Morris the Cat

Tom, Garfield, Felix, Top Cat and Heathcliff are heavyweights in the iconic cartoon cat lineup, but when it comes to real world cats, its Morris who stands out from the rest.

Spokes-cat for the 9Lives brand of cat food, Morris found international acclaim in being “the world’s most finicky cat” only opting for the 9Lives brand, as shown in the brand’s advertisements, promotions and campaigns.

Also at the forefront in promoting responsible pet ownership and care, Morris has also appeared in different films, like in Shamus (with Dyan Cannon and Burt Reynolds) and The Long Goodbye (with Elliott Gould). He is also the “author” of three books, the Morris Prescription, The Morris Method and The Morris Approach.

He’s quite famous in real world cat circles, but unlike his cartoon counterparts, “Morris” is more of a role, not necessarily an actual, single, real live cat.

The first “Morris” was discovered in a Chicago-based animal shelter in 1968, and passed away in 1978. Since then, the tradition with “Morris” is linked with “cat rescues” or cats rescued from animal shelters. The current Morris lives with handler, Rose Ordile, and resides in Los Angels.

Morris has long been associated as the “ideal cat”, the ideal often attributed to the 9Lives brand’s successful advertising campaigns, but argued as not necessarily the cause, given that Morris does typify the image of healthy, well-adjusted and happy (as cats can be) cat.

Vets and cat lovers frequently refer to Morris as “examples”, in identifying or explaining situations or cat diagnosis, pretty much making Morris a household name in cat circles in the USA and around the world.

Just ask any cat owner. For sure, he or she would know who Morris is and would want nothing more than for his/her cat to be more like Morris.