[FrightFest 2025]: Don't Let The Cat Out

Taking its title from one of the many rules that a cat sitter must abide by, Don’t Let the Cat Out feels like the ultimate exploration of our love for our pets. The narrative follows Charlie as a simple evening looking after a cat, turns into an extraordinary one as the feline’s owners go to extreme lengths to extend the life of their furry friend.

Director Tim Cruz follows up the impressively strange Ladybug (2024) with another impressively strange work. Don’t Let the Cat Out shows its hand early, unafraid to take the audience down an odd path. Moving at a terrific pace, the film is a wild ride, a wonderful swirl of dark humour and body horror. There are hints of a home invasion narrative, but it feels hard to categorize Don’t Let the Cat Out in the best way possible.

This is a film that benefits from a strong, committed cast, led by previous Cruz collaborator Anthony Del Negro. The likes of Edy Ganem, Cerina Vincent, Jordan James Smith and Brittany Cavaco all have moments where they leave an impression, particularly for two of the cast who feel like something out of Craven’s under-rated The People Under the Stairs (1991).

And that’s a good touch point for this film. Less perverse than Craven’s work, it nevertheless shares an energy with the early 90s work, with an almost fairy tale quality, particularly in the film’s second half. There’s a lot more here than your average slasher and it is all the better for it. 

Deliciously deranged and off-kilter, Don’t Let the Cat Out rewards the committed who stick with it through some bizarre developments. A cast willing to go along with Cruz and co-writer Anthony Del Negro, this is a terrific indie horror that will make you think twice when one of your friends seems to be getting particularly close to their pets.

4 Screams out of 5