The Cat Above and the Mouse Below

Infobox Hollywood cartoon
cartoon_name = The Cat Above and the Mouse Below
series = Tom and Jerry

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caption = The title card of "The Cat Above and the Mouse Below"
director = Chuck Jones
story_artist =
animator = Tom Ray
Dick Thompson
Ben Washam
Ken Harris
Don Towsley
voice_actor = Terence Monck
musician = Eugene Poddany
producer = Chuck Jones
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
release_date = flagicon|US 1964
color_process = Metrocolor
runtime = 6' 27"
movie_language = English
imdb_id = 0057925
preceded_by = "Pent-House Mouse"
followed_by = "Is There a Doctor in the Mouse?"

"The Cat Above and The Mouse Below" is second of thirty-four Tom and Jerry shorts produced by Chuck Jones, released in 1964.

Plot

Tom is the famous baritone Signor Thomasino Catti-Cazzaza, giving a concert audience a performance of the aria "Largo al Factotum" from Rossini's "The Barber of Seville". While all this is taking place, down below the stage, Jerry is trying to sleep, but is awakened by Tom's operatic tones. Jerry attempts to halt Tom's singing by bumping the floor with a toothbrush, but Tom stomps on the floor, sending Jerry bouncing around. Jerry hits a floorboard with a hammer, causing Tom to be launched into the air and to excuse himself. Tom returns, stomping on the floor again and bouncing Jerry around harder than before. Tom continues the performance and Jerry holds up a sign through the vent that says "PSST!" Tom sings as he peeks through and Jerry ties his mouth shut. Tom in retaliation shoots a staple into the vent, which scoops up Jerry and pins him to a wall of the basement. Jerry makes an annoyed expression.

Jerry perches near a plant, licking a lemon, while Tom is singing. Tom spots him, and while singing, twists the lemon over Jerry. Tom returns to the spotlight and Jerry drills a hole in the floor and pulls Tom's front garments off with a string. Tom pulls the string up and down and wrenches it from Jerry's grip. While Tom is singing the "Figaro!" part, Jerry aims a plunger at Tom's mouth and scores a direct hit. Jerry imitates Tom and is stuck with the plunger. Tom uses the same bow Jerry used and shoots him into the wall.

Jerry frees himself and drops a huge weight on Tom as he is reaching the climax, sending him through the floor. Everything is silent until Jerry walks out in a tuxedo and sings the rest of the performance himself (albeit sped up). An annoyed Tom raps on the floor with a broom and sends Jerry flying, but this just adds to Jerry's drama singing the final few notes. Jerry gets all the applause and the curtains fall.