07/08/2026
Of course Ricky Gervais made an entire Netflix series about the animals so many people walk straight past.
Not pampered pets living in beautiful homes. Not adorable rescue kittens guaranteed to make everyone cry. Alley Cats follows a gang of foul-mouthed feral cats trying to find companionship, make sense of life and survive in a brutal human world.
And somehow, that feels like the perfect subject for Ricky.
His love for animals has never appeared limited to the cute, popular or easily marketable ones. For decades, he has used his platform to speak out for creatures that are neglected, mistreated or simply forgotten—and feral cats are often among them.
They live in alleys, behind shops and beneath abandoned buildings. Many people barely notice them. Others see them as a nuisance. Yet each one is still an individual animal trying to survive, find food, avoid danger and experience whatever companionship it can.
That doesn’t mean Alley Cats will be a sentimental animal-welfare lecture. Judging by Netflix’s description, it will be unmistakably Ricky: rude, absurd, darkly funny and packed with social commentary.
That may be precisely why it could reach people who would never stop to watch a traditional animal campaign.
Comedy has a clever way of slipping past our defences. We laugh at fictional characters, grow attached to them and sometimes finish watching with a slightly different view of their real-life counterparts.
If even a fraction of the millions watching begins to look at feral cats with greater understanding afterwards, that could have a meaningful effect.
With Ricky Gervais joined by Diane Morgan, Kerry Godliman, David Earl, Jo Hartley and Natalie Cassidy, Alley Cats arrives on Netflix on 7 August.
Will you be watching—or is Ricky Gervais’s comedy not for you? 🐈
