"Catch as Cats Can" is a 1947 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated cartoon directed by Arthur Davis. The short features Sylvester the Cat and an emaciated canary who sings like Frank Sinatra, annoying a parrot who talks like Bing Crosby. The parrot convinces Sylvester to catch the canary by telling him he needs vitamins, leading to a series of comedic attempts by Sylvester to catch the bird. The cartoon is notable for its character spoofs of famous singers Sinatra and Crosby and includes humorous gags typical of Looney Tunes cartoons.
The plot centers on Sylvester trying various tricks to catch the canary, including using a soap bird decoy and attempting to use vitamins laced with buckshot. The canary outsmarts Sylvester multiple times, causing comedic mishaps, until Sylvester eventually settles on the parrot as a better meal.
This short cartoon is appreciated for its character work and vintage 1940s pop culture references more than for a flood of jokes, and it features Sylvester in a slightly different voice than usual.
