Some evil kitties deserve their reps

If you've seen the trailer for the sequel to "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," you know the film's antagonist is a cunning feline with a diabolical plan to enslave all mankind. The villain in the film, which opened Friday, is a hairless feline voiced by Bette Midler, who purrs it on.

So, what's up with the evil cats? Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years. (French archaeologists discovered the 9,500-year-old remains of a cat interred with its owner in Cyprus.) Cats outnumber dogs (81.7 million versus 72 million) in U.S. households, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. And it wasn't that long ago that LOLcats were the rage online.

Poor kitties. We smell a public relations rat.

Here are some of pop culture's favorite bad cats:

Lucifer ("Cinderella"): He belonged to Cinderella's wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and the cat played a role in trying to keep Cinderella away from her royal beau.

Tom ("Tom and Jerry"): He isn't exactly a poster cat for the cunningness of felines. At odds with Jerry since 1939, Tom's generally the loser when he tries to match wits and skills with the mouse.

Mr. Bigglesworth ("Austin Powers"): When you're the companion animal to a guy named Dr. Evil, you've got to expect some fallout. That's what happened to Mr. Bigglesworth: His long white hair fell out after a cryogenics calamity.

Cat in the Hat: Created by Dr. Seuss, the fashion-forward feline is, of course, more mischievous than evil. Then again, maybe Fish would disagree.