the aristocats is a 1970 american animated romantic adventure musical comedy film directed by wolfgang reitherman. it was produced by walt disney productions and released by buena vista distribution. the 20th disney animated feature film, the film is based on a story by tom mcgowan and tom rowe, and revolves around a family of aristocratic cats, and how an alley cat acquaintance helps them after a butler has kidnapped them to gain his mistress's fortune which was intended to go to them. the film features the voices of eva gabor, hermione baddeley, phil harris, dean clark, sterling holloway, scatman crothers, and roddy maude-roxby.