The Aristocats Dog Names

Since The Aristocats is full of rather unique and interesting feline characters with a few geese, humans and other various species tossed into the mix there is a limited number of dogs that are highlighted in the movie. However, true lovers of the movie will without a doubt know Napoleon and Lafayette. These rather obnoxious and absolutely lovable characters steal people’s hearts with their slow-witted humor and pesky antics. Napoleon is a Bloodhound that lives on a farm with his sidekick, Lafayette the Basset Hound. Even though Napoleon thinks he is the leader of the two and has all the influence and power, it is really Lafayette’s brains and cunning that keep them moving and getting out of scraps. Napoleon finds great fun in chasing Edgar Balthazar, Madame Adelaide Bonfamille’s butler, as he rides by on his scooter with Duchess and her kittens tucked in the sidecar. By giving chase, Napoleon inadvertently saves Duchess and her three kittens from a rather horrific end. Once Napoleon and Lafayette chase Edgar off, they gain a new bed from the sidecar of the scooter and Napoleon lays claim to Edgar’s hat. Edgar cannot complete his mission and must head back home, hoping that the cats cannot find their way back into Paris and to the mansion.

When animators were creating Napoleon and Lafayette, they looked at several different historical figures. It took several attempts to find the right personalities for these two canines. Animators also had to determine what breed each dog should be and since these two lived on a farm out in the country, a hound was the best option. Once it was determined they would each be a different hound, it was time to pick which hound and Napoleon ended up being a Bloodhound whereas his smaller sidekick became a Basset Hound. Napoleon was given his name after the infamous French general, Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte is most famous for being the French emperor that conquered most of Europe. Napoleon was also given Bonaparte’s basic mannerisms and personality. Lafayette needed an equally impressive name and personality. He was eventually named after French general Marquis De Lafayette. Marquis De Lafayette was mainly known as the French nobleman that lent a hand to the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Giving the only two dogs in the movie names and personalities of past French generals was not done accidentally since they waged war against Edgar and sent him fleeing back to Paris without completing the mission he was on.