Undercover Cat
Undercover Cat is a novel by Gordon and Mildred Gordon, about a cat who assists the FBI in tracking down a pair of bank robbers. It was published in 1963.
It has been adapted to a live-action Disney film twice, as That Darn Cat! (1965) and That Darn Cat (1997).
Plot summary
Pancho, also known as Damn Cat or DC, is in the habit of prowling the neighborhood at night and stealing food from a neighbour named Greg who doesn't approve of it. His Owners, Patti and Ingrid Randall (Also Known as Inky) look after him while their parents are away on holiday. One night DC returns home with a wristwatch round his neck put there by the banker Helen Jenkins who was kidnapped by two bank robbers: Sammy and Dan. When DC returns after his adventure Patti is determined that the watch belongs to the bank teller who is being held hostage by the bank robbers. One day Greg said that he caught a Gadwall duck out in the pouring rain so DC discovers and takes it away to eat much to the agitation of Greg who said that if DC took anything else from him he'd shoot him.
Zeke Kelso, an FBI agent, puts surveillance on the cat in the hope he will lead them to the kidnappers. Zeke has a cat allergy which makes it difficult for DC to like him. Zeke gets DC's paw prints on ink for evidence. They are helped and hampered by Patti, Ingrid and their neighbors. The FBI track DC down by keeping an eye on where he travels to see if he goes back to the bank robber's lair but with little success at first.
Jenkins tries to find ways of escaping which is difficult because Sammy and Dan live in an apartment building with the radio and air conditioning on so that if she screams it'll be muffled. One night she creates a fire to get help but is stopped in time by the two bank robbers. One evening, while tracking DC, Zeke and the neighbours hear a gun shot and Patti confronts Greg who she suspects trying to kill DC. He explains that he saw a man on his property which is why he shot his gun and was not trying to shoot DC.
On the final evening DC finally reaches the apartment building where the criminals are holding Jenkins hostage which Zeke tracks down. He comfronts Dan and Sammy who recall the time DC came round. Seeing that Dan and Sammy are the criminals he's looking for Zeke throws DC at them as a diversion and arrests them.
The next day DC is all over the papers as the spotlight of the news and people are gathering round his house wanting his autograph. Not caring about being famous DC remains on his usual routine prowling the streets and tailing Greg.
Characters
- Pancho "Damn Cat/DC" A black cat who prowls around his city and steals food from Greg.
- Patti Randall Owner of DC and gets suspicious when DC comes home wearing a wristwatch.
- Ingrid "Inky" Randall Patti's sister who has no interest in the bank robber case.
- Sammy One of the bank robbers who has an interest in cats.
- Dan The other bank robber who keeps Helen Jenkins hostage.
- Helen Jenkins The banker who gets kidnapped by the bank robbers and puts the wristwatch around DC's neck.
- Greg Patti and Ingrid's neighbour who bears a grudge for DC for stealing his Gadwall duck. He is later accused for trying to shoot DC in the neighbourhood.
- Zeke Kelso The FBI Agent whos job is to solve the banker kidnapper case. It is explained that he has a cat allergy which makes it awkward for him to interact with DC.