In the Harry Potter movies, Filch’s cat, Mrs. Norris, is played by a Maine Coon called Maximus. This grey feline is probably one of the most famous Maine Coons in the world—even though she is actually a he. Maine Coons are extremely large cats and have very fluffy coats, which is likely why this feline was selected to play the role in Harry Potter.
However, in the book, the cat’s breed was never mentioned. Therefore, it isn’t necessarily accurate that Mrs. Norris is a Maine Coon. Instead, that just happens to be the breed that they chose to play the character. In fact, some of the descriptions do not exactly add up.
For instance, in the book, Mrs. Norris is described as being scrawny and small. However, Maine Coons are rather bulky and large.
With that said, if you are looking for a feline that looks similar to Mrs. Norris in the movies, then you probably want to select a Maine Coon. Plus, these cats are known for being a bit dog-like, so your feline may actually turn into a trusty sidekick like Mrs. Norris.
Is Mrs. Norris a Regular Cat?
Because it is Harry Potter, many readers and watchers suspect that Mrs. Norris has more going on than meets the eye. For instance, because she is so smart, some have suspected that she is a cat crossed with a Crookshanks. However, J.K. Rowling has said that Mrs. Norris is simply a regular cat.
In fact, this has been said multiple times throughout the years.
Therefore, while the cat may be very intelligent, it doesn’t appear that she was ever meant to be anything but a cat.
What Cats Played Mrs. Norris?
There are actually several cats that played Mrs. Norris. During the first film, Maximus was largely used. However, other feline actors were used for other reasons. They were all Maine Coons and looked similar, but they were trained for different purposes.
For instance. Maximus was specifically trained to run alongside Filch and jump onto his shoulders. On the other hand, Alanis (another feline actor) was trained to be held and carried around without squirming. This feline loved to cuddle, so the job was natural for her.
Both cats were often used throughout many of the films for different purposes. It also allowed each cat to get a bit of a break and not need to be on set all the time, which could get overwhelming.
Animatronics were also used during some shoots, as were dummies. Whatever seemed to fit the scene better and was easier is the direction that the director went with. Either way, all the cats were designed to look similar so that they gave the appearance of being a single cat.
Conclusion
Mrs. Norris was played by a series of Maine Coons in the Harry Potter movies. These cats ranged from gray to brown. However, the movie editing team did a good job of making them all look similar.
However, Maine Coons do not line up exactly with how the cat was described in the book. For instance, the cat was described as small and scrawny, but Maine Coons are often very large. Still, Mrs. Norris is now associated heavily with Maine Coons.
If you want a cat that looks like Mrs. Norris did in the movies, then you’re looking for a Maine Coon.
Related Read:
- What Kind of Cat Breed Was Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter? Movie Facts
- What Cat Breed Is Crookshanks from Harry Potter? Movie Facts
Featured Image Credit: Characters by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
Is Mrs. Norris a Regular Cat?
