Our feline friends have a long history in Cinema of being attached to malevolence. Much more so than dogs, who in reality may seem more avuncular than cats, but are far more likely to cause real physical damage to the body should they turn malevolent. It is not hard to cast a massive rabid St Bernard like Cujo as an instrument of terror. And it is easy to crap yourself when confronted with him. All cats can really do is swipe at you with their claws, but the great thing is that directors have tried to make them horror bad guys in several films that are either laughably silly or genius, with the mediocre in between. I have selected a choice of five films which feature baddie cats. I live in fear of ever encountering them - purr me.
5. Strays (1991)
They have nine lives, we only have one. Young married couple retreat to the country and buy an idyllic house to raise their daughter in and give her a better life. However, the house is ruled by a bunch of evil moggies who hassle the family, intent upon removing them from their sacred abode. Not very well regarded horror movie that provokes more laughs than frights, the film wastes Kathleen Quinlan who is a very good actress and tries her best with the dreck that is the film's script. The idea that 9 lb weighing cats can cause such havoc is a little hard to swallow. The cats in this film are not remotely scary and if you wish to be shocked or frightened, you will majorly have to suspend your disbelief. Some people may say that cats are not good horror film villains being small, cute and furry, but I think cats can be quite menacing (obviously not in Strays though) if they get the right treatment, it takes a skilled director.