Carl is a cat and one of the main protagonists in the Just So Movie.
Background[]
Carl is the tenth member of the Main Eleven since he has been a frequent visitor of the Grover zoo and is good friends with Bigmouth, Humphrey, Wrinkles, Spot, Trunksworth, Joey, Penny, Arnold, Clyde, Floyd, and Joe. His home is outside the zoo, which he often visits and he likes to get together with his friends at the aquarium when Joe's not around despite the fact that cats hate water. His ancestor from "The Cat that Walked by Himself" made him what he is, like all other cats.
Carl is a gray tabby cat with dark gray stripes, light green eyes, and a pink nose.
Appearances[]
In the movie, Carl is seen as a kitten in the zoo along with his friends, having grown up ever since Joe became the head zookeeper and before Marty died. When the zoo gets run down, the cat refuses to bear his friends leaving like the other animals. Hearing the news about Julia wanting to buy the zoo unless Joe pays his debt within two days, Carl and his friends get together trying to think of how they can save their home when Mother Nature appears, telling the Main Eleven that she will take them back in time to see their ancestors.
While the Main Eleven keep talking and Humphrey wishes for the other animals to return, the others object as Carl explains about the wolves, foxes, and otters chasing him out of their enclosures whenever he tried to visit them.
While the Main Eleven is asleep at night, Mother Nature, who is true to her word, takes them back in time to see their ancestors. Carl watches his ancestor while the whole story of "The Cat that Walked by Himself" being acted out, though it rather surprises him a bit. Back at the zoo, the next day, the Main Eleven explains about what happened, realizing that their ancestors made them what they are and that they can save the zoo.
When Joe (who has lost all hope) comes to feed them for the last time and explain that he's going to sell, the animals try to tell him about meeting their ancestors, but he can't understand them since animals can't speak human language.
Having lost hope the next day, Carl and his friends decide to make the best of missing each other (though they don't know what Julia has in mind for them), when Joe, who finally came to his senses from seeing his own ancestors last night, tells his animals friends that they can save the zoo after all. The Main Eleven gets ready as the sing, "Got to Save the Zoo".
The moment Julia arrives and Mr. Grover stands up to her refusing to sell the zoo, the landlady gets attacked by the Main Eleven. Carl jumps on Julia's head scratching her with his claws. After Julia gets arrested, the police allow the zoo to remain open forever, and Sally quits working for the landlady, Joe thanks the Main Eleven for believing in him ever since they were young.
Carl even compliments his friends and his ancestor, knowing that things are going to get much better. After the zoo is renovated, new animals come to live in the zoo, including a new female cat who Carl has three kittens with.
Video Games[]
Carl appears in the Just So Game as a playable character with abilities to climb, scratch, and go into tight places. He eats zoo chow to restore his health. When visiting his ancestor, he has to fight off an otter.
Trivia[]
- Carl can talk to his friends while he only meows, purrs, and hisses to humans, which is why Joe can't understand him.