American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly – Hot Docs 2024

British-American comedian Amy Hoggart (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) investigates the lobbying efforts to keep the declawing of cats legal in American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly. There are 94 million cats in the United States, some of whom become celebrities, such as the world's most famous cat Nala. Nala's veterinarian is Jennifer Conrad, who also heads up the Paw Project. The goal of the Paw Project is to expose the process of declawing cats for the barbaric practice that it is, while the American Veterinary Medical Association lobbies to keep this billion-dollar industry legal.

American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly Synopsis

American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly is a documentary directed by Todd G. Bieber (Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon). Hosted by Full Frontal with Samantha Bee correspondent Amy Hoggart, the film has a tone similar to late-night comic news programs. While the film features plenty of cute cat footage, including a cat that bears a striking resemblance to Adam Driver, the main goal is exposing the truth surrounding the procedure of declawing cats and why it remains legal in the United States.

My Thoughts on American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly

While the documentary as a whole takes a comic approach to the issue of declawing, American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly still features some hard-to-watch moments, particularly surgery footage trying to repair the damage done by declawing, which is a form of amputation. However, Amy Hoggart's narration attempts to keep the tone light, while she gets to the bottom of this serious issue. Ultimately, American Cats: The God, the Bad, and the Cuddly is a must-watch for all cat lovers.

Trailer for American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly – Hot Docs 2024