Cinderella’s Lucifer was based on animator Ward Kimball’s six-toed cat

Disney’s meanest cat was modeled on a real one: Feetsy, a plump calico who lived with animator Ward Kimball. Kimball had struggled to design Lucifer until Walt Disney pointed at his pet.

Lucifer, the smug, round cat who torments the mice in “Cinderella,” had a real-life model. She lived at animator Ward Kimball‘s house.

Her name was Feetsy, and she had six toes.

“After searching for a cat that would look mean enough, animator Ward Kimball ended up using his own cat, Feetsy as inspiration for Lucifer.

Who designed Lucifer in Disney’s Cinderella?

Ward Kimball, one of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” the core group of animators behind Disney’s classic films.

Kimball had trouble landing Lucifer’s look. He studied dozens of cats and couldn’t find one that felt right. Then Walt Disney, who wasn’t much of a cat person, suggested Kimball use his own.

That pet was Feetsy, a plump calico, and she became Disney’s most famous villainous cat.

Who was Ward Kimball?

Kimball worked at the studio from 1934 into the 1970s. He animated Jiminy Cricket in “Pinocchio,” the crows in “Dumbo,” and the Cheshire Cat and Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland.” He won two Oscars for animated shorts, including “Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom” in 1953.

He was also a serious train nut. Kimball ran a backyard railroad with full-size steam engines, and Walt Disney credited that passion with helping inspire the Disneyland Railroad. Engine No. 5 there is named for him.

What else did Disney base on real life for Cinderella?

Almost everything, as it turns out.

The entire film was shot in live action before the animators started drawing. Actress Helene Stanley was the live-action model for Cinderella’s movements, so the animators could study real motion.

Ilene Woods, who voiced Cinderella, didn’t know she was auditioning for the part. Songwriters had her record demo tracks, Disney heard them and she got the part. For the famous bubble-scrubbing song, she recorded several harmony parts that were layered together.

And Jimmy MacDonald voiced Jaq, Gus, and Bruno the dog. MacDonald was also the voice of Mickey Mouse at the time.

When did Disney’s Cinderella come out?

1950. It was a make-or-break film for Disney after the studio’s rough years during and after World War II, and its success helped put the studio back on steady footing.

The film earned three Oscar nominations, all in music and sound categories. Disney’s earliest story treatment for “Cinderella” goes back to Jan. 30, 1940, nearly a decade before release.

Can you see Lucifer at Disney parks?

Mostly on shelves. Lucifer doesn’t do regular meet-and-greets, which feels right for him.

He turns up in Disney villains merchandise, and he gets his own plush fairly regularly at Disney Store and in the parks.

So the next time you see him, remember there was a real Feetsy somewhere in the 1940s, napping at Ward Kimball’s house with no idea she’d end up as one of the most famous cats in movie history. Six toes and all.

Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• ABC7 (June 23, 2016), Feetsy, the live-action reference, Ilene Woods, Jimmy MacDonald, the Oscar nominations and the 1940 treatment

• Good Morning America (Aug. 2018), Kimball’s search for Lucifer’s design and Walt’s suggestion

• Wikipedia, Ward Kimball’s career, Oscars and railroad

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