50 Cartoon Cat Names Sure to Make You Smile

Humans have used drawings to communicate since the beginning of time. However, many animation historians cite the first true cartoon as Fantasmagorie (1908). While times have changed, and humanity has advanced from cave paintings depicting scenes of life to computer-created images used to form full films, one thing has stayed the same: animals are a common feature. In many of even the earliest animations, cats became common characters, developing and showcasing personalities many of come to know and love. As a result, if you’ve recently brought a new cat home, you may be interested in discovering some cartoon cat names.

Below, explore 50 cartoon cat names in common cartoons based on cat characters (or cat equivalent characters).

Top Cartoon Cat Names

Below, explore some of the top cartoon cat names. These are chosen for either the memorability and popularity of their characters, such as the well-known Garfield, or the popularity of their name, such as Mittens.

• Tigger, the stuffed tiger from the story collection The House at Pooh Corner (1928)
• Garfield, the lasagna-loving orange cat from the comic strip of the same name
• Nala, the lioness from The Lion King
• Simba, the protagonist from The Lion King
• Mittens, the feral tuxedo cat from Bolt
• Felix the Cat, one of the oldest cartoon housecats originating from the era of silent films
• Penelope Pussycat, the tuxedo cat is often mistaken for a skunk in the Looney Tunes shorts
• Tony the Tiger, the mascot for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes

Popular Cartoon Cat Names

There are dozens of popular cats in cartoons from the past century. Below, explore some of the most popular cats for cartoon cat name inspiration. 

• Tom from Tom and Jerry
• The Cheshire Cat from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
• Sylvester from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies 
• Babbit from the Warner Bros. animated cartoons
• Catstello from the Warner Bros. animated cartoons
• Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes
• The Cat in the Hat from the show of the same name
• The Pink Panther from the franchise of the same name
• Figaro from Pinocchio
• Duchess from the Aristocats
• Berlioz from the Aristocats
• Marie from the Aristocats
• Toulouse from the Aristocats
• Thomas O’Malley from the Aristocats
• Oliver from Oliver & Company
• Lucifer from Cinderella

Cats in Children Cartoons

• Shere Khan from The Jungle Book
• Scar from The Lion King
• Puss in Boots from the Shrek franchise
• Si, one of the Siamese cats from The Lady and the Tramp
• Am, one of the Siamese cats from The Lady and the Tramp
• Yzma, the antagonist briefly seen in cat form in The Emperor’s New Groove
• Rajah from Aladdin
• Hello Kitty, the character from the franchise of the same name, sports a cat-like appearance but is described as a human by the creators
• Sagwa from Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
• Cat from CatDog
• Gary from Spongebob Squarepants, the underwater equivalent of a cat
• Chloe from The Secret Life of Pets
• Gumball from The Amazing World of Gumball
• Sergeant Tibbs from 101 Dalmations
• Cali from Paw Patrol
• Arlene from Garfield
• Azrael from The Smurfs
• Heathcliff from Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats
• Mochi from Big Hero 6

Cats in Adult Cartoons

When many people think of cartoons, their mind likely goes to those marketed toward children. However, many modern cartoons have an entirely different audience. These feature humor, storylines, and characters that are more suitable for adult audiences. Below, learn about some of the most popular cats in adult cartoons to help name your new pet.

• Princess Carolyn from Bojack Horseman
• Mr. Business from Bob’s Burgers
• Snowball II from The Simpsons
• Mr. Kitty from South Park
• Talking Cat from Rick and Morty
• Buckley from Slacker Cats
• Eddie from Slacker Cats

What to Know Before Choosing a Cat Name

Choosing the name for your new cat can be an exciting time. After all, those minutes and hours spent picking the perfect name are also spent thinking about the wonderful future ahead of you and your newest furry family member. However, even in the midst of excitement, it is important to make sure you choose the right name. This is especially important if you have other pets in the house.

One of the most important things to know beforehand is that you’ll want to make sure that you choose a name that isn’t easily confused with other keywords. This includes names of other pets or household members as well as commands. For instance, “Kit” can be a great cat name, but it also sounds a lot like “sit.” While this may not be a problem for your cat if you don’t plan on teaching them how to sit, it may be a problem if you have a dog in your home that does know how. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Svyatoslav Balan/iStock via Getty Images