A complete guide to the best cat and dog movies (with synopsis)

If you’re as pet mad as we are, chances are you can't think of anything better than a cozy night in with your pet pal, snuggled up on the sofa (snacks in tow), ready to press 'play' on a great new cats and dogs movie. If you’ve already whittled your way through the classics, though, you're likely searching for a new recommendation or two - one you (and your furry friend) are sure to love. 

Read on as we dive (paws first) into our complete cat and dogs movie list. From family-friendly feline flicks to canine rom-coms, rest assured there’s something for everyone (and every pet!).

List of dog movies to watch

• Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) - this comedy-drama (based on the novel of the same name) follows the story of Opal, a 10-year-old girl who befriends a scruffy, rambunctious little dog she names Winn-Dixie.
• A Dog’s Purpose (2017) - this tear-jerker follows the story of one extremely devoted dog over the course of four reincarnated lives, and how he seeks life's true purpose through each one.
• Benji (1974) - this dog movie follows the adventures of a lovable pooch named Benji, who helps heal a broken family when they come into serious danger.
• Eight Below (2006) - when brutal weather hits, two Antarctic explorers are forced to leave their team of sled dogs in their fight for survival. Based on a real Japanese expedition to the South Pole in 1958, they embark on a mission to bring the dogs home after six months of living in a research station.
• Turner & Hooch (1989) - this family dog movie is about a detective who reluctantly adopts a dog after the pooch's owner is killed, to find that the crime-fighting canine may in fact be able to help him solve his crime cases.
• Beethoven (1992) - a classic! Beethoven - a series of eight family-friendly comedy films - follows the exploits and escapades of slobbery St Bernard, Beethoven. Expect hilarious household mishaps from this oversized lovable pooch, as a scheming vet attempts to steal the dog for a deadly experiment. 
• Hotel for Dogs (2009) - two siblings, who are forbidden to keep any animals in their own foster home, secretly transform an abandoned hotel into a doggy paradise for stray pooches in this all-American family comedy. 
• Marmaduke (2010) - a lovable Great Dane helps his family adjust to their new life in suburbia, causing havoc along the way (naturally). Starring the likes of Owen Wilson, Judy Greer and Emma Stone, it's a great watch that the whole family will enjoy!
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) - the first in the Beverly Hills Chihuahua series, Chloe, a sassy and seriously pampered pooch finds herself lost and in need of help while on vacay in Mexico. Truly out of her element, scrappy dogs Delgado and Papi come to her rescue.
• Air Bud (1997) - dogs playing basketball... Need we say more? In this family-friendly comedy, Bud the Golden Retriever joins the school basketball team after escaping from his cruel master. 
• Marley & Me (2008) - two newlyweds adopt Marley, an adorable Labrador pup. Marley soon grows up to be quite a handful(!), but nevertheless helps to bring out the best in his family. FYI, we recommend having the Kleenex at the ready with this one!
• Shiloh (1996) - in this heartwarming tale, a young boy named Marty comes across sweet pooch Shiloh. After his father insists the dog be reunited with his cruel owner, Shiloh manages to return Marty and is hidden by the boy.
• The Shaggy Dog (2006) - in this family comedy, workaholic Dave Douglas (Tim Allen) becomes infected with a serum that transforms him into a dog. Living life as man's best friend, Dave gains a new perspective on the important things in life.
• Dog Days (2018) - in this fun romantic comedy, four canines begin to influence the careers, friendships, and love lives of their humans.  
• Bolt (2008) - canine superstar, Bolt (John Travolta) believes his on-screen escapades are real life and gets the adventure of a lifetime when he's accidentally shipped from the safe soundstage of Hollywood to the mean streets of NYC. 
• Lassie (1994) - the original pooch flick! This family-friendly action-adventure film, which was first released in 1994 and then later remade in 2005, tells the tale of Border Collie Lassie and her epic journey to reunite with her family.
• Old Yeller (1957) this western drama produced by Walt Disney tells the story of a boy named Travis and a stray dog, Old Yeller, in post-Civil War Texas. As Travis and Old Yeller grow closer, concerns grow about an outbreak of rabies. 
• Snow Dogs (2002) - a truly great movie to watch with your dog by your side, in Snow Dogs, a Miami dentist inherits a team of mischievous sled dogs and must learn the tricks of the trade - or lose his inheritance to a pushy local mountain man.
• Homeward Bound - The Incredible Journey (1993) - this emotional rollercoaster about two dogs and a cat follows the story of Chance, Shadow, and Sassy - three pets who are left behind when their owners go on vacation. Unsure of what's happened or where their pet parents have gone, they set out on a journey across America in a quest to find their owners. It was directed by Duwayne Dunham and features the voices of Michael J. Fox (Chance), Sally Field (Sassy), and Don Ameche (Shadow).
• Like Cats & Dogs (2019) - when a reservation mix-up lands a cat person and a dog person (plus their pets!) in the same vacation house, chaos ensues.

Top animated dog movies

• Balto (1995) - this animated American adventure film (which was based on a true story) centers around the story of brave pooch Balto, who saved the lives of Alaskan children with diphtheria after embarking on an expedition to gather life-saving medicine located hundreds of miles away.
• All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) - this animated comedy-drama classic about the canine criminal underworld follows the escapades of Charlie as he sneaks back to Earth from heaven to get revenge. After befriending a young orphan girl named Anne-Marie, however, Charlie's mission changes from one of revenge to rescue.
• The Fox and the Hound (1981) - this heartwarming animated tale (loosely based on the 1967 novel of the same name) tells a story of an unlikely friendship between Todd the fox and Copper the hound, and how - as they grow up - their friendship must face the ultimate test. 
• Lady and the Tramp (1955) - an absolute classic! In this animated Disney cat and dog movie, pampered Cocker Spaniel (Lady) finds herself loose on the streets, and is befriended by tough stray, Tramp. Their unlikely friendship soon blossoms into a beautiful romance (c'mon, we've all seen the spaghetti scene, right?).
• Isle of Dogs (2018) - in this slightly bizarre-yet-classic Wes Anderson stop-motion flick, 12-year-old Atari sets off in search of his bodyguard dog, Spots. He arrives at Trash Island and meets a pack of stray mutts who join him on his epic journey. 
• Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) - in this stop-motion animated film produced by DreamWorks, Wallace and his pooch Gromit compete for the affections of their new client, Lady Tottington, as they embark on a mission to stop a giant rabbit from destroying the town's crops.
• 101 Dalmatians (1961) - does this one need an explanation?! In this animated Disney classic, ninety-nine pups are kidnapped by the evil Cruella De Vil. A live-action remake was released in 1996 and most recently in 2021 (featuring Emma Stone), with sequels released in 2000 (102 Dalmatians) and 2003 (101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure).

List of cat movies to watch

• The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963) - in this feline fantasy flick, Thomasina the cat is euthanized after an injury, but miraculously survives and is nursed back to health, helping to bring a family back together in the process.
• The Cat from Outer Space (1978) when an alien feline is stranded on Earth, a scientist helps to repair its damaged spaceship using a mysterious substance called "Org 12" - the Earth equivalent of gold 
• The Aristocats (1970) - fancy feline Duchess and her three kittens receive an inheritance from their wealthy opera singer owner. However, their scheming butler makes a plan to steal the fortune and abandons the kitties in the countryside. Down on her luck, Duchess meets Thomas O'Malley, an alley cat, who helps them return home to Paris.
• That Darn Cat (1965) - in this Walt Disney comedy, two sisters scout the help of an FBI agent after their Siamese cat brings home the only clue to a bank robbery (classic). 
• Santa Claws (2014) - in this cat-centric holiday flick, Santa is given a sweet kitten for Christmas. However, Santa is allergic to cats(!), and when he suffers an attack, the cats must take over the sleigh to save Christmas.
• A Streetcat Named Bob (2016) - this feline flick, based on the book of the same name and the real-life story of James Bowen, tells the tale of how a stray ginger cat saved the life of his owner, a homeless street musician and recovering drug addict. 
• A Gift from Bob (2020) - the Christmas sequel to A Streetcat Named Bob delivers even more mood-boosting, spirit-lifting vibes as the local community rally together to help James and Bob when welfare officers threaten to seize the feline.
• Kitty Love: An Homage to Cat (2020) - in this one-hour Netflix documentary, Abatutu - aka “the most famous cat in The Netherlands" - "narrates" a charming celebration of all things feline, told through a series of home videos.
• Garfield: The Movie ​​(2004) - this live-action movie adaption based on the classic comic strip series follows the exploits of lazy, wise-cracking Garfield. In the film, Garfield sets off on a mission to get rid of his owner's other pet, Odie - a nice but dim doggy - but soon has a change of heart.
• The Cat in the Hat (2003) - in this Dr. Seuss film adaption, an anthropomorphic cat (dressed in a red and white striped top hat, naturally) causes trouble and leaves a trail of chaos and destruction in his wake when he arrives at the home of Sally and her brother, Conrad. 

Top animated cat movies

• Cats & Dogs (2001) - the first installment of this spy-comedy, cat vs dog movie focuses on the relationships (and rivalry!) between cats and dogs. There are two follow-up films in this feline trilogy, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010), and most recently, Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite! (2020). 
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) - everyone's favorite charismatic kitty is back in this animated adventure comedy film. After a life well lived (and the realization that he has burned through eight of his nine lives already), Puss embarks on his biggest adventure yet. 
• Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale (2017) - in this short 24-minute interactive by Netflix, Puss stumbles across a fairytale book that catapults him into a new adventure - controlled by the viewer! Choose left or right directional buttons and help Puss escape the fairytale in which he is trapped.
• Oliver & Company (1988) - this animated cats and dogs adventure film is a fresh take on the classic Oliver Twist tale. An orphaned kitty is taken in by a gang of dogs, led by chief thief, Dodger. While on the mean streets of NYC, Oliver is adopted by a rich girl named Jenny, but the arrival of a loan shark threatens Oliver's plushy new setup.

If your love for feline flicks knows no bounds, consider a moniker straight from the big screen for your new kitty with these top cat names from movies.