The 1970s Original 9-Lives Morris The Cat!

[Theauctions1]

I am an 80’s born person. But the huge influence that Garfield the Cat had on my life can be traced to the Morris the Cat from 9-Lives! Anyone has wished this cat were still on TV?!

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh, he (all the cats they had) was such a charmer and good looking fellow!

 

[CatladyJan]

I am an 80’s born person. But the huge influence that Garfield the Cat had on my life can be traced to the Morris the Cat from 9-Lives! Anyone has wished this cat were still on TV?!View attachment 439881

I loved Morris

 

[rubysmama]

There's bunch of different Morris 9 Lives commercials on Youtube. Here's one from 1977:

 

[neely]

I was so pleased to see this thread since our first feline specialist was the personal veterinarian for Morris the Cat. She was an amazing and dedicated woman who traveled globally and internationally to lecture vets on the major difference between cats and dogs.

 

[iPappy]

I am an 80’s born person. But the huge influence that Garfield the Cat had on my life can be traced to the Morris the Cat from 9-Lives! Anyone has wished this cat were still on TV?!View attachment 439881

80s born too, and I remember Morris so well! He always looked so regal. And it was practically a race down the hallways (shoving was optional) to get the Garfield comic books the school library had available to borrow. I remember the librarian looking so annoyed when we would fight over comic books and ignore all the "good" books they had to offer!
By any chance do you remember Toonces the Driving cat?

 

[iPappy]

I was so pleased to see this thread since our first feline specialist was the personal veterinarian for Morris the Cat. She was an amazing and dedicated woman who traveled globally and internationally to lecture vets on the major difference between cats and dogs.

That is really awesome that your vet was Morris's doctor!
Handling of dogs vs. cats at a vet or groomer are completely different skills. I'm glad she was able to lecture on those differences. I once saw a website for a grooming place that said they groomed cats, and they had a photo of a cat tied in a neck loop (like you would put on a dog like a collar) tied to the grooming table. What an accident waiting to happen.

 

[neely]

That is really awesome that your vet was Morris's doctor!

She was also a consultant for the big cats at the two major zoos in Chicago.

 

[Theauctions1]

80s born too, and I remember Morris so well! He always looked so regal. And it was practically a race down the hallways (shoving was optional) to get the Garfield comic books the school library had available to borrow. I remember the librarian looking so annoyed when we would fight over comic books and ignore all the "good" books they had to offer!
By any chance do you remember Toonces the Driving cat?

I remember seeing Toonces the Driving Cat a few times too! And Bonkers too! Those librarians definitely never understood why millions of children loved Garfield! Here in the Los Angeles area, Garfield cartoons were something to look forward to seeing at 6:00 am Saturday Morning. Its sometimes nostalgic to remember how decades have passed in the blink of a eye.

 

[Theauctions1]

I was so pleased to see this thread since our first feline specialist was the personal veterinarian for Morris the Cat. She was an amazing and dedicated woman who traveled globally and internationally to lecture vets on the major difference between cats and dogs.

Dr.Laura Pasten is her name if I am not mistaken. Definitely saved countless lives alongside Morris and Bob Martwick, his trainer.

 

[neely]

Dr.Laura Pasten is her name if I am not mistaken.

No, sorry, her name was Dr. Barbara Stein. She was the founder of the Chicago Cat Clinic, first feline veterinary clinic in Chicago:
DR. BARBARA STEIN, CAT CLINIC PIONEER

 

[Theauctions1]

No, sorry, her name was Dr. Barbara Stein. She was the founder of the Chicago Cat Clinic, first feline veterinary clinic in Chicago:
DR. BARBARA STEIN, CAT CLINIC PIONEER

That was her name! A legend in helping Chicago felines be healthier and loved! It must have been a Huge honor for her to treat Morris the 9 Lives Cat!

 

[Theauctions1]

That was her name! A legend in helping Chicago felines be healthier and loved! It must have been a Huge honor for her to treat Morris the 9 Lives Cat!

Thanks so much for the name correction by the way! Morris The Cat is missed!

 

[neely]

That was her name! A legend in helping Chicago felines be healthier and loved! It must have been a Huge honor for her to treat Morris the 9 Lives Cat!

Are you from the Chicago area? She was an icon both in her endeavor to vigorously push for feline health care and to be taken seriously as a female in the veterinary field at that time. She literally saved one of our cats when our regular vet tried but couldn't help him. We had never seen her before but she met us on New Year's Day when the clinic was closed and gave him a transfusion from her own cat. That is when we sat and talked and she told us about Morris the Cat.

 

[Theauctions1]

Are you from the Chicago area? She was an icon both in her endeavor to vigorously push for feline health care and to be taken seriously as a female in the veterinary field at that time. She literally saved one of our cats when our regular vet tried but couldn't help him. We had never seen her before but she met us on New Year's Day when the clinic was closed and gave him a transfusion from her own cat. That is when we sat and talked and she told us about Morris the Cat.

Sadly, no, I am from the Los Angeles Area. But I have to gladly admit that Chicago has been a tremendous influence on the people here of Los Angeles. Someday I need to go visit Chicago to see its good history! For a veterinarian to use her own cat to save your cat, and on a holiday, definitely speaks volumes to her dedication in the feline medicine field. Morris the cat definitely deserved a follow-up book, and I hope those stories about Morris the cat are shared someday.