You know that one video. The one where a petite, high-energy pop star taps her way across a rooftop while a cartoon cat in baggy pants raps about his lifestyle? If you grew up anywhere near a television in the early 1990s, the Paula Abdul video with cat—officially titled "Opposites Attract"—is likely burned into your retinas. It was everywhere. It wasn’t just a hit; it was a cultural pivot point that proved you could make a cartoon character a legitimate pop star. Or at least try to.
The cat has a name, of course. MC Skat Kat.
Honestly, it’s one of those things that feels like a fever dream now. But back in 1989 and 1990, it was the pinnacle of music video technology. Paula Abdul wasn't just dancing; she was interacting with a hand-drawn feline who had more "street cred" than half the human rappers on the radio at the time. People still search for this today because there's something weirdly hypnotic about the chemistry between a real woman and a 2D animation.
The Origins of the Paula Abdul Video with Cat
So, how did this even start? It wasn't some random corporate mandate to sell toys. Paula herself was the driving force. She grew up idolizing Gene Kelly. If you've seen the 1945 film Anchors Aweigh, you might remember the iconic scene where Kelly dances with Jerry Mouse (from Tom and Jerry). Paula wanted her own "Gene Kelly moment."
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She went to her label and basically said, "I want to dance with a cat."
The directors, Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger, were the ones who breathed life into the concept. They had previously worked on the "Take on Me" video for A-ha, so they knew a thing or two about mixing live action with animation. They didn't just want a generic cat. They wanted something "urban" and "cool." Skat Kat was born with a flat-top fade, a single earring, and suspenders. Total late-80s aesthetic.
Who Was the Voice Behind the Mask?
This is where the trivia gets kind of messy. If you look at the album credits for Forever Your Girl, the vocals for the "Opposites Attract" duet are credited to "The Wild Pair." That was Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn. They provided the singing. But the rap? That’s a different story.
The rap was actually performed by a Minnesota DJ named Derrick "Delite" Stevens. For years, people thought it was Romany Malco (the actor from The 40-Year-Old Virgin). Malco did write the raps for the later Skat Kat solo album, but it was Derrick Stevens who gave the cat his voice in that original, iconic video.
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It’s kinda wild how many people were involved in making one cartoon cat "real."
The Secret Tech: How They Made a Human Dance with a Cartoon
You’ve gotta remember, this was 1989. There were no iPads. No easy CGI. Every single frame of MC Skat Kat had to be hand-drawn by animators—many of whom were actually Disney pros working on their off-hours.
To make the dancing look authentic, they used a technique called rotoscoping. They didn't just guess where the cat should move. They hired a real dancer, Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers, to perform Skat Kat’s parts on a blue screen.
- Paula danced her heart out.
- Boogaloo Shrimp mirrored her moves.
- The animators drew the cat over the human dancer's body.
Because of this, the cat has "human" weight. When he lands a jump, it looks real. When he spins, his center of gravity makes sense. It’s why the Paula Abdul video with cat still looks surprisingly decent today compared to some of the early, clunky 3D stuff from the late 90s.
Why Does This Video Still Matter?
"Opposites Attract" wasn't just a song; it was a juggernaut. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It won a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video in 1991. But more importantly, it created a blueprint for the "virtual artist."
Long before Gorillaz or VTubers, we had MC Skat Kat.
Virgin Records was so convinced they had a hit on their hands that they actually gave the cat a solo album in 1991 called The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob. It... didn't do as well. It turns out people liked the cat with Paula, but they weren't necessarily ready for a full-length cartoon hip-hop odyssey.
The Cultural Legacy
The video has been parodied and referenced everywhere.
- Family Guy did a bit where Peter Griffin replaces the cat.
- American Dad! featured a cameo where the cat is looking for work.
- James Corden recreated the whole thing with Paula on his show.
It’s a piece of nostalgia that refuses to die because it represents a time when music videos were huge events. You’d wait all day for MTV to play it just to see that one rooftop bridge sequence.
What Most People Get Wrong
There's a common misconception that this was a "real" cat or that it was some kind of puppet. Nope. Pure cel animation. Also, some people remember Paula being in a cat suit—probably confusing it with the Cats musical or her "Cold Hearted" video where things got a bit more sultry.
In "Opposites Attract," Paula is 100% human, and the cat is 100% ink.
The chemistry worked because Paula Abdul is a world-class choreographer. She didn't just "act" like there was a cat there; she timed every glance and every hand-hold to a fraction of a second. If she was off by an inch, the illusion shattered. She wasn't.
Taking Action: Where to Find the Best Version Today
If you’re looking to scratch that nostalgia itch, don't settle for the grainy 240p uploads from 2006.
- YouTube Official Channel: Paula Abdul’s official Vevo channel has a remastered version. It’s still in the original 4:3 aspect ratio, but the colors are much sharper.
- The "Skat Strut" Follow-up: If you want to see the "sequel," look for the "Skat Strut" video. Paula makes a cameo, and you get to see the rest of the "Stray Mob" (the cat’s crew).
- Physical Media: If you’re a nerd for quality, the Video Hits DVD releases are usually the cleanest source.
Honestly, the best way to enjoy it is to watch it and then look up the "behind the scenes" footage of Boogaloo Shrimp. Seeing a man in a tracksuit doing those moves makes you realize just how much work went into making a cartoon look that smooth.
The Paula Abdul video with cat is more than just a 90s relic. It’s a testament to what happens when you combine old-school Hollywood inspiration with cutting-edge (for the time) animation techniques. It shouldn't have worked, but it did.
To get the most out of your 90s trip, go back and watch the video again, but this time, pay attention to the floor. Notice how the cat’s feet actually "touch" the ground and cast shadows. That level of detail is why we're still talking about it thirty-five years later. Once you've done that, check out the original Gene Kelly "Jerry Mouse" dance to see exactly where Paula got the idea. It’s a pretty cool bit of history to see side-by-side.