The Black-And•White-Feline Figaro

**Figaro** is Geppetto's pet Tuxedo Cat in Disney's 1940 animated film *Pinocchio*.

## Background

Figaro was created as a supporting character in the 1940 film *Pinocchio*. Like so many characters from that film, Figaro became a popular character with audiences. In fact, Figaro was Walt Disney's favorite character in *Pinocchio*, he loved the kitten so much, he wanted him to appear as much as possible.

### Animation

Animator Eric Larson was put in charge of animating Figaro. Basing the kitten's childlike personality on that of his own nephew, Larson combined this human mind with the natural movements of a cat.

### Personality

Figaro is a pint sized prince. He is easily angered but deep down has a heart of gold. He takes a disliking to many things including, but not limited to, waiting, baths, being made a fool of, dogs, giving Cleo a goodnight kiss, and Pinocchio himself, especially after Geppetto playfully makes Pinocchio kick Figaro from behind and scare him down a staircase. When Pinocchio comes to life and treats Figaro kindly, Figaro comes to love Pinocchio very much to the point that he cries when Pinocchio apparently dies and then willingly kisses Cleo when he is restored to life.

## Biography

### *Pinocchio*

Figaro is an adorable Tuxedo Cat of kindly woodcarver Geppetto. Geppetto finishes his latest puppet, Pinocchio, and makes the wooden boy dance and play with Figaro. Figaro eventually gets annoyed with the puppet as the puppet mischievously kicks him in the behind, and smacks its foot. When the Blue Fairy brings Pinocchio to life, however, Figaro is not too shocked to see a living puppet and quickly takes a liking to the living Pinocchio. When Pinocchio doesn't return home on the night of his first day going to school, Figaro, Geppetto, and the goldfish Cleo leave their home to search for the wooden boy.

Figaro and the others are later eaten by a large whale named Monstro. Pinocchio, also swallowed by the whale, finds them and creates a plan to escape by making a fire. The plan succeeds but not without a deadly chase that ends with Pinocchio giving his life to save Geppetto. At home, Gepetto, Figaro, and the others mourn Pinocchio's death, when the Blue Fairy brings Pinocchio back to life as a real boy. The family, including Figaro, rejoice and celebrate the miraculous event.

## Trivia

* Although unnamed, Geppetto did have a pet cat that made a brief appearance in the original book. When Pinocchio burned his feet off because he was sleeping too close to the stove, he tries to blame it on the cat, claiming it ate his feet off. This scene doesn't exist in the 1940 film.
* Concept art for the film *Zootopia* shows that Figaro's likeness was once intended to appear in the scrapped Wild Times amusement park owned by Nick Wilde.
* While Figaro does not appear in the *Kingdom Hearts* series proper, Aqua can wear a pair of cat ears named after Figaro in the *Birth by Sleep: 2.8 Prologue* game. Figaro, though, appears in the manga based on the first title.
* According to a sheet in which there was a placement chart for the toons in *Who Framed Roger Rabbit*, Figaro can be spotted showing that he was planned to appear in the movie but was cut.
* In the *Mickey Mouse* short "Gasp!", there is a unnamed cat that resembles him but bigger and thinner.