Is it okay for toddlers who might mimic the cat's behavior?

The cat does things like hitting Simon with a baseball bat or scratching furniture. Most kids over 3 understand it's a cartoon, but if your toddler is in a 'hitting' phase, you might want to point out that Simon doesn't actually like it when the cat does that.

Why are some videos black and white and others in color?

The series started as simple black-and-white line art. As it grew, they colorized older episodes and started making new ones in full color. The content is the same—it's just a different visual style.

Yes, unless you have YouTube Premium. YouTube will often insert mid-roll ads into the longer compilations, which can be jarring or lead to kids clicking away to things you didn't approve.

Is there a 'Simon's Cat' book?

Yes, Simon Tofield has released several books. They are essentially comic strips and are fantastic for 'reading' practice with kids who aren't yet decoding words but can follow a visual narrative.

Simon's Cat – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Simon's Cat

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

YouTube2011

84%

WISE Score

917K

Subscribers

A hungry cat, a long-suffering owner, and the kind of slapstick chaos every pet person knows by heart.

Simon's Cat

YouTube

2011

84%

WISE Score

917K

Subscribers

A hungry cat, a long-suffering owner, and the kind of slapstick chaos every pet person knows by heart.

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917.0K

Screenwise Verdict

Simon's Cat is the gold standard for what YouTube animation can be: simple, clever, and genuinely funny. It avoids the loud, frantic energy of modern influencer content in favor of timeless slapstick that feels like a modern-day Tom & Jerry (but with much more realistic cat behavior).

It’s one of the few things on the platform you can put on for a five-year-old and actually enjoy watching over their shoulder. The only real 'risk' is the platform itself—YouTube is designed to keep you clicking, so you'll want to be the one hitting the 'off' button once the compilation ends.

Age Fit

While toddlers will love the physical comedy, the subtle observational humor makes this a rare 'all-ages' win that won't make parents want to claw their eyes out.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It captures the genuinely funny, often frustrating reality of living with animals. It's slapstick without being mean-spirited and focuses on the bond between a guy and his demanding feline.

Imaginative

The wordless storytelling and observational humor are top-tier. It encourages kids to look at their own pets' behaviors as a narrative.

Safe

Extremely safe content-wise. No dialogue means no language issues, and the 'violence' is strictly cartoon slapstick (a cat batting at a nose to wake someone up).

Enriching

Great for developing emotional intelligence and 'reading' body language, though it's primarily designed for entertainment rather than education.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Masterful observational humor that perfectly nails how cats actually move, think, and manipulate their humans.
Wordless storytelling makes it accessible for everyone from toddlers to grandparents without needing a translator.
High-quality traditional animation that stands out in a sea of low-effort, brightly-colored YouTube 'slop'.
Short, punchy episodes that are easy to use as a 'one and done' treat rather than a multi-hour commitment.

⚠

What to Watch For

The YouTube algorithm will try to push your kid toward 'similar' cat videos that might not have the same quality or safety standards.
Minor slapstick 'violence'—the cat frequently hits, scratches, or drops things on Simon to get what it wants (food).

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the cat is acting that way? What is he trying to tell Simon?"
"How can you tell the cat is frustrated even though he doesn't say any words?"
"If our pet could talk, what's the first thing you think they would ask for?"
"Do you think Simon is a good cat owner, or is he just a pushover?"

Deep Dive

The Art of the Hangry Cat

In a digital landscape filled with AI-generated nursery rhymes and screaming influencers, Simon's Cat feels like a relic from a better era of the internet. Created by Simon Tofield in 2008 and still going strong in 2026, the series relies on a simple, hand-drawn aesthetic that prioritizes character over flash.

What makes it work—and why it has nearly a billion views across its channels—is the accuracy of the observation. If you have ever been woken up at 5:00 AM by a paw to the face or watched a cat meticulously plan a jump only to fail miserably, you will see your life reflected here. For kids, this is a great lesson in non-verbal communication. Because there is no dialogue, they have to pay attention to ear flicks, tail twitches, and eye dilations to understand the story.

Why 'Extra' Matters

The 'Extra' channel is largely a repository for colorized versions of the classic black-and-white shorts and longer compilations. While the original line-art shorts are arguably more artistic, younger kids often find the full-color episodes more engaging.

Managing the Feed

The main friction point isn't the content—it's the delivery system. YouTube's 'Up Next' feature is notoriously bad at staying on-topic. You might start with a 3-minute Simon's Cat short and end up three videos deep into 'Real Life Cat Fights' or weirdly dubbed animal 'funny' videos that aren't nearly as wholesome. The best way to use this is to watch the compilations together or use a curated playlist rather than letting the algorithm drive.