cheeta.
107* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
108** [[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Sylvester the Cat]]. Even in cartoons where he's not chasing prey -- there are three examples where he's trapped with WesternAnimation/PorkyPig in an abandoned hotel full of murderous mice, and they're the aggressors from start to finish -- he's still portrayed as [[PluckyComicRelief a buffoon]] overall. Along with [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner Wile E. Coyote]], Sylvester is seen as [[ButtMonkey a failure]] most often in classic Looney Tunes shorts, even when he's in the right. Sylvester was only vindicated once, in a Porky Pig cartoon. He also [[TheyKilledKennyAgain dies more often than any other cast member.]]
109** Minor Looney Tunes character Claude Cat, who is seen as both persecuted and persecuting, was played as an inept, anxiety-ridden loser.
110** A [[TheBigGuy "big cat"]] example: Pete Puma. He's [[TheDitz as dumb as an ox]] and has a [[SimpletonVoice goofy voice to match]]. When he asks WesternAnimation/BugsBunny if he can have two lumps in his tea, Bugs gives him two lumps on his head with a mallet -- more than once, in fact, and Pete even gives himself more lumps on the head when Bugs offers to give him another.
111** The two cats in Creator/BobClampett's last Tweety cartoon, "Gruesome Twosome". One of them is [[FatIdiot chubby & dopey]]; the other is a somewhat brighter fellow complete with Jimmy Durante's voice and schnoz. [[Creator/AbbottAndCostello Babbott and Catstello]] (especially [[FatComicRelief Catstello]]), are the antagonists from Tweety's 1942 debut, and they also fit this trope entirely.
112** Many male cats are portrayed this way in Looney Tunes shorts, including the aforementioned Catstello from the first Tweety cartoon, the lion from "Roman Legion Hare", Conrad Cat from "Conrad the Sailor", [[TheBigGuy and the tall, strong]] and [[FatIdiot fat]], and gap-toothed [[KindheartedSimpleton Benny]] along with his friend he is incredibly loyal to, [[SmugSnake George]], and Heathcliff from [[WesternAnimation/DoughRayMeOw "Cheese Chasers; Dough Ray Me-ow".]]
113** In a Looney Tunes cartoon starring Elmer Fudd and Sylvester, there is a rare buffoonish female cat. Penelope Pussycat was the first [[GenderInverted female version]] of this trope, with several cartoons showing her as an [[CuteClumsyGirl clumsy and unlucky cat from the start.]] She invariably takes on a skunk disguise, sometimes unwittingly. Things get worse once WesternAnimation/PepeLePew sees her; she's reduced to a state of panic and [[ButtMonkey often ends up suffering all sorts of slapstick abuse in her frantic attempts to escape Pepe's attention.]]
114* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' plays with the trope. Adrien "becomes" a flirtatious, irresponsible ButtMonkey when he activates the [[TransformationTrinket Cat Miraculous]] (incidentally gaining ears and a tail), but this is because he sees superhero duties as an emotional outlet, not because the Miraculous itself changes his personality. During several HeroicBSOD[=s=], he transforms and retains his normal, repressed personality.
115* ''[[WesternAnimation/TheCattanoogaCats Motormouse and Autocat]]'': Autocat is TheSmartGuy and is also a FatComicRelief that graduated from the [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner Wile E. Coyote]] school of [[{{DidntThinkThisThrough}} planning]] and failing in [[PluckyComicRelief buffoonish styles,]] this is seen in his vain attempts to catch [[GuileHero Motormouse]] and would fail in countless, cartoony ways when he comes up the wise, witty or comedic dialogue when setting up his traps, his slapstick-prone nature is the result of {{Epic Fail}}s. But at the end of the day, [[NiceMice Motormouse]] would always give Autocat a lift home, help him out when [[ButtMonkey he's in trouble,]] and/or just let him be.
116* ''WesternAnimation/NatureCat'': The title character is definitely this. In looks, he's got a huge, bulbous nose that makes him look like a clown. In personality? He's [[TheKlutz very clumsy]], is sometimes sillier than Hal in some episodes, and is the only character of the main cast to [[ButtMonkey receive the most slapstick]]. His arch-nemesis, Ronald, also has his buffoonish moments despite being [[CatsAreMean sneaky]], especially in the early episodes.
117* ''WesternAnimation/PixieDixieAndMrJinks'': Mr. Jinks is essentially a dumbed-down version of [[ButtMonkey Tom]] from ''Franchise/TomAndJerry''. In fact, some of the episodes in this series are recycled stories from the earlier show.
118* A forgotten 1941 short by Official Films called ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkKpNV8IMnY Playing The Pied Piper]]'', an anthropomorphic [[AffectionateParody cartoony take]] of ''Literature/ThePiedPiperOfHamelin'' that features an un-named, [[FatIdiot pot-bellied]] yet tall [[FullyDressedCartoonAnimal fully-dressed black-furred cat]] who was goofy, [[HarmlessVillain quite harmless]], [[NeverLearnedToRead notably uneducated & can't spell]] yet can still play his flute perfectly before it broke funnily enough, and is quite the schlepper when searching in the attic even after reading a book for catching mice. He is also [[SuperGullible easy to deceive]], [[PluckyComicRelief very clown-like]], [[TheKlutz and extremely clumsy when he's always falling from the scuttle door as the running gag,]] and is such to the point that he is sometimes aware of this & can ''still'' stumble into the scuttle door, while [[WhoWouldBeStupidEnough he forgets about where the scuttle door was when focusing on capturing the mouse]] and gets defeated by [[HumiliationConga falling through four apartment floors when easily fooled by the mouse he was trying to capture]] as the ending of the short has him in his defeated state, giving SimpleMindedWisdom to the viewer. This cat has a SimpletonVoice to match his clownish nature ''(whose voice was done by [[Creator/MelBlanc Mel Blanc]] and shows a familiar use with how Mel Blanc would later on voice [[Characters/LooneyTunesSecondaryCharacters Beaky Buzzard]])''.
119** This cat is also prone to ''lots'' of {{slapstick}} because of not only being [[TheKlutz insanely klutzy and slow-witted,]] however, this also comes from him being effortlessly outsmarted by [[ManipulativeBastard that mouse]] he talked to with [[AmusingInjuries being skulled with a cartoonish mallet when in the dark and when he was slow with his reflexes on spotting the mouse he just captured as an example of this]] and he seems to be presented like an IneffectualSympatheticVillain throughout the short due to how easily dupable and [[IronButtMonkey durable he is.]]
120* ''WesternAnimation/PunkinPussAndMushmouse'': Punkin' Puss fits the incompetent, [[HalfWittedHillbilly ignorant hillbilly stereotype]] by how much he can lack in common-sense, [[CatsAreMean can be quite the mean one towards]] Mushmouse while an UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist and [[PluckyComicRelief still a buffoon overall.]]
121* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'': Stimpy is [[TheDitz dumb]], [[PluckyComicRelief very buffoonish]], and [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} a goofball,]] he was a part of the direct inversion of the CatDogDichotomy with the CatsAreMean & DogsAreDumb tropes seen above.
122* ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'':
123** Somewhat Subverted with Wildcat. Despite being [[BunnyEarsLawyer not that bright and a childlike thinking feline, he is extremely competent at mechanics]] for Baloo and Higher for Hire that makes him seem more of the GeniusDitz version of this trope or would have kind of a feline resemblance to [[{{Film/ErnestPWorrell}} Ernest P. Worrell]].
124** Douglas Benson, the OneShotCharacter in "Louie's Last Stand" is an IneffectualSympatheticVillain version of this trope. He is an overzealous employee of Shere Khan who wanted to purchase Louie's bar only to be mocked for it. When he decides to take drastic measures it usually resorts to a lot of slapstick happening to him and continuously being laughed at. His defeat is even a HumiliationConga where, after being blown up, a seagull even laughs at him.
125* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'': Furrball is this sometimes when lacking common-sense, [[JustifiedTrope although, he is]] a [[KidHero kitten overall]] and is usually [[TheChewToy unlucky]]. Example: a mishap with malfunctioning 3-D glasses and glue results in a WhatADrag situation when he tries to remove them.
126* ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'':
127** Tom is [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption usually on the losing end]] of the titular rivalry in buffoonish and cartoony ways, though a few cartoons have him [[TeamRocketWins win]], and he was temporarily suave in some cartoons. Though in general, he's still a comical [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]] due to [[TheKlutz his famously clumsy streak]] and comical [[TooDumbToLive stupidity]] he can present at times.
128** Meathead is seen as the [[TheDitz more simpleminded cat as his name implies,]] and was a cat who went from being [[InsufferableImbecile temporarily selfish and utterly dull-witted while being just as addlebrained as Tom in the original shorts]], but now in the ''WesternAnimation/TheTomAndJerryShow2014'' while he can be prone to slapstick at times, he is portrayed as a [[TheFool lucky]], [[DumbIsGood good-natured and goofy cat]] who is very [[CaptainOblivious oblivious]] but friendly to others compared to the more irritable [[TheChewToy Tom]] and mean-spirited [[CatsAreMean Butch]] as examples.
129** In the original shorts, in appearances where Meathead is absent, an orange cat named Lightning is usually portrayed as [[TheDitz the most dim-witted]] of the recurring alley-cats.
130** Many male cats in several shorts were portrayed this way in sharing Tom's ButtMonkey style of being prone to {{slapstick}}-humor, sometimes during Tom's antics (e.g Butch or the orange cat named Lightning being prime examples) or when around Jerry's cousin [[BadassAdorable Muscles Mouse]] as examples of this.
131** Butch has his moments in earlier shorts like how [[ButtMonkey Tom]] would also share a similar defeat when characterized by humor when Tom is currently trying to get the better of him by tricking Butch into having a foolish appearance or when Spike starts beating up Butch along with the all the other alley-cats for [[BullyingADragon being jerky towards him.]]
132** Clyde from ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryKids'' is an [[TheBigGuy tall]] and [[FatIdiot obese]], [[DumbMuscle strong]] yet [[TheKlutz klutzy]], and a [[KindheartedSimpleton dimwitted but openhearted dummy]] who is [[DumbIsGood extremely friendly, somewhat cooperative]] and caring towards the titular, youthful kitten Tom (if [[LethallyStupid quite clumsy with being gentle]] while Tom was born with durability) who finds him annoying because of his unintentional clumsiness.
133* ''WesternAnimation/TopCat'': [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with [[Characters/TopCat Top Cat and his gang in general]], but the [[IronicName ironically named Brain]] fits this trope to a tee by how much he is [[TheDitz the ditziest and the slowest thinking cat]] of the gang who is also the occasional GeniusDitz, [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} quite a goofball]] and the one that tends to give the dumbest or silliest answers to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Top Cat.]] He is [[AvertedTrope averted]] as [[TheSmartGuy the smart one in the comic books, however.]]
134* ''WesternAnimation/TheTwistedTalesOfFelixTheCat'': Roscoe is a [[Characters/SpongeBobSquarePantsPatrickStar Patrick Star from Season 1]]-type of character (but more archetypal, [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome less remarkable and not given a plot focused on his character]]), he is basically [[TheBigGuy a tall]] and [[FatIdiot fat]] orange cat who is the village-idiot who seems to be very childlike, sometimes accident-prone, and can be prone to {{slapstick}} from time to time.
135* ''WesternAnimation/{{Underdog}}'': Klondike Kat from his segments [[PluckyComicRelief is pretty buffoonish]], [[TheKlutz klutzy]], [[ButtMonkey bumbling,]] has a [[SimpletonVoice goofy voice to match his bumbling nature,]] and somewhat resembles an earlier, feline version of ''WesternAnimation/HongKongPhooey'' (just without stuff like the kung fu theme, Phooey's ego/witty dialogue, or his hypercompetent sidekick), although, Klondike is unusually [[TheHero the good guy]] against a [[ManipulativeBastard scheming mouse.]]
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