# My cats breath smells like cat food (Simpsons) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012 "2003-02-01T01:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/1 "2003-02-01T01:11:41Z")
At the end of one episode of the Simpsons, Ralph Wiggam says, “My cats breath smells like cat food.” This was a stray off the wall comment so I assumed that it meant something, but I couldn’t figure out what. The episode was about Lisa competing with a new girl and in one of the scenes she was being outwitted through anagrams. I spent hours trying to anagram this into something sensible to no avail. What did this comment by Ralph wiggam mean? I didn’t get the joke and it has been bugging me for years. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/2 "2003-02-01T01:32:16Z")
It’s just a non-sequitor. He couldn’t think of anything to say and that was the first thing to come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/3 "2003-02-01T01:33:04Z")
I’d like to know the last time you heard Ralph Wiggum say ANYTHING of meaning that would lead you to assume he would say something meaningful here. I’m being jocular, btw, not offensive and hostile 🙂 ~Ferry ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/4 "2003-02-01T01:37:02Z")
I guess the real joke is on me for trying to anagram the thing for hours on end.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/5 "2003-02-01T01:53:05Z")
Don’t feel bad, Christopher. I always really hoped that there was an anagram in there. I always thought that would have been absolutely hilarious- a joke that only the really nerdy Simpsons geeks got, but alas, it’s a non-sequitor. On a side note, I do now appreciate Ralph’s little comments as being utter nonsense. I love him. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/6 "2003-02-01T02:19:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alias \* > \*\*a joke that only the really nerdy Simpsons geeks got \*\* On similar lines, there was one episode – I don’t remember which one – that had some credits rolling by as part of the show (not the final credits). They wizzed by so fast that you couldn’t read any of it. So of course, after taping it, we watched it in super slo-mo to reveal a bunch of lame joked names going by… and then the words: “If you are reading this you have no life” :smack: D’oh! How right they were. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/7 "2003-02-01T02:27:15Z")
IIRC, in the earliest episodes, Ralph was fairly, uh, “normal.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/8 "2003-02-01T02:31:25Z")
I think that was when Kent Brockman said, “And so, the following people are gay.” Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![cmburns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@cmburns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmburns)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/9 "2003-02-01T02:42:56Z")
In the episode where Homer is accused of sexual molestation, the “Hard Copy”-like show runs a list of retractions at high speed. I think the “no life” line could be in that one. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/10 "2003-02-01T03:33:02Z")
There’s also an episode where Ralph says “My cat smells like hot dogs.” Probably just a recurring joke. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/11 "2003-02-01T03:59:24Z")
**cmburns** is correct. The episode that included the “If you are reading this, you have no life” was the one where Homer is accused of sexual harrassment (Homer Bad Man). [Here](http://www.snpp.com/guides/corrections.html)’s a list of the other things that went by. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/12 "2003-02-01T07:03:09Z")
Also in the Ralph-cat realm, there was one episode in which Miss Hoover was talking about something and Ralph raised his hand. Miss Hoover just replied with “Ralph, this isn’t about your cat, is it?” And another time, Ralph said, simply, “My cat’s name is Mittens.” ---
**Author:** ![AmbulanceChaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@AmbulanceChaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmbulanceChaser)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/13 "2003-02-01T07:26:46Z")
In the Homer-becomes-a-babysitter, Ralph considers “mittens” a swear word. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/14 "2003-02-01T07:48:52Z")
“I like bushes. They don’t have prickers. Unless they do. This one did.” Best… Ralph quote… ever. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/15 "2003-02-01T07:54:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Turek \* > \*\*There’s also an episode where Ralph says “My cat smells like hot dogs.” > > Probably just a recurring joke. \*\* I thought that was the one where he smells the town electric chair and says that it smells like hot dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/16 "2003-02-01T08:50:20Z")
Me fail English? That’s unpossible! I’m scared, daddy! Too scared to wet myself! Hello Prinskipal Sinner. Hello Super Nintendo Chalmers. Principal Skinner? I got carsick in your office. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/17 "2003-02-01T14:26:20Z")
I believe Ralph mentions his cat a number of times in the episode. Taking a quick look, yes. When he asks Lisa what the answer to number 7 is on a test, Lisa explains in her large-wordy way that would be cheating. Ralph replies with, “My cat’s name is Mittens.” After the test is over, Ms. Hoover asks what Columbus was looking for. Ralph raises his hand, but quickly puts it down again when Ms. Hoover realizes he’s going to say something about his cat. And of course, at the end of the show, he points out his cat’s breath smells like cat food. He must have been on a cat kick that day. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/18 "2003-02-01T15:40:28Z")
Teacher assigns a project to class- “and Ralphie, you may go to sleep.” Ralphie- “Sleep! Yay, that’s where I’m a Viking!” ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cats-breath-smells-like-cat-food-simpsons/152012/19 "2003-02-01T16:20:42Z")
“Meow.” It’s funnier when you realize that Ralph, acting like a barbarian a la _Lord of the Flies_, is wearing Peter Criss’ (of KISS fame) facial makeup.