Sufferin Succotash! April 19th is Sylvester the Cat’s 78th birthday. Many of you likely grew up watching the iconic lisping feline stumble his way through various schemes and shenanigans. A Tampa, FL vet shines the light on America’s 33rd-favorite animated character in this article.
History
One of the original stars of the golden age of animation, Sylvester has appeared in a whopping 103 short films since his debut in 1945’s Life With Feathers. In fact, three of the cartoon tuxie’s shorts won Academy Awards!
Roles
Like most kitties, Sylvester is obsessed with hunting. His usual intended victims (and/or dinners) are birds and mice—specifically Tweety Bird and Speedy Gonzales—but he’s also chased the Roadrunner and a baby kangaroo named Hippety Hopper. However, he has occasionally broken away from the hunter role. For instance, he acted quite frightened when exploring scary spaces with Porky Pig. As many cats do, he also seemed to see things that his buddy couldn’t. He’s also a devoted father, and is determined to teach his son Junior how to hunt.
Tweety
Sylvester spent most of his esteemed career chasing Tweety Bird. However, the two adversaries did occasionally switch places. For instance, in Hyde and Go Tweet, Tweety morphs into a Mr. Hyde-type monster and briefly eats Sylvester … after bemoaning a lack of ketchup. However, the two did eventually set aside their differences. In the finale of their spinoff series, The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, Sylvester realizes that he’s actually quite fond of his feathered nemesis, and no longer wants to eat him.
American Icon
Sylvester is mostly known for his cartoon work, but his career has gone far beyond that. He was the spokeskitty for 9 Lives from 1979 to 1983, and appears on the insignias for the 151st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, and USS Alameda County.
Bonus: Succotash Recipe
Have you ever had succotash? A classic Southern dish, succotash is generally a veggie casserole which includes sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, and shell beans, such as lima beans. Some versions include basil, bacon bits, or okra. The classic 19th-century recipe involves boiling the stripped corn cobs with the beans, and adding the corn kernels and flour later. It can also be turned into a main course by adding pork, salmon, shrimp, or chicken.
Do you have questions about your kitty’s health or care? Contact us, your Tampa, FL pet clinic, today!
