The Houndcats facts for kids

The Houndcats was a fun American cartoon show that aired on Saturday mornings. It was made by a company called DePatie–Freleng Enterprises. The show was first shown on NBC television from September 9 to December 2, 1972. Reruns of the show continued until September 1, 1973. There were 13 episodes in total.

What Is The Houndcats About?

This cartoon series was a bit like the grown-up adventure show Mission: Impossible. It also took ideas from a short show called Bearcats!. The Houndcats team was made up of five animal spies. There were three dogs and two cats, which is how they got their name, "Houndcats."

Spy Missions in 1914 America

The team went on exciting spy missions. These adventures happened in America way back in 1914. Each episode started with the Houndcats getting their secret orders.

Their "Chief" was a mysterious person they never saw. The Chief's message would play from an old-fashioned record player or a player-piano. This part was a funny copy of the tape recorder scene in Mission: Impossible.

But there was always a funny twist! The message would always end by saying, "this message will self-destruct in five seconds." This would always surprise the Houndcats. They would quickly run away before the message exploded!

Meet The Houndcats Team Members

The Houndcats team had five unique members. Each one brought special skills to their spy missions.

• Stutz was the leader of the Houndcats. He was a cool and very confident cat.
• Ding Dog was Stutz's main helper. He wore a blue uniform from the American Civil War. Ding Dog was known for often having bad timing and making not-so-great choices. He was a Briard dog.
• Muscle Mutt was the strong one of the group. He was big, bulky, and always hungry! His eyes were almost always hidden under his hat. Muscle Mutt was an Old English Sheepdog.
• Putty Puss was a very small cat. He was an expert at disguises, meaning he could dress up and look like anyone!
• Rhubarb was a dog who was also a scientist. He wore a long coat and a big sombrero hat. You could usually only see his nose! His coat was full of all sorts of cool gadgets and inventions.

Who Voiced The Characters?

Many talented voice actors brought the Houndcats to life. Here are some of the main voices you heard:

• Michael Bell voiced Stutz and also the Raven.
• Joe Besser was the voice of Putty Puss.
• Daws Butler voiced Rhubarb in some episodes, plus Dr. Strangeless and Grogan.
• Stu Gilliam was the voice of Ding Dog.
• Arte Johnson also voiced Rhubarb and Captain Blight.
• Aldo Ray was the voice of Muscle Mutt.
• Joan Gerber voiced Madame X.
• Bob Holt also provided voices.
• John Stephenson voiced Doctor Doll.

Watching The Houndcats Today

You can still watch The Houndcats today!

In 2015, a company called Film Chest Media Group released the show on DVD. It was part of a special collection called The Barkleys and The Houndcats - 2 DVD Classic Animation Set. This was the first time all 13 episodes were available on DVD.

The show was also shown again on TV by Viacom International. This company is now known as CBS Television Distribution.