Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: February 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys
It seems that there are more and more commercials featuring cats lately. On the whole, I think this is a wonderful trend. While I’m not a huge fan of cats being made to do things they wouldn’t naturally want to do, I do believe that some cats love the challenge of being trained to do “tricks.” As long as this training is done responsibly, I have no problem with it. And if done right, training your cat can be an extension of play, and enhance the bond between cat and human
I don’t care for commercials that show cats in clothes, or portray them in other ways that most self-respecting cats would consider less than dignified. With all the advances in computer animation technology, it’s possible to make funny commercials without putting cats through something that just isn’t very cat-like. And even then, there’s a fine line between something being funny, and making fun of someone at their expense.
A recent brilliant example of using computer animation was the commercial for a British milk producer that featured cats with opposable thumbs. Which cat hasn’t dreamed of what life would be like if only….
Another cat commercial I really liked was this one, featuring a guy and his cat. Even though I don’t endorse the product the commercial is for, this one gets double points for showing not just a cat, but also for busting stereotypes by showing a man who unapologetically loves his cat.
The most stunning cat commercial I’ve ever seen is the new Cartier commercial titled “L’Odysée de Cartier.” This gorgeously produced fantasy featuring a crystal-encrusted panther come to life and his adventurous journey through spectacularly beautiful scenery, accompanied by a dramatic musical score, took my breath away.
Cartier representatives say the movie is the product of over two years of work, six months of which was spent on post production and special effects. For more behind the scenes information on how this commercial was shot, view The Making of L’Odysée de Cartier.
What do you think about the recent trend of featuring cats in commercials? Do you have a favorite?
Photo of panther: screenshot from the Cartier commercial
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About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
Have seen the Cravendale one before and love it.
The Whiskas one is just adorable, I get a kick out of it every time I see it.
The Cartier commercial is far and away the most exquisite commercial I have ever seen. The first time I saw it, I was confused…thought it was a part of the show I was watching lol. The amount of work that had to have gone into the production of that commercial must be mind-boggling. It is completely stunning.
Just saw the new Meow Mix commercial today bringing back the jingle…find it sort of annoying (where as it never bothered me before)…the cats they chose for it appear to be rather scrawny! lol
Caren, I’m waiting for the feature film version of the Cartier commercial :-)!
I posted this on Facebook too, but I love the black ‘rescue’ panther in the home security commercial. I love that they used a cat as their means of security but not that they were afraid of it.
I love cats myself and although I understand a panther is a wild animal, I would love the opportunity to just pet a ‘big’ cat someday. It is on my bucket list.
I love the Friskies commercial too where the cat goes on a little adventure of ‘wonder’, that cat has such wonderful markings.
It is about time cats took the lime-light!
I actually got to pet a black panther once, Kelly. This was in Reno, and the beautiful cat was being walked up and down the main drag on a chain by two guys who charged tourists to have their picture taken with the cat. I’m not sure I want to think about what kind of a life that was for that magnificent animal, but still, there was something awe-inspiring of looking into the eyes of a big cat at such close range, and getting to pet him!
I love, love, love the IKEA commercial Sara mentioned.
Although the Cravendale commercial is a very close runner-up, the EDS commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MaJDK3VNE) is still tops for me.
One that literally brings tears to my eyes is the IKEA commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoSJlmnPrYo); it’s beautiful in how it was made and the message it carries. Don’t miss the “making of” video, too!
The EDS “herding cats” commercial is a classic – it still make me laugh every time I watch it. And I love the IKEA commercial, as well as the “making of” for that one!