I have seen WAY too many people give "CatDog" a bad rap. People have even called it the worst show that has ever aired on Nickelodeon. However, I would like to make a formal statement: these people are wrong and have no clue what they're talking about.
I admit, I used to be among the many who hated "CatDog." I, too, thought it was disgusting, and only for the reason that the main characters are a pair of conjoined twins-- a cat on one end, a dog on the other. "Eww!" I said. "How do they go to the bathroom?!" It seemed pointless and stupid.
But then, thanks to my little sisters, I started watching the cartoon on a semi-regular basis. My interest in it grew. I saw little jokes and details you had to watch closely for. I developed a taste for the absurd drawing style. I began to get a feel for the sense of humor "CatDog" had, and I liked it: it was very different than what I was used to, even more subtle at times, but nonetheless just as wacky as most other funny cartoons. I developed a sort of sympathy for Cat and Dog-- two people forced to live with each other, putting up with each other's antics, and being scapegoated, bullied, and taken advantage of on a constant basis... just because they happened to be born differently. It's a situation they can't help. Cat and Dog themselves represent two different views on such a situation: Cat is dissatisfied and tries to change things for the two of them, but Dog is happy with things just the way they are. When Cat's plans backfire, Dog is there to support him. When Dog's optimism runs out, Cat's leadership helps them back on their feet. It's a symbiotic relationship in the figurative and literal sense. No matter how strange it looks at first glance, Cat and Dog cannot be without each other.
For kids watching this show, "CatDog" is a good tool for teaching them what it's like for people who are different in any way. It also teaches kids who are slightly different themselves how to make the best of their lives. Cat and Dog live their lives just like everyone else and try to stay happy, even if no one respects them. The show teaches that, in the end, self-respect and support from your friends and loved ones are all that you need to live a happy life, no matter how different you are.
"CatDog" is not meant to be a gross-out show. Yes, there are some gross jokes, but they are minimal. The focus is mostly on Cat and Dog's lives and the problems they face, whether with each other or with other people. If a gross joke happens to fit the situation, the writers will slip one in when it's funny. Admittedly, "CatDog" is not a laugh-a-minute show, but do all cartoons have to be like that? There's no unwritten law about what makes a cartoon funny. How about a cartoon that makes you think about the jokes, and the situations? Now there's an idea, huh? And really, who cares how they go to the bathroom! It's a cartoon, for crying out loud. Asking how CatDog goes to the bathroom is like asking how Strong Bad (from HomestarRunner.com) types e-mails with boxing gloves on. WHO CARES? It's a cartoon. Why should we worry about that? I hold this show very near and dear to my heart not only because I find it so different and original, but also because it's so under-appreciated and spit upon. How very ironic that a show, whose premise is about a pair of characters who are hated because they're different, is hated because the show itself is different. Give "CatDog" a chance like I did, and let it grow on you. You won't regret it.
