Rip the Cat

Rip the Cat was the main antagonist in the first Goosebumps Series 2000 book, Cry of the Cat, as well as its television adaptation.

History
Crystal's mother had been working on experiments involving cats as test subjects. Her experiments killed all cats that were worked with, except for a cat named Rip, who was too strong and too evil to stay dead. He maintained life by scratching Crystal's mother multiple times, taking some life from her to keep him alive, and in turn, Crystal's mother would become more like a cat. He tried to take Crystal's life once, but her mother wouldn't allow it, so she gave up more of her life to save Crystal's.

One day, Rip was wondering down the street when a girl named Alison Moore accidentally ran him over with her bike, killing him and wasting one of his nine lives. Alison, who felt terrible for running him over, carried over to his house and tried to explain what had happened to Crystal, making her upset that Alison had messed with Rip, due to how evil he was. Rip then sprang to life to Alison's surprise and vanished around the side of the house.

Rip was angered about the accident, which made him decide to take Alison's life next. Later on, he was heard meowing at the school auditorium while Alison and her friends were rehearsing a play and then he ambushed her by springing out at her from a cupboard used in the play he was hiding in. But Alison managed to fling him off her and a throne was accidentally dropped on him, killing him again and wasting another life. Alison then recognized Rip and told her friend, Ryan Engel (who was with her at the time), but he told her it was impossible. Rip then sprang to life again when Ryan picked him up for a moment and ran from the auditorium.

After that, Rip started haunting Alison. First her chicken noodle soup had cat fur in it, then he trashed her room by tossing her toy mice everywhere. The most horrible of all was when Alison found his head in her lunch bag. Later on one night, Rip tried again with killing Alison by smothering her in bed. After a little struggle, Alison pulled Rip off and hurled out her window, killing him a third time. When Alison came out to him to be sure, Rip sprang to life once again and scratched her the way he had been scratching Crystal's mother, causing her to become a bit like him too.

Rip had become desperate to take Alison's life, as it was eight lives he has used up and he down to his last life. So the next night, Alison and Ryan went to a pet cemetery to find a tombstone belonging to Rip. When Alison opened his coffin after digging it out, Rip burst out and attacked her. After another struggle, Rip called out some spirits of other cats who were long dead and they surrounded Alison for a moment. Alison managed to escape and Rip and the other spirits pursued her back to Crystal's house. Rip was locked outside for a while, but he was eventually let in when Crystal and her mother offered to "leave" Alison for him after telling her about him. Ryan came in looking for Alison and Rip gave him a scratch too. Then Alison pulled out a toy mouse that she had in her pocket and hurled it at Rip and then the spirit cats, thinking it was a real mouse went after it, killing Rip by trampling on him and smothering him until he lay lifeless and still. And this time, Rip was dead for good, all of his nine lives finally used up.

Personality
Rip was a mean and vicious cat. He got really angry whenever anyone did any harm to him and he showed no mercy in punishing them and taking their lives. Rip was really bent on staying alive, never wanting to stay dead and enjoyed the life of his terrible reign. Rip failed to realize that his "slaves" were still cats, whether they were dead or alive, which led to his downfall.

Physical appearance
Rip was the size of any cat with gray fur, one triangle of white behind his left ear and eerie yellow eyes. In the television adaptation, Rip appears as ragged and almost hairless. The TV version also appears to have wings on his back, giving him a more gargoyle-like appearance.

Books

 * Goosebumps Series 2000
 * Cry of the Cat

Television and film

 * Television series:
 * Season 4 - "Cry of the Cat"

Trivia

 * Rip's name is an allusion to the acronym R.I.P., an abbreviation often seen on gravestones which stands for "rest in peace."