Catnado: Tales of Feline Terror (2024)

Think Sharknado was wild? Wait until you see Catnado: Tales of Feline Terror (2024), an unhinged, no-budget horror anthology where killer cats rain from the sky and pounce straight into Z-movie infamy.

What do you get when you mix the most unpredictable natural disaster with humanity’s most unpredictable pet? The answer is Catnado: Tales of Feline Terror. Forget flying sharks; these airborne furballs come with claws, attitude, and a thirst for mayhem.

Donald Farmer’s Catnado

Catnado is the bizarre brainchild of indie filmmaker Donald Farmer. It is a purrfect storm of campy horror that defies nature and good taste. Farmer has been making micro-budget horror movies since the 1980s, but only in recent years has his work gained traction, primarily due to his collaborations with Wild Eye Releasing. Some of his most successful films include Dorm of the Dead (2006), Chainsaw Cheerleaders (2008), Bigfoot Exorcist (2004), and Shark Exorcist (2014) and its sequel, Shark Exorcist 2: Holy Waters (2024). According to Farmer, these productions have attracted significant attention thanks to their catchy concept titles, which can often generate more media buzz and word-of-mouth than an expensive celebrity.

This title craze was also true for Catnado. As soon as the title and poster hit the internet, cat lovers and horror fans shared it on social media, and even major media outlets jumped on the bandwagon. Most people, though, assumed the poster was a joke, not an actual movie—because who in their right mind would dive into the madness of flying cats? Well, more people than you would expect—nine different directors pitched in to create this “masterpiece.”

Unlike the Sharknado franchise, which follows a linear story, Catnado is an anthology. This approach is not surprising, considering Farmer has a history of producing micro-budget omnibuses—like Nundead (2023) and Hi-8 (2013)—which he made with some of the same directors who brought Catnado to life.

Segment #1: Crimes and Felines

The first segment, “Crimes and Felines,” is directed by Tim Ritter, who is known for cult favorites like Day of the Reaper(1984), Twisted Illusions (1985), Killing Spree (1987), and many more. It is Halloween, and Louis (played by the director) wants to book an Alaskan cruise, but the government cancels all vacations due to an unexpected catnado. His girlfriend, Irena (Shannon Stockin), thinks he is a loser for believing in “fake news” and dumps him for Kent (Jason Boyd), her ex-boyfriend and former convict. Desperate and broke, Kent and Irena steal a donation envelope from a cat shelter. But justice has nine lives, and when the catnado strikes, Irena has her eye clawed out, and a black cat (a plush one) bursts out of Kent’s body. The cat shelter worker reclaims the stolen charity funds and scoops up the soft toy feline as if it were her long-lost pet.

Segment #2: Of Cats and Men

Next is the story “Of Cats and Men,” directed by actor Blair Kelly (Red Bluff, Modern Day Disciples). The cars of Mal and Brandon (Blair Kelly and Joshua Gotte) collide on a remote road. Their argument turns into a struggle for survival when the feline funnel cloud rolls in, and the two enemies have to join forces against a relentless swarm of feral felines. But chaos escalates when Mal gets hit by another car, and they seek refuge in the driver’s house. With cats meowing and claws scratching at the doors, the tension rises and the group must confront difficult decisions to keep everyone safe.

Segment #3: Storm Window

In “Storm Window,” Raymond (Curtis Everitt), a paranoid man with a religious streak, seeks shelter in the cellar from a violent storm, only to find something even more bizarre—a chorus of talking cats insulting him and demanding tuna. The segment was directed by Curtis Everitt, its lead actor and a prolific filmmaker known for churning out over 20 films yearly. Pool Shark (2023) and more than 100 other titles are among his extensive body of work.

Segment #4: Apocalypse Meow

The fourth story to dive into feline-fueled madness is “Apocalypse Meow,” helmed by newcomer Logan Winston. Oliver and Jerry (Josh Ward and Jesse Welch) face a catnado of epic proportions, driven by a new vaccine that has turned cats into killing machines. Despite Oliver’s crippling ailurophobia, they form the DPS (Dead Pussy Society) with the mission to eliminate all cats before they become airborne and to burn down the few remaining cat shelters. They become catnado chasers, humanity’s last hope, even when “it’s raining hairballs.”

Segment #5: Cat Burglar

Melvin Pittman’s “Cat Burglar” sheds even more light on the actual cause of the chaos. The town is plastered with missing cat posters because a criminal with a cat mask steals all the local felines. Pet owners are desperate, so several detectives are on the case. Their theory: “It must be a cat-spiracy.” And they are right. The cat burglar’s grand plan is to gather all these cats and unleash a catnado.

Segment #6: Nightmare at 10.000 Feet

The final segment is James M. Myers’ “Nightmare at 10.000 Feet.” Julian and Wish (Julian Betts and William Lewin IV) pilot a plane when they spot something bizarre—a person in a bright orange catsuit (Blake Blasko) clinging to the roof. In true feline fashion, the cat-suited figure (a remnant of the fur twister) playfully swipes a cup of tea off the nose of the flying plane. The men realize only one thing might save them: catnip! Can a little herbal magic calm this kitty, or are these guys doomed to a mid-air cat-tastrophe?

Post-credit sequence: Cosmic Catnado

We are also treated to several crazy eye-witness reports and a post-credit sequence, “Cosmic Catnado,” in which Jerry Williams spoofs his TV shows Space Bro (2016), Astro Zap Kaboom (2017), and Astro Space Hero (2013–2017). This segment hilariously chronicles how the cosmic catnado was stopped by the Astro Space Hero, as narrated by the Queen of the Galaxy (played by Tucky Williams, reprising her role from Astro Zap Kaboom).

No-budget cinematic oddity

Catnado is a testament to the limitless possibilities of no-budget filmmaking. It spins out of control in an utterly, unapologetically bonkers way. Embracing the ridiculousness of their idea, the filmmakers go all out, opting for bold and outrageous choices, including intentionally terrible Birdemic-style CGI, overlays, and plush cats instead of real ones. No one in this movie aims for a conventional “good” output, but they are all committed to being as bizarre and over-the-top as possible. If you thought Sharknado was low-budget and goofy, Catnado will make you rethink that.

According to IMDb, the film supposedly premiered in 2022 at Horror Film Fest, but the director confirmed this is incorrect. Instead, it was released directly on VOD and DVD platforms on October 22nd, 2024, with no prior screenings. Since Catnado generated more buzz before its release than Farmer’s previous hit, Shark Exorcist, a sequel is now in the works. Farmer claims it will have a stronger storyline than the original.

Love it or hate it, Catnado proves that there is always room for more madness in the world of cinematic oddities.

Oh, and next time someone says it is raining cats and dogs, you better believe it.

Watch Catnado on Amazon Prime!

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 Film Festival in Brussels. When she is not writing, you will probably find her eating out or taking photos of felines for her website, Traveling Cats.

Images courtesy of Wild Eye Releasing.

Discover even more cat movies in Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies!