The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween! (2016): The Spookiest Dr. Seuss Special Ever Made
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween!
Director: Paul Hunt
Country: Canada
Do you have children between three and seven years old that love cats, animation, or Halloween? Then The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween! (2016) is just what you’re looking for.
This one-hour animated TV special takes Dr. Seuss’ most mischievous feline into a world of pumpkins, costumes, and friendly frights.
It’s part of the acclaimed PBS series The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, which transformed Seuss’ iconic cat into a teacher who helps children explore the world through science, imagination, and rhyme.
Below, we’ll explore everything you need to know about this charming Halloween adventure—from the story and voice cast to its animators, production team, and the long history of the Cat in the Hat himself.
Related: Animated Short Films For Kids Featuring Cats.
The Story: Facing Fears in a Seussian Halloween World
The special opens on a crisp Halloween evening. Nick and Sally (voiced by Jacob Ewaniuk and Alexa Torrington), the two curious kids from the TV series, are busy trying to find the perfect costumes.
When the kids can’t decide what to wear, The Cat in the Hat (Martin Short from Innerspace and Father of the Bride) appears just in time and offers an idea only he could come up with: a trip to the mysterious Oooky-ma-kooky Closet, where the best Halloween costumes in the universe await.
Riding in his trusty Thinga-ma-jigger, the magical transforming vehicle from the PBS show, the Cat leads Nick, Sally, and their goldfish companion Fish (Rob Tinkler) on a wild seasonal journey.
Their adventure takes them through dark forests, creepy corn mazes, and haunted funhouses—but no pumpkin patches because The Cat in the Hat is afraid of pumpkins.
When they finally reach the Oooky-ma-kooky Closet, they discover that whatever costume they choose will magically turn them into it, so they’ll have to pick carefully.
By the end, they learn that things aren’t always as scary as they look, and that they shouldn’t let fear get in the way of making their own Halloween costumes and have big fun— because that’s the way to make big things happen.
How It Differs From Other Cat in the Hat Adventures
While the 2016 Halloween special carries all the color and rhythm of Dr. Seuss’ world, it’s very different in tone from the original 1957 book or the 2003 live-action film starring Mike Myers.
The original Cat in the Hat book was revolutionary. It broke away from dull school primers and showed that children could learn to read through fun and mischief.
But the 2003 film, despite its star power, was criticized for being too chaotic and un-Seussian in spirit. After that, Dr. Seuss Enterprises pivoted back to animation and education.
That’s how The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! series was born.
Portfolio Entertainment and Collingwood O’Hare produced the reboot, which ran on PBS from 2010–2018 (three seasons, 80 episodes).
The series spun out of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library (the non-fiction beginner books that use the Cat as a narrator to present facts).
The creative choice was to keep Seuss’ voice and silliness but use it to teach preschoolers about nature, weather, animals, Christmas, and—in this case—Halloween.
It’s still mischievous, but now the mischief has purpose: learning and laughing go hand in hand.
The Halloween special arrived in 2016, during the show’s later seasons, as part of a wave of seasonal and thematic specials.
Its story teaches children about the nature of fear, why we feel scared, and how understanding something can make it less intimidating.
When Nick and Sally see spooky shadows, the Cat explains how light creates shapes. When they hear strange noises, they learn about animals that come out at night. Each “scary” moment becomes a learning opportunity.
Visual Style
PiP Animation Services (a Canadian studio famous for its smooth, colorful 2D style) created the animation for the Halloween special. The same team also animated most of the PBS series, keeping the look and feel consistent across every episode and special.
The visual design—supervised by Steve Neilson and Ron House—ofThe Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween! stays faithful to Dr. Seuss’ hand-drawn aesthetic: curved trees, impossible houses, and bold outlines.
On top of that, the animators mix the soft pastels of the PBS series with the rich oranges, purples, and shadows of Halloween.
Music and Songs
The Halloween special puts a special focus on sing-along melodies that capture the playful side of spooky season.
They were created by composers James Chapple, Graeme Cornies, David Kelly, and Brian Pickett, who worked on the entire Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! series.
Some of the best-known songs in the special include “The Oooky-ma-kooky Closet,” “Boo to You!,” and “Costumes Can Be Anything!”
Final Thoughts
Nearly 70 years after his debut, the Cat in the Hat remains one of the most recognizable characters in children’s media.
So, if you’re looking for something cozy to watch with your little ones in October, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween! is definitely worth considering.
Are your children already a fan of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween!? What other Halloween specials or cat-themed cartoons do you love to watch every October?
And if your children love The Cat in the Hat, Halloween is the perfect time to bring the fun to life! Let them dress up as their favorite Seussian character with one of the many adorable Cat in the Hat costumes available. There are matching versions for adults too, so the whole family can join the adventure.
Where to Watch The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween!
The Halloween special is currently available on DVD from Amazon. Some of the other episodes are also on Amazon Prime, the PBS app, and Roku.
About the Author
Vanessa Morgan is the editor of When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampires Movies, Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children, and Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies. She also published one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders). Three of her stories became movies. She introduces movie screenings at several European cinemas and film festivals and is also a programmer for the Offscreen in Brussels. When she is not writing, you will probably find her eating out or taking photos of felines for her website, Traveling Cats.
Discover more cat movies in my book Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies.
How did I not know about this? Thanks for posting about it.
Oh, this reminds me that I should do a rewatch of this with my littles. Thanks for the reminder! And I will be adding your book to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing!
I love the cat in the hat and whilst I have grandchildren in that age range, I shall find it and watch it for myself. thanks for linking with #pocolo
My kids would have loved this, they probably still would, thanks for sharing.
How fun. Love this. Brilliant.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week. ♥
Great Halloween post ~ fun movie I bet ~ thanks,
an artist reflects
I love the Cat in the Hat Series