Throughout decades of cinematic history, one species has reigned supreme alongside their human co-stars: cats. From classic dramas like The Godfather and The Long Goodbye, to horror films like Pet Sematary and Re-Animator, to action movies and comedies alike, cats have often played a pivotal role in some of history’s greatest films. Mankind’s cat obsession may have even reached peak cinematic cuteness with the arrival of Peter Atencio’s title tabby, Keanu, in which Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele go to great lengths to retrieve their kidnapped kitten.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a collection of history’s best movie cats and kittens. One caveat here: we avoided animated cats and “big cats” like lions and tigers for the sake of consistency. What follows is a lovingly curated list of the best house cats and kittens to ever appear on the silver screen, be they constant companions, harbingers of doom, or just plain jerks. Let us know your favorite movie cats and kittens in the comments below!