Tiger

Tiger is the deuteragonist of An American Tail and further entries. Although he is a cat, he behaves like a dog and doesn't eat mice; he is a vegetarian and befriends them, especially Fievel. He is voiced by the late Dom DeLuise.

Personality
Tiger is shown to be less than brilliant (i.e. when playing cards during An American Tail, some of the cards are facing the wrong way and he calls out rummy when he and the other cats were playing poker). He is also a tad goofy, which is shown when he tries to catch Fievel after he has been spotted. He is shown to be very kind, as he later sympathizes with Fievel about how he was separated from his family and relates that he also lost his family. He likes mice (as friends, not food). He is also a vegetarian. He tends to be something of a scaredy-cat in the series. He has arachnophobia (as is revealed in An American Tail: Fievel Goes West), but he is able to conquer his fear.

Appearance
He is a Big Orange cat with a purple T-shirt with the letter "M" in the film Series.

An American Tail
Tiger is first seen in a late point of An American Tail, where he is playing cards (some of which are facing the wrong way) with other members of the Mott Street Maulers. When Fievel is spotted by Warren T. Rat, Tiger helps in trying to capture the little mouse. When Fievel is captured, he is placed on guard duty, where he learns that, like him, Fievel has lost his family. After sharing more information about himself, (among it, his love of vegetables) he and Fievel quickly craft a friendship and sing A Duo. However, an alarm goes off, warning the Maulers that there's been a prison break. Fievel escapes, while Tiger is fired by Warren T (which Tiger finds to be a good thing, because he never liked Warren T. or his poor violin playing).

He is next seen (somewhat briefly) when the Mousekewitz family teams up with Tony Toponi, Bridget and Gussie Mausheimer join together to find Fievel. Presumably, he teams up with them as well (albiet, off-screen). He serves as transportation for the other searchers. When Fievel is found, Tiger claims he's never been more happy in his life as Gussie hugs him on his big toe.

Tiger is last seen in the movie being carried by four of the pigeons that are friends to Henri.

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
Tiger is first seen near the start of An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. His girlfriend, Miss Kitty (who is also one of the only friendly cats of the An American Tail series), dumps him, stating that she wants a cat﻿ "who's more like a dog". His girlfriend quickly leaves, which causes Tiger to begin crying (despite his promise to be tough in Miss Kitty's abscence).

Soon afterwards, the Cactus Cat Gang attacks the mouse homes. Tiger goes to try and help. Sadly, his attempt is hindered by his phobia of spiders, which is activated when he sees Chula. He falls from his perch and lands in a trash can, passed out.

The next morning, Tiger rushes to see if the Mousekewitz family is alright. Unfortunately, Tiger finds their home deserted. A note left by Fievel tells Tiger where the Mousekewitzes are: the Train station, where they will take a train bound for Green River in Utah.

Tiger goes to the station immediately; unfortunately (for him), he is chased by dogs every step of the way (including a run-in with a dog-fish).

He is next seen on a fisherman's boat (he had been caught with a bunch of cat-fish). He tries to pretend to be a cat-fish, but is thrown out of the boat. He lands safely on a stagecoach, where he remarks that his mother "always wanted him to be on the stage". He tries to ask a cowboy on the stagecoach if he's going to Green River, but realizes (too late) that the cowboy was a dog. He jumps off and gets tangled in a net hanging off of the stagecoach, where he is yanked along the road like a rag doll.

His journey goes on like this until he crashes in a pile of bones at the border between the Badlands and Worselands. Realizing he was left behind, he states that he is "lost, all alone... in a million-acre cat box".

He is next seen wandering through the desert, singing "Oh, My Darling" when he runs into what appears to be Miss Kitty; however, it turns out to be a mirage, as "Miss Kitty" was really an Owl. Suddenly, Tiger hears what sounds like Fievel calling him. However, he figures that Fievel (who was really there) is another mirage and passes by him (and the opposite is also true for Fievel).

Tiger is next seen still in the desert when he is ambushed and captured by the Mousehican tribe, who use buffalo bones as a cage and knock Tiger out.

Later that night, Tiger finds himself hanging over a fire in the Mousehican village and being looked at by the Mousehicans as food. Soon, the Mousehican chief appears and it looks like Tiger will be eaten until the chief literally looks at things from a different perspective as he lines the hanging Tiger up with a large rock formation that, oddly enough, looks just like Tiger. Taking it as a sign that Tiger is "a god of eternal peace and cosmic love" (which is actually said later in the movie), the Mousehicans celebrate with a massive feast. During this time, Tiger breaks the fourth wall by turning to the camera and saying "How did they know I was a vegetarian?" and "It's funny how your appetite perks up when you find out you're gonna have dinner instead of be dinner...". Tiger hangs back while the Mousehicans kill a Hawk and (unknowingly) save Fievel's life. Fievel lands in part of Tiger's feast and is nearly eaten until Fievel tells Tiger to say "ahh". Sharing a tender reunion, Fievel tells Tiger to come with him to Green River; however, due to the fact that the Mousehicans become very offended if someone eats and runs, Tiger says he'll join Fievel as soon as he can (giving his own variation of the "Cross my heart and hope to die" promise). Fievel then asks how to get to Green River (he doesn't know) and Tiger tells him to grab a passing "sagecoach" (a tumbleweed). Saying goodbye, Tiger makes note of his pun, but no one finds it funny.

Tiger is later seen in pictures in Miss Kitty's dressing room, where she regrets having left New York for the west.

Tiger is next seen still relaxing at the Mousehican village, where Fievel is trying to recruit him to help save Green River from Cat R. Waul and his gang. Though Tiger isn't into the idea at first, he is convinced when he smells the exact same perfume that his love was wearing. He decides to join up with Fievel (though he is a bit concerned when he learns he has to be a dog).

He is next seen training under the watchful eye of Wylie Burp. Tiger quickly learns the ways of a dog and is christened "Fido" by Wylie. With his new dog identity and slingshot in hand, Tiger goes with Fievel and Wylie to confront the Cactus Cat Gang. Miss Kitty becomes smitten with Tiger again (being completely unaware that Tiger has learned how to be a dog). Just when Fievel has Cat R. Waul cornered, Chula threatens to kill Miss Kitty if Fievel fires. This causes Tiger to lose it, as he sends the entire Cactus Cat Gang flying and overcomes his arachnophobia.

Tiger is last seen enjoying a romantic moment with Miss Kitty as Wylie walks off into the sunset.

Fievel's American Tails
In the television series, much of Tiger's positive character development in Fievel Goes West has been undone, as he's gone back to being cowardly, and not too bright. His favorite thing to do is hang out with his best friend Fievel; in fact this is more or less what his life revolves around. Perhaps because of the mysterious absence of Wylie Burp in the series, Tiger has not gone on to become sheriff of Green River. He lives in an abandoned wagon. In the episode "Law and Disorder" we find that Miss Kitty has left Green River but still writes letters to Tiger, implying that the two broke up yet again but stayed friends. Tiger lies to her about being the Marshall of Green River in his letters, but when she comes to visit eventually she sees through the lie. Sometimes Fievel's parents worry that Tiger is a bad influence on Fievel, getting him into trouble or causing him to goof off and not do his chores or homework.

Trivia

 * Tiger's voice actor Dom DeLuise also played Fagin in Oliver & Company, Jeremy in The Secret of NIMH, Itchy Itchiford in All Dogs Go to Heaven, Christopher Columbus in The Magic Voyage and Stanley in A Troll in Central Park.