Disney's Bolt teaches important lessons for kids

I first have to say that the creators of the movie really did their homework in how they portrayed the body language of the three starring animal characters; Bolt the dog, Mittens the cat and Rhino the hamster. At one point during the movie when the characters are hungry and want to beg for food from some humans, Mittens teaches Bolt to hold his ears down at his side, tilt his head slightly, and look up toward the sky. It was the perfect body language that said, “I am a hungry little dog who needs your help.”  Then the makers of the movie were clever enough to show the audience that this same body language did not work for Mittens the cat. In fact, people were downright mean to her when she begged for food.

 

All the way through the movie, Mittens is treated by humans in a less sympathetic way than her canine companion. This type of “second class citizen” behavior is authentic and unfortunately witnessed by people who work with cats and dogs.  Cats are neglected more than dogs, receive less veterinary care and turned-in to animal shelters more often. And if a cat becomes lost it has a 2-5% chance of being reunited with its owner versus a 30% chance for a dog.

 

Even with all of this reality seeping through the plot of the movie, the two best messages from Disney’s Bolt are:

 

Without giving away the plot, Bolt is loved by a little girl named Penny and when he becomes lost Penny teaches the adults in her life that “her” dog cannot be replaced or exchanged for a dog that resembles him. It isn’t a certain breed that Penny loves; it is the special bond that she and Bolt have created over the years.

 

The second message is portrayed through Mittens, who comes across the screen as a cynical and independent feline. She tries to stop Bolt from returning to Penny because she is sure the little girl’s feelings for her dog are not genuine. Finally Mittens tells Bolt that she was once a loved, family cat and that one day her humans packed up their belongings and moved away, leaving her behind. This message was powerful, at least to me. 

 

Every year thousands of people dispose of their cats by turning them loose on the streets. They are under the misconception that felines can fend for themselves. In reality these housecats face starvation, disease, and dangers from cars and other human activities. Many of them become part of cat colonies where they reproduce litter after litter at uncontrollable rates. And because their babies are born without human contact, they are feral “wild” kittens who grow up to be wild cats that are not adoptable and euthanized if caught.

 

I hope people pick-up and respond to these two powerful messages in the movie. I went to see Bolt to be entertained, but was pleasantly surprised that they made the effort to teach children important lessons, as well.