| Bill the Cat | |
|---|---|
| Bloom County, Outland and Opus character | |
 | |
| First appearance | June 13, 1982 |
| Created by | Berkeley Breathed |
| Voiced by | John Byner |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Cat |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Politician, Meadow Party |
| Nationality | American |
Bill the Cat, or Bill D. Cat, is a fictional cat appearing in the works of cartoonist Berkeley Breathed, beginning with the comic strip Bloom County in the 1980s and continuing in Outland and Opus in the following decades.[1] Bill also appeared in some of Breathed's illustrated children's books, including A Wish for Wings That Work, which was also made into an animated Christmas television special, and also on greeting cards and other sundry merchandise. Bill was originally capable of speaking English reasonably well, but storylines featuring an automobile accident, repeated periods of drug abuse, and brain surgery have since seen the character transition to a nearly mentally handicapped mute state in which the cat's most frequent spoken sentiments are "Ack!" and "Thppt!" - the former a result of his regularly choking on hairballs, the latter an approximation of "blowing a raspberry".
The first strip with Bill the Cat announces he is a parody of Jim Davis' Garfield. Subsequently, Milo Bloom appears to fear a visit from United Feature Syndicate's copyright lawyers over Bill's similarities to Garfield. In the December 22, 2015 Facebook version of the comic, it was revealed that Bill the Cat is actually Garfield's son.[2] Breathed has also described Bill as his attempt to create a character so repulsive that it would have absolutely no merchandising potential.[3] But surprisingly, Bill the Cat trinkets and figurines have sold in great quantity, and often appear in the strips. Bill the Cat was also inspired by a colorful economist named Bill Moore. A graduate assistant at the University of Texas at Austin during the 1970s, Moore was one of Breathed's teachers. [citation needed] Recognizably wild-eyed (and one legged), Moore also became one of Breathed's friends. His name was further inspired by a local homeless man of Iowa City, Iowa, who was dubbed Bill "The Cat".[citation needed]
- ^ Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals. Prentice Hall Press. pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-13-275561-0. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Berkeley Breathed's Facebook page
- ^ Breathed, Berkeley, One Last Little Peek: The Final Strips, the Special Hits, the Inside Tips 1980-1995, Little, Brown and Co., 1995. "The gag, honestly, was to draw a cartoon character that had zero - or even minus - merchandising appeal . . . a character whose very saliva-dripping face would send hordes of consumers screaming from their mall gift stores."