26 "purrfect" cats in pop culture

Shrek  was already a cultural phenomenon when he emerged from that swamp in 2001, but it was only a matter of time before Antonio Banderas entered the chat and gave way to another iconic character from the franchise that was so strong he was able to spin off into his own: Pūss in Boots.

The Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz encouraged many to find their own courage in life.

A little devious but always charming. The Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland has always been one of the standout characters of the already mesmerizing Disney classic.

Mister Rogers was a gem, and all that he created on that simple yet calming kids program was magical. So it’s no wonder that when he passed, his legacy managed to live on by way of Daniel Tiger in Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

Like the girl on fire wasn’t going to make this list, come on!

Keanu was voiced by Keanu Reeves and wore a durag. How much more "purrfect" can a cat get?

From the fierceness of Nala to the mighty Mufasa, one does not watch The Lion King and pick a favorite big cat. They’re all glorious in their own way. Even Scar, with his song and dance about taking out his brother and ruling with an iron paw.

Cats Don’t Dance walked so that Zootopia could run, as it dealt with some pretty serious issues like prejudice. At the helm of it all was a wide-eyed tabby and an Angora with a bit of a bite.

Salem was once a human, but as punishment for trying to take over the world, he was sentenced to live a century as a cat. Bad for him, but great for the show because he was, without a doubt, the funniest character on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Not only does Kitty Forman belong on this list, but also on the lists of best TV moms, best laugh, and TV characters you’d never want to cross. That last one’s mostly because Red Forman would stick his foot up your, well…where the sun don’t shine.

Oliver gets his happily ever after, but does anyone still cry at the start of the film when nobody wants him? Disney — always going for the heartstrings and emotionally traumatizing moviegoers.

Tom and Jerry have been around since 1940, and without this toxic relationship, the world would’ve never had Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons. For that, and all the hurt Tom has had to go through over the years, we’re grateful.

Some cats are meant to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, and Shere Khan is just that.

Chloe is the spirit animal of many, especially those who just want to indulge in the good life and not be too bothered.

We love a pūssycat that can carry a tune!

A showman who finds out the hard way what survival really means.

“Everybody wants to be a cat because a cat's the only cat who knows where it's at…”

When a cat is riled up in real life, they sort of move about like Master Tigress trying to take down a bad guy.

Mr. Bigglesworth is far from legend-hairy, and that’s because, well, look at him.

When it comes to the Winnie the Pooh crew, it’s hard not to fall for all of them, especially the caffeinated ways of Tigger.

There isn’t a millennial alive who didn’t think Julia Stiles’ Kat Stratford was the coolest cat in the world in 1999.

They say cats have nine lives, but being on a show like The Simpsons has got to mean Snowball is somewhat immortal at this point.

The cat that made a lot of ‘90s kids wonder, “Can I date a cat?”

Denis Leary showed up with the rest of the cast of  Ice Age and must’ve said, "Let’s make some history," because as far as his Diego is concerned, that is a prehistoric kitty everyone would risk their lives to pet.

Many women have stepped into the role of Catwoman over the years, but it’s not up for debate that Eartha Kitt was born to play the part.

The internet took cats to a whole new level, and out of them all, it was the late, great Grumpy Cat that left the biggest pawprint on the world.