Salt Water Tabby

Salt Water Tabby is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 31st Tom and Jerry Short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on July 12, 1947 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The cartoon was animated by Ed Barge, Michael Lah (who later directed Droopy cartoons) and Kenneth Muse, with uncredited animation by Ray Patterson. Salt Water Tabby was scored by Scott Bradley, produced by Fred Quimby, and directed and written by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The cartoon's title is a pun on salt water taffy, a type of candy, and the common tabby cat.

Plot
Tom is leaving a beach house, but gets his bathing suit caught in the door. He tries to dive into the ocean, but crashes back through the door. Tom tries again, but the water recedes and Tom lands amid a bunch of garbage. Tom stares at Toodles reading a book, but runs into a slot machine. Despite Toodles's displeasure, Tom eats her hot dog and drinks her soda. Jerry then carelessly throws garbage onto Tom while eating in a picnic basket.

Tom tries to hit Jerry with a flyswatter, but Jerry throws food into Tom's eyes. Tom picks up Jerry on a piece of celery, but Jerry bites through Tom's hand. Jerry hides behind some rocks and Tom tries to grab him, but grabs a crab, which pinches off Tom's whiskers before snapping through Tom's tail. Tom chases Jerry, but Jerry sneakily traps Tom inside a beach umbrella. The crab then chases Jerry, but gets caught inside Tom's suit. The crab pinches Tom's bum and Tom jumps in pain. The crab uses it's claw to make a flap in the back Tom's suit and escapes, exposing Tom's rear.



Later, Jerry grabs a bottle of soda, but Tom opens the bottle and slams the cap onto Jerry's head, making Jerry unable to see anything. Jerry stumbles toward the crab and uses the crab's claw to remove the cap, avoiding the crab's attempt to catch him. Tom and Toodles then share sandwiches, but Jerry sneaks a shell into Tom's sandwich, causing Tom to shatter his teeth. Tom then spoons sugar into a cup of coffee, but Jerry replaces the sugar with a bucket of sand. Jerry then fills the bucket with seawater and gives it to Tom, but Tom accidentally spits it out into Toodles' face, effectively ending their short friendship (Toodles is never seen again from this scene on).

Tom seemingly catches Jerry inside a bucket, but is unsuccessful. Tom digs into the sand, but is buried by Jerry. Jerry then places Tom's flyswatter into the sand and flicks it into Tom's face when he reemerges. Tom peels a banana from the picnic basket, but Jerry is inside it and tosses it into Tom's mouth. Tom then spots Jerry, but Jerry again closes the beach umbrella. Jerry jumps out of the umbrella, but gets stuck in his soda bottle. Tom then shakes the bottle, sending Jerry flying through the air and crashing onto a clam shell. Jerry then puts seaweed over a piece of wood on the shore and draws a face onto it, pretending to scream for help. Tom then dives into the ocean, but crashes onto the piece of wood as a tidal wave hits.

Tom chases after Jerry, but Jerry removes the air out of an inflatable beach horse, which hurtles towards Tom, who opens his mouth in fright and thus swallows it. Tom pops out of his bathing suit and flies all over the beach, causing Jerry to hide in Tom's bathing suit to dodge him. Tom then soars into the air before the air runs out, sending Tom plummeting back down to the ground, into a pool. Tom is shocked to find Jerry sailing away using the picnic basket as a boat, and his bathing suit as a sail.

Availability
DVD
 * Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases, Vol. 1
 * Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 1, Disc One
 * Tom and Jerry Golden Collection Volume One, Disc Two