The Alley Cat is a 1941 American animated short film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.^[1] Directed by Hugh Harman,^[1] the film centres on Butch, Toodles Galore, and Spike the Bulldog, who were subsequently integrated as recurring characters into the Tom and Jerry series of shorts (start in Baby Puss (1943)).

Plot

Butch is a black male alley cat who is instantly smitten with Toodles, a gorgeous, white female cat he sees on the balcony of her wealthy family's penthouse apartment on Park Avenue. He serenades her, but the butler sends the family's bulldog Spike after him.

A long, fast-paced chase ensues, with Spike being outwitted by Butch every time, and the chase ends with the butler accidentally hitting Spike with a broom when the dog chases Butch, causing Spike to turn against the butler out of anger. Once Spike and the butler are out of the way, Butch makes it into the apartment to dance with his new love.^[2]