Characters: Butch

Butch is a Tom and Jerry character - a black and white alley cat - who first appeared in the 1943 short, Baby Puss alongside a brown, mangy cat (named Meathead) who is first appeared in the 1943 short Sufferin' Cats! and a little but older-like gray kitten. Butch was the leader of the alley cat bullies that usually helps Tom catch Jerry, but during his first appearance in Baby Puss he tormented Tom because his young female owner treated him literally like a baby, especially dressing Tom up in a diaper, a bonnet, and pink mittens for all of his paws. Tom was quite a mock show for Butch and his gang, as well as Jerry.

Butch later appeared in the short Springtime for Thomas, first released in 1946. At the time, he was known simply as "Dream Boy" (after Jerry's fake letter from Toodles), and he acted as Tom's rival for Toodles' affection.

In later cartoons, Butch was not only Tom's love rival, but also a sporting opponent, as in Tennis Chumps, or another cat competing with Tom to stay in the house, as in A Mouse in the House. However, Butch also appeared in some cartoons as one of Tom's pals or chums as in Saturday Evening Puss, Smarty Cat, and Sleepy-Time Tom, where Butch is leader of Tom's buddies.