In 2021, during the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Chevrolet ran a fantastic commercial featuring Walter the cat. Walter was seen doing a slew of incredible feats during the commercial, including herding cows and leaping long distances. The commercial was an instant success, and Walter quickly wormed his way into the hearts of millions of viewers. Walter’s incredible abilities, plus his friendly personality, left many viewers longing for a Walter of their own and wondering what kind of cat he was.
So, what kind of cat was Walter from the Chevy commercials? It is a good question but one that does not have a simple answer. There is no specifically stated breed for Walter the cat. In fact, there were multiple “Walters” on set at any given time. Here is everything you need to know about Walter the cat and whether you can get your own Walter-like companion.
What Kind of Cat Is Walter?
No one knows exactly what breed Walter the cat was. The only thing that is apparent is that Walter is a grey tabby cat. Tabby is a pattern that gives cats their distinct striping on the tail. Like most American cats, Walter is likely some kind of shorthair mix. What made Walter distinct was his coloring (grey) and his pattern (tabby.)
The most likely breed for Walter would be an American Shorthair, but it is likely that Walter was a mixture of different breeds, usually just referred to as a Domestic Shorthair when a specific breed can’t be pinpointed. Cats are generally more mixed when it comes to breeds than dogs. The purebred cat market is not as strong as the purebred dog market.
Multiple Walters
The truth is that there was no single Walter. In fact, the advertising agency shooting the commercial used nine grey tabby cats that were identical or nearly identical. That means in any given shot of the commercial, you could have been looking at one of nine different cats. Each cat was trained to do something different and distinct. One cat was trained to jump, one cat to run, one cat to sit still and look handsome, and so on. Each cat had the same grey coloring and tabby striped pattern. This means that cats that look like Walter cannot be too rare if there are nine trained show cats of the same appearance.
Commonwealth/McCann North America creative lead Gary Pascoe did an interview after the commercial was a huge hit, during which he shared some of the details on how the commercial came together. The commercial was shot on a private 100,000-acre ranch where the cats were driven to different locations to shoot. Pascoe revealed the following in an interview, saying:
“The cats had their own air-conditioned trailer, the agency creative team did not. Each cat had a specific unique ability: jumping into a truck, busting through a door, coming out of water. The real cats performed so well, we ended up using very little CGI.”
How to Get Your Own Walter
If you are like many people, seeing Walter in action likely made you want a Walter of your own. If you want to get a cat that looks like Walter, you should check your local shelters and rescues. You will want to keep an eye out for male tabby cats that are grey in color. If you keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground, coming across a grey tabby cat should not take too long or be very difficult.
If you want to get a cat that behaves like Walter, you might be out of luck. Walter the Cat in the commercial is very dog-like in his demeanor and personality. Appearance has no connection to personality in cats. That means that getting a grey tabby cat does not guarantee that you will get a friendly or personable cat. These two things are completely independent of one another. There are many people who buy cats (or dogs) that look a certain way in the hopes that they will act a certain way. But that is not how feline genetics work.
Conclusion
Walter the Cat certainly made a splash starting in 2021, much to the delight of Chevrolet. Walter set many people on a quest to find a similar to cat to Walter. The truth is that no one really knows what kind of cat Walter was. Walter the Cat was played by nine separate show cats that all looked identical. Walter was simply a grey tabby cat of unknown origin but of common coloring. You can find your own Walter by searching local shelters for grey tabby cats with friendly dispositions.
Featured Image Credit: Kichigin, Shutterstock
What Kind of Cat Is Walter?
