Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated adventure has violence, peril, references to death.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Cats
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 15 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is not appropriate for children, as it includes dark themes, disturbing violence, and animal cruelty that left many viewers feeling upset and traumatized. Numerous reviews describe the plot as twisted and argue it should be removed from platforms labeled for kids, with many suggesting that other, more suitable content is available.
- dark themes
- animal cruelty
- not suitable
- traumatic for kids
- avoid at all costs
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 8 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In CATS, young kitten Cape (voiced by Nicole Tompkins) is bored of his cushy life in a city apartment and longs to explore the world in search of his mother and a mythical land called Peachtopia. His father, Blanket (Dermot Mulroney), however, prefers the luxury of their day-to-day life. But, when Cape runs away, Blanket -- with the help of a female macaw -- must venture out into the city to find him, running into old friends and new enemies along the way. Captured by a terrifying sculptor, who uses real-life animals as molds, Cape must join forces with his family and new friends to save themselves and the other trapped animals from a fate worse than death, all the while coming to terms with the reality of the Peachtopia myth.
Is It Any Good?
Cats lacks the craftsmanship of its Pixar and DreamWorks counterparts, but it's not without merits. The animation is bright and colorful, the cityscapes and rural landscapes are rendered beautifully -- if without much panache in the detail -- and the characters are emotive with the required cuteness. The plot follows the familiar story of a curious child -- or kitten in this case -- in search of something that ends up existing inside themselves. It also, in good-old Disney style, throws in the death of a parent to really get those tears rolling.
Considering that the movie skews toward a young audience -- with few references or additional levels to appeal to older viewers -- it feels unnecessarily dark in its frequent violence and references to death. It does, however, maintain a level of excitement and hits all the emotional notes to keep viewers fully engaged in what is a fairly generic story told well, but one that lacks the final flourish to make it unique.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the cartoon violence in Cats. Did you find any of the scenes too extreme for a movie like this? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
There are several references to Blanket's weight. Did this seem mean? How do you think Blanket felt about being called "fat" and "fatty?" Why does language matter?
What does Cape learn from his father? What kind of things have you learned from your parents or guardians?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 24, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : January 26, 2020
- Cast : Dermot Mulroney , Nicole Tompkins , Brittany Curran
- Director : Gary Wang
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Viva Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : peril, some thematic elements and rude humor
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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