oscaralbert Review of Kit for Cat

Kit for Cat (1948)

One can view KIT FOR CAT as merely a kids' cartoon . . .

[8/10 · 30 January 2016]

. . . or see this Warner Bros.' animated short as an allegorical take on the American Immigration Experience. Since the latter perspective is more fun, let's interpret KIT FOR CAT that way. Elmer Fudd's drawn here as a White person in possession of a Big House, so for all intents and purposes he represents White People in KIT FOR CAT. Territorial Black Cat Sylvester leaves his Urban Decay Bailiwick and seeks out Elmer's charity, so Warner may be attempting to tie this cat in with people of his color. The tan KIT is always Horning in on Syvester's Territory, bedeviling the longer-established candidate for favored house pet status every step of the way. Thus, Sylvester's antagonist is drawn by Warner to represent Americans of Hispanic Heritage. When KIT FOR CAT reaches its conclusion, Elmer receives eviction notice #54912, Certification #7652104, Serial #T9461235 from his landlord (who is voiced as a Native American, but not seen). This tale's Denouement finds Elmer on the street, picking up an apple core which even the squabbling cats have both rejected. Warner's KIT FOR CAT moral seems pretty clear: A Trump in Hand is worth two Cubans and a Bush.