If you were anywhere near a Hallmark store in the late nineties, you remember the fever. People weren't just buying toys; they were speculating on plush beans like they were gold bars. It was wild. Among the hundreds of little creatures Ty Warner released, a few became legendary not just for how they looked, but for the dates printed on those little heart-shaped tags. One of the most recognizable is Pounce the Cat. Specifically, the February 18th Beanie Baby known as Pounce has stayed in the cultural consciousness way longer than most of its peers.
Pounce was born on February 28, 1997, but his "birthday"—the date listed inside the hang tag—is February 18, 1997. This distinction matters because in the world of Beanie Baby collecting, dates are everything. If you find a Pounce today, you're looking at a brown tabby with a white face and belly. He’s simple. He’s cute. But the story behind these February 18th releases is a weird mix of nostalgia, manufacturing errors, and the cold reality of the secondary market.
What's the Deal with Pounce?
Pounce isn't just a random cat. He was part of a specific era of Ty production where the "birthday" concept was used to drive a personal connection with kids. You’d go to the store and look for the one that shared your birthday. It was brilliant marketing. Pounce, with that February 18th birthday, became a go-to gift for anyone born in late winter.
But here’s the thing. Pounce isn't rare. Not really.
Ty produced millions of these things. If you have a Pounce the Cat with a 4th generation heart tag and a 1997 date, you probably have a toy worth about five bucks. Maybe ten if the tag is mint and has a plastic protector. I know that hurts to hear if you’ve been holding onto it since middle school, but the market is flooded with them.
The obsession with the February 18th Beanie Baby often comes from people misinterpreting "retirement" dates. Pounce was retired on March 31, 1999. In the nineties, retirement meant the price would skyrocket. Today? It just means they stopped making them after making enough to fill several Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The "Error" Myth that Won't Die
You've probably seen those eBay listings. You know the ones. Someone is asking $5,000 for a Pounce the Cat because of a "rare" typo. Usually, they point to the space between the last word of the poem and the exclamation point, or a comma that looks a little funky.
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Honestly, most of these aren't errors. They’re just how the tags were printed.
In 1997, Ty used various factories in China and Indonesia. Minor variations in font or spacing happened all the time. To a serious collector—the kind of people who actually spend thousands—these aren't "valuable errors." They're just "version variations." A real error that adds value would be something like the wrong name on the tag or a completely different animal's poem inside. If your Pounce has the correct February 18th birthday and the standard poem about pouncing on a mouse, it’s a standard, beautiful, common Beanie Baby.
There are exceptions, though. If you have a Pounce with a 3rd generation hang tag (the ones that don't open like a book), you might have something. But Pounce was released right as the 4th generation tags were taking over, so 3rd gens are incredibly scarce.
Why February 18th Still Pops Up in Searches
Why do people keep looking for this specific date? It’s often because of "The End." No, not the end of the world—The End the Beanie Baby. Ty released a black bear named "The End" to signal the end of the collection in 1999. Some people get the dates confused between different releases.
Also, February 18th is a big day for the "original nine" collectors. While Pounce wasn't one of the original nine (those were launched in 1993), he represents the peak of the 1997-1998 boom. For many, Pounce is the "entry-level" collectible. He's the one you find in your attic and think, "Is this the one that's worth a fortune?"
Let's look at the poem inside the Pounce tag. It’s a classic:
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Sneaking around, out of sight
At night he loves to hunt for mice
But he’s a sweet and fluffy cat
Who’d rather be petted than catch a rat!
It’s simple. It’s charming. It captures why we loved these things. It wasn't just about the money; it was about the character. Pounce looked like a real house cat, which made him more relatable than, say, a neon tie-dyed platypus.
The Reality of Selling Your Pounce the Cat
If you're looking to sell your February 18th Beanie Baby, you need to be realistic. The "sold" listings on eBay are your best friend. Ignore the "asking" prices. Anyone can ask for ten grand for a piece of polyester. Look for the green numbers—the prices people actually paid.
Usually, Pounce sells for $3 to $8.
However, there is a very specific niche where he’s worth more. If your Pounce has a "PVC" tush tag rather than "PE" pellets, you can add a few dollars to the price. PVC pellets were used earlier in production and are preferred by hardcore enthusiasts. Also, if the tush tag has a red stamp inside (indicating the factory number), that can sometimes pique interest. But we’re still talking $20, not $2,000.
Collectors like Leon and Jackie Schlossberg, who have written extensively on Beanie history, often emphasize that condition is the ultimate price driver. A Pounce with a "creased" heart tag loses 50% of its value instantly. The collectors who are still active in 2026 are looking for perfection. They want a tag that looks like it was printed five minutes ago.
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How to Spot a Genuine 1997 Pounce
Since there were so many made, "fakes" of Pounce are actually pretty rare—it wasn't worth the effort to counterfeit a common cat. But you still want to make sure yours is the real deal from the 90s.
- The Fabric: Pounce should be a soft, somewhat muted brown tabby material. The stripes should be distinct but not harsh.
- The Eyes: They should be black beads, firmly attached.
- The Tush Tag: It should have a red heart and say "Pounce" along with the 1997 copyright date.
- The Hang Tag: This is the big one. For the February 18th version, it should be the 4th or 5th generation heart. If the "i" in Beanie is lowercase or the font looks "off," it might be a later reproduction, though those are mostly found in the "Beanie Buddies" (the larger versions).
The Legacy of the 90s Plush Craze
Pounce is a symbol of a very specific moment in economic history. It was the first "internet" collectible craze. People used early message boards and AOL chat rooms to swap info about February 18th birthdays and retirement rumors.
Even if the monetary value isn't there, the nostalgic value is massive. Pounce is a "gateway" toy. He reminds us of a time when we thought a $5 plush could pay for college. That's why he’s still searched for. He represents hope, even if that hope was based on a bit of a bubble.
If you have one, keep it. Not because it’s going to buy you a house, but because it’s a tangible piece of the 1990s. It’s a reminder of the "Great Beanie Bubble" and a simpler time in toy collecting.
Step-by-Step: What to Do with Your Pounce the Cat
If you just found a Pounce in a bin or at a garage sale, follow these steps to see what you've actually got:
- Check the Pellets: Feel the bottom of the cat. If the tush tag says "PVC Pellets," you have an earlier version. These are slightly more desirable than the later "PE Pellets."
- Inspect the Hang Tag: Is it attached? Is it mint? If the tag is missing, Pounce is essentially a $2 toy. If the tag is pristine and in a protector, he’s a $10 toy.
- Look for Factory Stamps: Open the tush tag and look for a small red stamp. A number like "472" or "400" indicates the factory where it was made. Some collectors try to "complete the set" by getting a Pounce from every factory.
- Verify the Birthday: Make sure the inside of the tag actually says February 18, 1997. If the date is different (which is rare for Pounce), you might have an actual misprint.
- Display or Donate: If it’s not a rare 3rd Gen or a confirmed major error, Pounce makes a great gift for a kid. They are durable, well-made, and still cute after thirty years.
The February 18th Beanie Baby might not be the lottery ticket the internet claims it is, but Pounce remains one of the most iconic "common" Beanies ever made. Whether you're a serious hobbyist or just a person with a box of old toys, knowing the truth about these cats is better than chasing a "hidden fortune" that doesn't exist.
Check your tush tags, keep your hang tags out of the sun, and appreciate Pounce for what he is: a classic piece of pop culture.