There Are No Cats In America

There Are No Cats in America is a song from An American Tail. It is sung during the trip over to America by several mice (among them, Papa Mousekewitz).

Lyrics
(Song has not yet started yet)

Papa: Won't it be nice when we get to America, where we don't have to worry about cats anymore? There are no cats in America, but back home in Mother Russia...

Mice: (Sigh)

(Song begins)

Papa: Our family was traveling through the snow to Minsk

Suddenly, Papa saw those huge paw prints

When I heard him screaming, I fainted dead away

And I woke up an orphan

Mice: (Gasps)

Papa: Oy vey

Elderly female mouse: (Faints in fear)

Papa: But...

Mice: But...

But there are no cats in America

And the streets are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats in America

So set your mind at ease

(Laughing)

(Song temporarily stops)

Italian mouse: Ma la cosa terribile che esiste nella patria mia. (Elderly female mouse wakes back up)

Italian mouse: If you think things were bad in Russia, you should have seen things in my country! (Laughs)

(Song resumes)

Italian mouse: Times were hard in Sicily

We had no provolone

The Don: he was a tabby

With a taste for my brother, Tony

When Mama went to plead for him

The Don said he would see her

We found her rosary on the ground

Mice: (Gasps)

Italian mouse: (Kisses rosary) Poor mama mia!

Elderly mouse: (Faints in fear again)

Italian mouse: But...

Mice: But there are no cats in America

And the streets are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats in America

So set your mind at ease

(Laughing)

(Song temporarily stops)

Irish mouse: Sure, that's sad, but sadder still...

(Song resumes)

Irish mouse: When I was but a lad

I lost my true love fair

A calico

He caught us by surprise

In a flash of teeth and fur

Her tail was all he left of her

'Neath the heather

Is where it turra-lurra lies

Mice: (Gasps)

Irish mouse: But...

Mice: But there are no cats in America

And the streets are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats in America

(The lyrics "There are no cats in America" are repeated several times)

That's why

We sail

These seas

(Last note is held as song ends)

Soundtrack version
The version on the soundtrack has a few minor lyrical differences:

Papa: (Speaking) Won't it be nice when we get to America? In America, there are no cats, but back home in mother Russia

(Starts singing)

Papa: Our family was traveling through the snow to Minsk

Suddenly, Papa saw those huge paw prints

When I heard him screaming, I fainted dead away

And I woke up an orphan

Mice: (Gasps)

Papa: Oy vey

Elderly female mouse: (Faints in fear)

Papa: But...

Mice: But...

But there are no cats in America

And the streets are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats in America

So set your mind at ease

(Laughing)

(Song temporarily stops)

Italian mouse: Ma la cosa terribile che esiste nella patria mia. (Elderly female mouse wakes back up)

Italian mouse: If you think things were bad in Russia, you should have seen things in my country! (Laughs)

(Song resumes)

Italian mouse: Times were hard in Sicily

We had no provolone

The Don: he was a tabby

With a taste for my brother, Tony

When Mama went to plead for him

The Don said he would see her

We found her rosary on the ground

Mice: (Gasps)

Italian mouse: (Kisses rosary) Poor mama mia!

Elderly mouse: (Faints in fear again)

Italian mouse: But...

Mice: But there are no cats in America

And the streets are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats in America

So set your mind at ease

(Laughing)

(Song temporarily stops)

Irish mouse: Sure, that's sad, but sadder still...

(Song resumes)

Irish mouse: When I was but a lad

I lost my true love fair

A calico

He caught us by surprise

In a flash of teeth and fur

Her tail was all he left of her

'Neath the heather

Is where it turra-lurra lies

Mice: (Gasps)

Irish mouse: But...

Mice: But there are no cats in America

And the streets are paved with cheese

Oh, there are no cats in America

(The lyrics "There are no cats in America" are repeated several times)

That's why

We sail

These seas

(Last note is held as song ends)

Trivia

 * The Universal Studios An American Tail Live Show version replaces the Italian mouse with Tony Toponi.
 * The Italian mouse from the second verse of this song is the only nameless character that reappeared in sequels.
 * It is suggested that the Italian mouse is possibly related to Tony Toponi in the second verse, as they are both from Sicily. Unfortunately, it is never shown that he reunited with Tony throughout the franchise.
 * Papa Mouskewitz's parents' conflict is mentioned in Fievel's American Tails' episode, Aunt Sophie's Visit.
 * In An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island, Mama Mousekewitz, still being ticked off about Papa's misinterpretation during the period they immigrated America, reminded Papa about the "There are no cats in America" rumor.