Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan and looking for more information on the cats in the books and movies–or a new cat parent looking for a name–you’ll find several cats in this wizarding world. Let’s have a look at cat names in Harry Potter!
Crookshanks
Hermione Granger’s pet cat is Crookshanks, actually a half Kneazle, half cat. A Kneazle is a magical creature found in the Harry Potter series that resembles cats but with distinctive differences, including large ears and a lion-like tail. Kneazles are highly intelligent and have a knack for detecting unsavory or suspicious characters, often showing aggressive behavior towards such individuals.
Since he is a half-Kneazle that explains his squashed face, large ears, and lion-like tail, as well as his intelligence and ability to recognize untrustworthy individuals, like Peter Pettigrew in his Animagus form of Scabbers the rat. He plays a significant role in the third book of the series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Related post: 120+ Harry Potter Cat Names {and Meanings!}
Kneazles are also known to have a high level of independence. They are loyal to witches and wizards who treat them well, and they can even guide their owners home or to safety if necessary. These creatures are known for their selectiveness in choosing their owners, typically aligning themselves with individuals who show them respect and kindness.
In the movies, Crookshanks was portrayed by two Persian cats: Crackerjack, a male, and Pumpkin, a female.
Mrs. Norris
Mrs. Norris is the pet cat of Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts. She is known for her ability to seemingly be everywhere at once and has a keen sense for spotting misbehaving students. She has a very close bond with Filch.
She was best described in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone:
“Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp-like eyes just like Filch’s. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she’d whisk off for Filch, who’d appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts.”
Throughout the movie series, Maine Coon cats named Cornilusa, Tommy, Alanis and Maximus would at times portray Mr. Filch’s feline friend. However, a Maine Coon named Pebbles enjoyed the most screen time.
Mrs. Norris is known for her sharp eyes and for helping Filch patrol the corridors of Hogwarts to maintain order and discipline. She appears in several scenes throughout the series, typically as an antagonist figure to the students, particularly to Harry and his friends.
Professor McGonagall (Animagus form)
Although not exactly a “pet” cat, Professor Minerva McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor House and later Headmistress of Hogwarts, has the ability to transform herself into a cat at will. She can do this due to being an Animagus.
An Animagus is a wizard or witch who has the ability to transform themselves into a specific animal at will. This is an advanced and complex magical skill in the Harry Potter series, and it requires meticulous training and is bound by strict laws set by the Ministry of Magic. The transformation process is controlled, and the individual retains their human consciousness and intelligence while in animal form.
The animal form of an Animagus tends to have a special connection or resemblance to their human form or personality, and the ability can serve various purposes, such as espionage or hiding.
When she transforms, Professor McGonagall becomes a tabby cat with distinctive square-marked patterns around her eyes that resemble her square spectacles. However, this cat form does not have a separate “name” in the series; she is still referred to as Professor McGonagall even in her cat form.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone describes the first time Harry sees Professor McGonagall in her Animagus form (a tabby cat), although at this point he does not know that the cat is McGonagall:
“He sat down next to Dudley and stared at his pale face. The cat was still there. It was staring at him. It looked at him through the dark falling snow. Harry stared back. Dudley tried to punch him in the ribs. Without taking his eyes off the cat, Harry leaned sideways to avoid it and told Dudley to shut up.
[…]
The cat didn’t move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Harry wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his aunt and uncle.”
Later in the same chapter, it is revealed that the cat is actually Professor McGonagall when she transforms back into her human form in front of Harry, Hagrid, and Dumbledore:
“…The cat flapped about and next moment, where it had been, there stood a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes.”
This transformation scene showcases McGonagall’s abilities as a skilled Animagus and gives readers their first glimpse into the magical abilities and characters they will encounter in the wizarding world.
Mrs. Figg’s Cats
In the Harry Potter series, Arabella Figg, commonly known as Mrs. Figg, is known to be a cat-loving squib (a non-magical person born to magical parents) living not far from the Dursleys.
Mrs. Figg breeds Kneazles, a regulated activity in the wizarding world, which would imply that Mrs. Figg, despite being a Squib, has some sort of special permission or license to breed them.
Here are the names of some of her part kneazles mentioned in the series:
- Mr. Tibbles
- Snowy
- Tufty
- Fluffy
Mrs. Figg appears in the Harry Potter film series, portrayed by actress Kathryn Hunter. Mrs. Figg’s role in the films is relatively limited compared to her presence in the books.
She makes her appearance in the movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where she reveals her knowledge of the wizarding world and her status as a Squib to Harry, and she testifies in Harry’s defense at his hearing before the Wizengamot, affirming that he used magic in front of her (a Muggle) to defend himself and Dudley from a Dementor attack.
Dolores Umbridge
In the Harry Potter series, Dolores Umbridge is known for her fondness for cats, as evidenced by the many decorative plates featuring kittens that adorn the walls of her office at the Ministry of Magic and later in her office at Hogwarts when she becomes the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and eventually the Headmistress. These plates feature moving images of kittens, consistent with the magical portraits and pictures seen throughout the wizarding world.
Dolores Umbridge’s Patronus takes the form of a cat, which aligns with her fondness for cats, as seen in the decorations in her office. Her Patronus is described in the books as a “long-haired cat.” It is seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when she uses it to repel Dementors while she is working at the Ministry of Magic, which at that time is under the control of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
And while Dolores Umbridge might not be the most pleasant cat lover, actress Imelda Staunton, who portrayed the malevolent Professor, is a long-time supporter of the Mayhew Animal Home.
Millicent Bulstrode’s Cat
In the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Hermione Granger borrows a hair from Millicent Bulstrode to use in a Polyjuice Potion. Hermione intends to transform into Millicent to gather information.
Unfortunately, it turns out that the hair was from Millicent’s cat, not Millicent herself. This mistake leads to Hermione temporarily taking on a feline appearance, indicating that the hair was indeed from a cat. But as for the name or further details of Millicent’s cat, they are not provided in the books.
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