Baby Puss

Lore & Background

Baby Puss is introduced in the 1942 short 'Baby Puss' as a hulking, gray kitten who is significantly larger than Tom but lacks his cunning. Despite his size, he is easily outsmarted by Jerry, often ending up as the victim of the mouse's pranks. His name reflects his true status as a kitten, but he behaves like a bumbling infant, adding to the absurdity of his character. In the short 'Baby Puss,' Tom is forced by his owner to dress the kitten in baby clothes and strap him into a carriage, only for Jerry to exploit the situation for maximum chaos, turning a simple humiliation into a full-blown catastrophe.

In Their Own Story

The alley was quiet until a rickety baby carriage rolled by, pushed by a grinning Tom. Inside, Baby Puss squirmed in a frilly bonnet, his massive paws barely fitting the tiny outfit. Jerry peeked from a trash can, a mischievous glint in his eye. With a flick of his tail, he sent a banana peel skidding under the carriage wheel, sending Tom and Baby Puss tumbling into a heap of tangled blankets, howls, and a bonnet now over Baby Puss's eyes.

Reader's Guide

The arc begins with Tom trying to humiliate Jerry by treating Baby Puss like an infant, but Jerry turns the tables. Key events include Jerry swapping Baby Puss's bottle with a hot sauce-filled one, causing Baby Puss to erupt like a geyser, and later using Baby Puss's sheer bulk to flatten Tom's elaborate traps. Baby Puss's size and strength become liabilities as he accidentally demolishes Tom's plans—smashing through fences, collapsing tables, and crushing Tom underfoot. The impact is a classic example of Tom's schemes backfiring, with Baby Puss as an unwitting wrecking ball. The short ends with Tom and Baby Puss both outwitted, tangled in baby gear, reinforcing Jerry's role as the clever underdog who never breaks a sweat.

Did You Know?

• Baby Puss first appeared in the 1942 short 'Baby Puss,' which is part of the 114 cartoons directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at the MGM cartoon studio between 1940 and 1958.
• The short 'Baby Puss' was released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, as were all Hanna-Barbera/MGM cartoons.
• Baby Puss is a kitten, despite his large size, as indicated by his name and his behavior as a bumbling infant in the short.