Line #41 ComicStrip/Mutts


1	[[quoteright:340:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unnamed_285.jpg]]
2
3	''Mutts'' is a newspaper comic created by Patrick [=McDonnell=]. It launched on September 5, 1994, and is still running today. The comic centers around Earl the dog and Mooch the cat, their humans, and the many humans and animals in their neighborhood.
4
5	The official site can be found [[http://www.mutts.com/ here]].
6
7	Patrick [=McDonnell=] is a strong supporter of animal rights, and sits on the board of the Humane Society.
8	----
9	!!This series includes examples of:
10	* AbortedArc: In 2020, ''Shelter Stories'' was delayed until later that year, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Patrick from going to the animal shelter, with reader submissions taking the place of the usual stories. It was then paused again [[spoiler: in November 2023 to make way for "The Guard Dog Story", appearing only as a Sunday strip that month.]]
11	* AllJustADream: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-042905/ One strip in a ''Shelter Stories'' storyline]] has Andy, a dog, being afraid to open his eyes the next morning because he's worried that the previous day was just a dream and that he's still in the shelter. Eventually, he works up the courage to open his eyes... and discovers that, indeed, it was not a dream.
12	* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: The animals can understand humans, world problems and commands perfectly and are smart enough to do various activities such as manipulating objects with their paws and generally act like little humans.
13	-->'''Ozzie:''' (to Earl) Do you want to go out?
14	-->'''Earl:''' No, I'm studying for my lock-picking class.
15	* AnimalTalk: Zig-zagged in a confusing manner. Animals can talk to other animals, but not to humans, with humans hearing either barking or meowing or something else depending on the species. Whenever Earl or Mooch's owners are present, they would usually communicate through thought bubbles.
16	* AnimalsFearNeutering: In a rare aversion for a work featuring animals, all the dogs and cats (yes, even the males) are happily willing to get their sexual organs removed for the sake of Spay Day and even ''they'' are aware about the overpopulation issue in their town.
17	** While it's never explicitly stated, this is strongly implied with Mooch and Noodles, two tomcats who fight over the love of a female cat, which is extremely ironic considering they too support the spaying and neutering of pets.
18	* AnimalsLackAttributes: Played straight for the most part, although the cows always have udders.
19	** In a few earlier strips, the anus part is averted for a rabbit, ducks and even Earl himself.
20	** Averted in a strip when Mooch is badly beaten up because he accidentally tried to "milk" a dalmatian thinking he was a cow.
21	* AnthropomorphicZigZag: The animals, most notably Mooch and Earl, frequently switch from walking on two legs to walking on all fours, but in the former case, they're usually seeing standing on their haunches.
22	* AmazingTechnicolorWildlife: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-092307/ Mooch can become this in Autumn]].
23	** Mr. Chops, the blue pet pig that was scrapped from the final version of Mutts.
24	* ArtEvolution: Compare how Earl and Ozzie look [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-090594/ in the first strip]] to how they look nowadays.
25	* ArtisticLicenseAnimalCare:
26	** Mooch and Earl, along with the other animals, eat a ton of human food that would either kill them or make them sick in real life, though they always remember that chocolate is bad for them.
27	** Sid is a goldfish living in the stereotypical goldfish bowl.
28	** In the collaboration ''Darling, I Love You'', one poem features Sid's goldfish bowl slowly transforming into the ocean, where he happily swims about. Goldfish are freshwater fish and therefore can die if placed in saltwater environments.
29	* BearyFriendly: More often than not when a bear appears in the strip it'll be this. The more ferocious ones are usually provoked by Mooch.
30	* BewitchedAmphibians: Happens to Earl in one story arc after Mooch [[BullyingADragon challenges a witch to "prove" that she's a witch by turning Earl into a frog]]. When Mooch asks her to change him back, she turns Earl into a big, very angry bulldog. Then it turns out it was AllJustADream.
31	* BigDamnHero: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-122096/ When Earl, Mooch and Shtinky are stuck out in a snowstorm]] on December 20th, an old man - presumably SantaClaus - shows up to take them home.
32	** [[spoiler:Ozzie becomes this after he unchains an unconscious Guard Dog in order to take him to the animal shelter clinic.]]
33	* BigFriendlyDog: Woofie, the dog that "wuvs" everything.
34	** Guard Dog, when he's not provoked by Mooch or his owner.
35	* BrainsAndBrawn: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-080706/ According to Crabby]], he's the brains of the outfit and Mussels is [[{{Pun}} the mussel]].
36	* BreakingTheFourthWall: One 2004 storyline has Mooch challenging the readers to a staring contest.
37	* ButterflyOfTransformation: Sequences about caterpillars transforming to butterflies inspire talk about change.
38	* CharacterCatchphrase: Quite a few.
39	** "Yesh!"
40	** "Woofie wuvs [insert thing or character here]!
41	** "I hate Mondays."
42	** Mooch (or Moochie)! Din-din!
43	** [[LargeHam "Save the tigers!"]]
44	** "Little pink sock, little pink sock..."
45	* TheCameo:
46	** ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-073105/ shows]] [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-080705/ up]] [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-081405/ quite]] [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-101309/ a]] [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-101409/ lot]]. He also appears in [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-112005/ this strip]] alongside several other comic strip characters such as [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Snoopy]], ComicStrip/DickTracy, ComicStrip/LittleNemo, and [[ComicStrip/KrazyKat Ignatz the Mouse]].
47	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-052513/ This strip]] has one of the squirrels hitting [[Magazine/{{MAD}} Alfred E. Neuman]] with an acorn and saying, "What, me worry?"
48	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-101509/ They've thrown an acorn at]] WesternAnimation/BettyBoop once as well. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-071015/ And]] [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown]] [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-052711/ more than once]]. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-070815/ And]] WesternAnimation/RichieRich. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-070715/ And]] ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-100210/ And]] ComicStrip/{{Cathy}}. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-101709/ And]] ComicStrip/{{Zippy}}.
49	** [=MeeMow=], [=McDonnell=]'s own cat, appears at Shnelly's Housecat Club, though only seen from the ears.
50	* CatConcerto: Sometimes Mooch, Noodles and two other cats sing on the fence, with predictable results.
51	-->'''Noodles:''' And now fer a really big shoo!
52	-->'''Mooch:''' (after getting hit by a shoe) My, that '''was''' a really big shoo!
53	* CatapultNightmare: In the [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-051913/ strip for May 19th, 2013]] Mooch wakes up from a multilevel dream (having a dream about having a dream, which is about having a dream, etc.) in shock. He says to his owner "Now I've dreamed everything!"
54	* CirclingVultures: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-072399/ One perched overhead]] makes Earl and Mooch decide that maybe they've been laying around too much in the summer.
55	* CloudCuckooLander: Mooch, but that's probably just because he's a cat.
56	* ColdTurkeysAreEverywhere: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-120211/ After one of the squirrels announces that they're going to stop bonking people on the head with acorns]], a guy wearing a giant mascot head (apparently the mascot of a store called "Joe's") shows up.
57	* CrossOver: When ''ComicStrip/Blondie1930'' celebrated the Blumsteads' 60th Anniversary in 2005 Earl and Mooch could be seen with other King Features characters on Blondie and Dagwood's front lawn. In the ''Mutts'' comic for that day Ozzie receives an invite to the gala as Earl trips up the oddly familiar looking Mailman.
58	* CueTheSun: One Sunday strip after the solstice. It in fact faced Mooch as he stuck his head out the door.
59	* DeadpanSnarker: Mooch, occasionally. Like in this example, where he is served his dinner:
60	-->'''Mooch''': Din-din. Now don't tell me... (''sniffs food'') What a shurprize...shomething from a can. I hope you didn't go to ''too'' much trouble. And my...such a lovely presentation... (''[[ScrewThisImOuttaHere turns around dramatically and walks away]]'') ''Enjoy!''
61	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
62	** At the start, the comic focused more on pets and their adventures before gradually becoming a comic focused on animal rights.
63	** The animals (most notably Earl and Mooch) acted more animal-like compared to their AnthropomorphicZigZag in later comics. In addition to that, they also opened their mouths when talking, something that rarely happens nowadays.
64	** Earl's coat was coarse in earlier strips though this was fixed shortly after.
65	** Mooch was really skinny looking, but has since gained a little weight.
66	** Noodles, Guard Dog and Butchie originally spoke in heavy Brooklyn accents, but this was dropped as they were too distracting for readers.
67	** Guard Dog was often shown off his chain, only becoming chained when needed.
68	** Crabby and Lollipop were less expressive in their debut.
69	* EyesAlwaysShut: Many characters, like Butchie and Ozzie, are almost always seen with their eyes closed, only opening them when surprised or shocked.
70	* TheFaceOfTheSun: One Sunday strip, after the summer solstice.
71	* TheFaceless: Shnelly's face is never seen, except for the tip of her ears. However, her back and tail are seen in a Sunday strip in which she lets her tail down for Mooch.
72	* FauxHorrific: For the ''Mutts'' Halloween Book Club, Mooch reads "scary" books such as ''Literature/TheExorcist'', ''Literature/TheRaven'', and ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth''. But the book club's other members don't become frightened until he announces that they're going to read the complete two-thousand-plus page health care reform bill.
73	* FluffyTheTerrible: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-083198/ After getting beaten up by another cat]], Mooch demands to know who named her "Cuddles".
74	* FlyingFlightlessBird: One storyline has a penguin, bored of Antarctica, fly to where Earl and Mooch live. No, really. He flies there.
75	-->'''Mooch:''' But I don't believe penguins can fly!
76	-->'''Penguin:''' I know. But '''I''' do.
77	* FungusHumongous: In the [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-050513/ strip for May 5th, 2013]], Earl and Mooch walk among mushrooms taller than a human being.
78	* FurryConfusion: The main animals are noticeably more anthropomorphic compared to their four-legged non-anthropomorphic friends.
79	** Mooch used to own a snail named Little Earl. He also treats Earl like a dog despite being a cat.
80	* FurryReminder: Exaggerated. The pets will occasionally slip into animal-like behavior, such as chasing squirrels or playing with socks.
81	* GentleGiant: Guard Dog.
82	* GreenAesop: Starting in 1998, this was incorporated into the comic after only being used occasionally.
83	* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: Guard Dog's owner, who has never made an appearance. All that is known about him is that he has a "funny mug" and is abusive towards Guard Dog.
84	* HealingHerb: Earl eats grass to help with his upset stomach. Mooch finds it disgusting, commenting that the grass could've been anywhere and then gets sick thinking about it. He eats it after Earl gives him a DeathGlare.
85	* HurricaneOfEuphemisms: Mooch does this [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-011518/ after Earl suggests that they hibernate]].
86	-->'''Mooch:''' Do you mean let's - shleep, shnooze, shlumber, shiesta, get a little shut-eye, catch forty winks, nap, doze, go beddy-bye, hit the hay, zonk out, saw wood, turn in, nod off...
87	-->''(By the third panel, Earl has fallen asleep)''
88	* HypocriticalHumor:
89	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-042396/ This strip]] has Mooch complaining about Earl loudly slurping his water. Earl informs him that what he's slurping is actually milk. Mooch then does some slurping of his own.
90	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-070299/ Here]], Mooch calls fleas "lazy do-nuthin's who live off others". Then he hears Millie calling him for dinner.
91	-->'''Mooch:''' ''(dashing off)'' Hold that thought.
92	** Mooch and Noodles support Spay Day, but both aren't willing to get ''themselves'' neutered.
93	** Earl and Mooch often complain about humans eating meat even though they don't have a problem eating meat themselves nor do they think about it that much, which is justified as [[FurryReminder they are animals]].
94	* IdiotHair: Many characters (most notably Earl) have these, which becomes more prominent when they're sad.
95	* InterspeciesFriendship: Natch.
96	* InterspeciesRomance: One storyline had this between a bird and a bat.
97	* IResembleThatRemark: Frank is insulted that Millie considers him "a lazy, do-nothing cat-hating coach potato" and plans to prove her wrong by going through the effort of building a pet door for Mooch... and then mutters that as an extra bonus, having done so he'll "never again have to get up to let that furball out!" It fails miserably.
98	* {{Jerkass}}: Sourpuss.
99	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Crabby.
100	** Also Frank.
101	* LamePunReaction: Crabby delivers one in [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-082616/ this strip]], one of the many strips where Mooch pretends to be the Sphinx.
102	-->'''Crabby:''' All-Seeing Shphinx, why do orcas migrate?
103	-->'''Mooch:''' For the halibut.
104	-->'''Crabby:''' ''(agitated)'' If you have any more bad fish puns, let "minnow".
105	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-012303/ "WHERE do all these question marks come from!?!"]]
106	* LiteralMetaphor:
107	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-030116/ One March 1st]] has Mooch hearing a knock at the door and, upon opening it, seeing a lion walk into his house. Get it?
108	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-040217/ In this strip]], it's literally raining cats and dogs[[note]] Specifically Earl, Mooch, Guard Dog, Shtinky, Woofie, Noodles, Chickpea and Chickpea's Brother[[/note]].
109	* LovesMeNot: Mooch does this toward Shnelly -- with a three-leaf clover.
110	-->'''Mooch''': (''plucks first leaf'') She loves me... (''plucks second leaf'') ...she loves me not. (''plucks final leaf'') SHE LOVES ME! Let's do it again!
111	-->'''[[StraightMan Earl]]''': There aren't any three-leaf clovers left.
112	* MeaningfulName: Sourpuss and Crabby. Guess their respective species and disposition.
113	* MeatOVision:
114	** One strip has Mooch rubbing Earl - who's been sprayed by a skunk - with tuna in order to mask the skunk smell. Afterwards, he imagines Earl as a giant fish... and gets hungry.
115	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-080598/ In another strip]], while they're stuck out at sea in a boat, Mooch imagines Earl as a giant fish, then a giant chicken.
116	-->'''Earl:''' WHAT are you purring about?
117	* MediumAwareness: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-120711/ Mooch thinks outside the box]].
118	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-060814/ This strip]] has Mooch doing a lot of shedding - so much that the whole strip is covered with cat hair.
119	* MessyPig: One appears in [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-042317/ this strip]], cheerfully jumping into a puddle of mud to celebrate Earth Day.
120	* MisplacedWildlife: One strip has Earl and Mooch meeting a narwhal while at the beach. Earl comments that he thought narwhals only lived in arctic waters. The narwhal replies, "I'm on vacation."
121	** PlayedForLaughs in [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-011018/ this strip]]. This doesn't stop a penguin from showing up there on an unusually cold day.
122	* NeverMyFault: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-060915/ "WHO leaves a cat alone with dinner on the table?!"]]
123	* NeverSayDie: [[spoiler: In an earlier version of a strip from ''The Guard Dog Story'', Doozy tells her mother that Guard Dog's owners left him alone to starve to death. [=Patrick McDonnell=] later changed the line to "suffer" instead shortly after submitting the storyline for publication, saying it fit better with Guard Dog's situation. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-120623/ The strip]] displayed in newspapers and on the official website features Patrick's preferred version, now with an awkward gap where "starve to death" used to be. However, some newspapers still carried its original line in part of not being able to correct the change in time.]]
124	* NurseryRhyme
125	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Whenever Crabby is feeling happy, he knows that something is wrong.
126	* PaintingTheMedium: In an October 2017 storyline, Mooch claims to have magic powers capable of transporting him and Earl into the future. When Earl asks how they'll know it worked, Mooch points to the copyright notice at the bottom of the strip, which reads "Mutts © 2120 Patrick [=McDonnell=]". In a subsequent strip, Mooch transports them into the past, reverting them from line ink art to pencil sketches.
127	* PerfectlyCromulentWord: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-041318/ Upon finding out that it's National Scrabble Day]], Mooch exclaims, "That's just schrabbylicious!"
128	* PersonalRaincloud: Sourpuss gets one when complaining of whether the clouds would decide to rain or not.
129	* PetTheDog: Quite literally.
130	* PetPositiveIdentification: Earl the dog and Mooch the cat encounter a bizarre, raggedly humanoid with green skin. Mooch panics and advises fleeing the monster. Earl, however, wags his tail, stating: "Green, orange, blue ... I know my Ozzie." Ozzie was mimicking the Frankenstein monster for Hallowe'en at the time.
131	* PrettyButterflies: At a distance. Mooch is less impressed with the face.
132	* PolarBearsAndPenguins: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-011611/ This strip]] features a polar bear with penguins. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as it's in an ImagnineSpot that Mooch is having.
133	* PollyWantsAMicrophone: [[https://mutts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/110513.gif One Shelter Story]] features a talking parrot named Romeo, and he has this to say...
134	-->"Did you know there are many talking birds looking for new homes? So come to your local shelter and... I'll tell you all about it."
135	* {{Pun}}:
136	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-071613/ After the squirrels throw an acorn at]] [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], one of them quips that "Hith head will feel mighty THOR in the morning."
137	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-041014/ A bird asks Mooch]] if two wrongs make a right, what do two rights make? Mooch's answer: a flying machine. Get it?
138	* {{Pun}}:
139	-->'''Frog:''' You better listen to my frog survival tips. How do you think I lived to such a ripe old age?
140	-->'''Mooch:''' You haven't croaked yet?
141	* PuppyDogEyes: Used by the characters in multiple strips.
142	* RodentsOfUnusualSize: A storyline parodying ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'', with Doozy as Clara and Mooch as the Nutcracker, [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-121500/ portrays the Mouse King as one]].
143	-->'''Mooch:''' ''(to Doozy)'' [[{{Understatement}} You have a big mouse problem.]]
144	* SceneryCensor: Whenever Mooch and Earl (or some other animal) is seen crouching, grass will always cover their feet. This is done so that drawing them is easier without the need to add feet.
145	* SceneryPorn: Many Sunday strips show the landscapes in great detail. It helps that [=McDonnell=] is a talented artist.
146	* ScrewballSquirrel: Bip and Bop are obsessed with bonking people on the head with acorns.
147	* SeaMonster: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-081504/ This strip]] has Mooch asking Crabby if he's ever seen a sea monster. Crabby says yes - a hideous behemoth of a beast, leaving behind a path of wanton destruction. Mooch asks if it breathed fire. Crabby's response?
148	-->'''Crabby:''' NO. [[WhamLine It spilled OIL.]]
149	* ShesAManInJapan: In the Finnish translation of the strip Mooch is named Kati, which is a female name. It was probably the translator's decision to have a girl cat paired with a boy dog in the comic. It becomes interesting when later in the comic strip's run Mooch is shown to be romantically interested in female cats. Mooch was never renamed in the translation, so to the readers the character appeared as lesbian.
150	* SickEpisode: Sometimes Mooch would get a cold and Earl would try to help him, though this happens less nowadays in favor of the ongoing "Hibernation" storylines.
151	** One week focused on [[GrowlingGut Growling Guts]] caused by overeating and stomachaches. It concluded with Earl inducing vomiting by [[HealingHerb eating grass]].
152	* SingleMindedTwins: Chickpea and Chickpea's Brother are completely identical. It gets a LampshadeHanging from Earl.
153	-->'''Earl:''' How can you tell each other apart!?!
154	-->'''Chickpea and Chickpea's Brother:''' Easy. ''(pointing at each other)'' That's NOT me. I think.
155	* SlidingScaleOfAnimalCast: The strip focuses almost entirely on the daily lives of pets Mooch and Earl and later a cast of animals as a whole. Humans are present, but only a few of them, like Ozzie, are main characters and are mostly demoted to more minor roles.
156	* SpeechImpairedAnimal: Mooch talks with a speech impediment that makes words like "yes" turn into "yesh", though he doesn't seem to notice this.
157	* SpinoffBabies: Since 2021, the strip occasionally runs an annual storyline featuring Mooch and Earl as babies, under the title, ''Earl/Mooch's Puppy/Kitten Tales.
158	* SpitTake: Implied in [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-022303/ this strip]] - while snubbing his dinner (as per usual), Mooch fends for himself by eating wild berries... only to discover that they taste awful. We then see Mooch eating his dinner - immediately followed by Earl with berry juice all over his face.
159	* StraightMan: Earl, to Mooch's Wise Guy.
160	* SugarBowl: Most of the time.
161	* SuperiorSpecies: From the animal's point of view, them in relation to [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters humans]].
162	* ThatPoorCat: Occasionally done literally in some ''Shelter Stories'' strips featuring cats, but played straight with Mooch whenever he's startled or goes crazy.
163	* ThoughtBubbleSpeech: The pets gain these when humans are present, though it's more common for them to speak in the presence of humans. Sid almost exclusively communicates through thought bubbles.
164	* ThreateningShark: Averted with [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-081109/ Tony the Shark]], a friend of Crabby's -- he gets scared when there's a ''human'' sighting.
165	* ToiletHumour: Surprisingly for a comic focusing on animals, the comic averts this for the most part, only going far as to have the occasional mention of Mooch's litter box or Earl running over to a tree or pole (presumably to mark his territory).
166	** Mooch once dropped a snowball in his house, which is unfortunate when Frank showed up and thought Earl had an accident because the snowball melted.
167	** [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-040207/ "Stop and smell the roses...]] [[BaitAndSwitchComment and the trees and the rocks and the telephone poles and the..."]]
168	* TwiceToldTale: Mooch and Earl once venture to a house in a retelling of Literature/{{Goldilocks}}.
169	* UncattyResemblance: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-050711/ Sal, a shelter dog]], winds up with an owner who looks very much like him. The perfect match.
170	* {{Unicorn}}: One appears, once -- though you don't see many nowadays.
171	* VomitDiscretionShot:
172	** Earl and Mooch witness a bird feeding her baby offscreen, much to the latter's disgust.
173	** After Mooch accidentally eats a show dog's meal of liver and egg, he announces he's going to be sick and Earl tells him to be discreet. Later, we see him throwing up inside a trophy.
174	** Mooch gets sick while riding on a Ferris wheel with Earl and then leans over, announcing that it's "time to feed the fishes".
175	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: One storyline featured Butchie expanding his small business, Fatty Snax Deli, via food truck. Unfortunately, it suddenly concluded for unknown reasons and the food truck hasn't been mentioned or seen since.
176	* WhatsAHenway: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-030711/ Earl and Mooch encounter a gnu]]...
177	-->'''Earl:''' What's a gnu?
178	-->'''Mooch:''' I dunno... what's new with you?
179	* WhenItRainsItPours: Black lines attack during rain.
180	* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: While WordOfGod has stated that Mutts is set in New Jersey, it's never stated ''what'' city the comic takes place in.
181	* WhosOnFirst: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-050911/ One storyline has Mooch getting into this with an owl]].
182	* WhyDidntIThinkOfThat: [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-101311/ This is Bip and Bop's reaction to Earl suggesting that they store their nuts for the winter instead of throwing them at his head]].
183	* YetAnotherChristmasCarol: Mooch gets visited in his dreams by the cat lifes of past, present and future, each of which show him how he's always stealing Earl's food at Christmas. When he wakes up, [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Mooch runs off to steal more of Earl's food, because apparently it's tradition.]]
184	* YouDirtyRat: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-110813/ This Shelter Story]] features a rat named Stefan who's pretty chipper.
185	-->"Yeh... I could be at your local shelter waiting to be adopted. Hey... why '''not?''' Rats need love too.
186	* YoureCuteWhenYoureAngry: Mooch rages against being called cute. [[https://mutts.com/product/strip-013196/ Earl responds with this trope.]]

Context ComicStrip / Mutts