The One with the Cat

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"The One With the Cat" is the second episode of season four of the television situation comedy Friends.

First aired: October 2, 1997.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Plot

Tired of having to turn sideways every time he wants to enter his bedroom, Chandler suggests he and Joey sell the entertainment center. Joey objects at first, because he built it himself—and the chick and duck are living in it.

Monica ran into someone from high school at the bank—Rachel's senior prom date, Chip Matthews. They get to talking, and Chip fulfills an old high school fantasy of Monica's, simply by asking her out. Rachel comes home from work to see that Chip called—and assumed he wanted to talk to her. Ross, wanting to have some fun at his ex-girlfriend's expense, doesn't tell her any differently—until they're on the phone, and Rachel realizes he wanted to talk to Monica.

Joey places an ad for the entertainment center. Chandler is pleased, until he learns Joey is charging USD$5,000 for it. He offers to change the ad to $50 or best offer, and it's revealed that Joey thinks Chandler is an accountant (he isn't). Meanwhile, a cat crawls into Phoebe's guitar case. She tries to shoo it away... until she looks at the cat and becomes convinced that the spirit of her adoptive mother Lily resides in the cat.

Rachel is upset that Monica would consider dating Chip, because at their prom Chip disappeared for two hours to have sex with another girl. Monica points out that she wasn't as popular as Rachel in high school, and the "fat girl" inside of her would love to have a chance to date a popular guy (even if it's ten years too late). Rachel relents, and agrees to let her go.

Two guys come to look at the entertainment center - but aren't willing to pay the $5,000 Joey originally asked for. They are willing to pay $50 and throw in a handmade canoe. Joey and Chandler won't take the canoe, so the deal is off.

Ross, sick of Phoebe thinking the cat is her mom, tells the rest of the group what he thinks. Just to annoy him, Rachel says she believes Phoebe—and that Jurassic Park could happen. Rachel later finds a flier for a missing cat named Julio—who looks exactly like the cat Phoebe thinks is her reincarnated mother. Ross makes the rest of the gang promise to tell Phoebe—but she's so happy, none of them can bring themselves to do it.

Joey, trying to sell the entertainment center, offers the fact that a grown man can fit inside as a selling point. The buyer doesn't believe him—so Joey crawls inside. The prospective buyer then locks Joey in the center—and steals the rest of their furniture. Chandler is upset—when asked what happened, he explains: "Joey was born; then 28 years later I was robbed!"

Monica finally goes on her big date with Chip—and is disappointed to learn he hasn't changed at all since high school. He still hangs out with all his old buddies, still works at the movie theater, and still lives with his parents. So—much to Rachel's delight—not only did Monica get to go out with Chip Matthews, she got to dump Chip Matthews.

Ross, upset that nobody has told Phoebe the truth about the cat, finally tells her. Phoebe is upset that Ross won't at least respect her belief that Julio is her mother, and Rachel suggests that to fix their friendship he apologize to Mrs. Buffay's spirit, which he does on the condition that Phoebe return the cat.

Chandler, upset that Joey allowed them to get robbed, calls the guys with the canoe back—and they finally make their trade.