The Catillac Cats facts for kids
The Catillac Cats are a fun group of cartoon characters. They were part of the Heathcliff animated TV show, which first aired in 1984. Their adventures were shown in a special part of the show called Cats & Co. Most of the time, their leader, Riff-Raff, was trying to get rich quickly or find food.
Contents
Meet the Catillac Cats
The Junkyard Crew
The show features a group of cool cats. They live together in a junkyard. Their leader is a clever cat named Riff-Raff.
Riff-Raff, the Leader
Riff-Raff is an orange alley cat. He is tough and street-smart. He lives in half of an old transport plane. This plane sits high up on a pile of junk. Riff-Raff thinks he is very fancy, even though he is a junkyard cat. He often comes up with plans to get famous or rich. These plans are usually what the episodes are about. He always wears a blue scarf and a sideways cap. He also uses a table leg as a cane.
The other cats in his group are Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo.
Hector, the Second-in-Command
Hector is a brown and beige cat. He speaks with a New Jersey accent. Sometimes, Hector feels he should be the leader. He even takes charge in some episodes, like "Hector's Takeover." Riff-Raff and Hector often have friendly disagreements. These arguments create many funny moments in the show. Hector is also the second-in-command of the group.
Wordsworth, the Rhyming Cat
Wordsworth is a light-gray cat. He is named after the poet William Wordsworth. He always wears roller skates, yellow headphones, and sunglasses. What makes him special is that he always speaks in rhyme! In one episode, "The Big Swipe," his full name is shown to be Wordsworth W. Wordsworth.
Mungo, the Gentle Giant
Mungo is a large, purple cat. He is not very smart, but he is very strong. He often helps Riff-Raff with his plans. Mungo usually wears a red shirt and a red winter hat. Even though he is a bit dim-witted, Mungo is a great cook. He also has amazing strength and is good at fighting. Mungo is known as a "gentle giant" because he is kind and lighthearted.
Cleo, Riff-Raff's Girlfriend
Cleo is Riff-Raff's girlfriend. She is a cream-colored cat with long blonde hair. She lives in a music store. Her fur looks like a leotard, and she wears pink legwarmers. A big sheepdog named Bush guards the music store. Bush has long hair and can't see well. A funny thing that often happens is Riff-Raff sneaking in. Bush then tries to chase him out, breaking a musical instrument every time.
In a flashback episode called "Christmas Memories," we learn that Cleo was one of the original Catillac Cats. She even came up with their name! Sometimes, Riff-Raff accidentally tries to date another cat. This makes Cleo very angry. But they always get back together.
Leroy, the Junkyard Dog
Leroy is another character who lives in the junkyard. He is a reddish-brown hound dog. He has dark brown ears and a big spot over one eye. He wears a nautical captain's hat. Leroy and the Catillac Cats have a tricky relationship. Leroy often tries to chase them away, but he never succeeds. Other times, he helps them chase away other animals. In the Christmas episode, we find out Leroy is part of a gang that guards the junkyard.
The Amazing Red and White Cadillac
The group got their name, the Catillac Cats, from a special red and white Cadillac car. This car is a big part of their adventures. Hector, Mungo, and Wordsworth live inside this car in the junkyard. Riff-Raff has his own fancy home in the jet plane.
The Cadillac is not just a car. It can change into an airboat or a camper! The camper form has extra parts, like a stove chimney and a TV antenna. When the car changes on top of the junk pile, these parts seem to move to other spots on the pile. But when the camper drives around, the parts just disappear inside. In one episode, the car even turned into a submarine! Even though the Cadillac usually has no tires, it is shown to be very fast. It has a silver trophy cup as its hood ornament. A blue and white striped wind-sock hangs from its radio antenna. The Cadillac is also shown in the end credits, changing from camper to car to boat. In many episodes, the cats use the car to drive all over town.
Catillac Cats and Heathcliff
Both Heathcliff and The Catillac Cats shows take place in a city called Westfinster. But only Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo appear in both parts of the show. When these three cats are in Heathcliff episodes, Hector is shown as their leader. Riff-Raff and Cleo never appeared in a Heathcliff episode. Riff-Raff is seen in a crowd once and mentioned a few times. Also, Heathcliff and his friends never appeared in a Catillac Cats episode. The only exception is a fish store owner who had a small part in one Catillac Cats episode.
Some people think this is because the company that owned Heathcliff did not want other characters in their show. Riff-Raff and Cleo were created by Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi. Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo were made so they could be in either show. The only time Heathcliff and Riff-Raff are seen together is in the end credits. Riff-Raff snatches his hat back from Heathcliff then. Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo do not appear in the second season of Heathcliff.
Catillac Cats in Heathcliff Comics
The Catillac Cats (without Wordsworth) appeared in a Heathcliff comic on July 20, 2016. In this comic, Heathcliff walks with them to the junkyard. The Catillac Cats (including Wordsworth this time) appeared again in a Heathcliff comic on February 20, 2018. In that comic, garbage men see Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats telling wild stories about the 1980s.
Other Names for the Show
In the end credits and on home videos, the Catillac Cats series is often called Cats & Company or Cats & Co. Early videos of Heathcliff spelled it "The Cadillac Cats." Later, a tape came out that used "The Catillac Cats" spelling for the first time.
Who Voiced the Characters?
- Riff-Raff - Stanley Jones
- Hector - Danny Mann
- Mungo - Ted Zeigler
- Wordsworth - Stanley Jones
- Cleo - Donna Christie
- Leroy - Ted Zeigler
- Bush - Danny Wells
