After you watch this movie, you will believe a cat can kill.

Actually, most cat owners know just how devious their feline friends can be, but the furry menace in Don’t Let the Cat Out takes it to another level.

Don’t Let the Cat Out is a slasher with a twist, in which (going by the trailer) an ordinary housecat goes rogue and turns into a murderous hell beast bent on ending its cat sitter and anyone else who crosses it.

The official description reads, ““When Charlie agrees to house sit on Halloween, he expects a quiet evening alone. But the night quickly goes to hell when he is kidnapped and tortured by the deranged homeowners who plan to use Charlie’s body as a vessel to resurrect their beloved dead cat.”

In the trailer, someone in a cat mask wields a knife, but so does the lady of the house, the one who conjured up her dead cat’s spirit in hopes of turning it into a biped.

Anthony Del Negro, who with Tim Cruz wrote the film, stars alongside Jordan James Smith, Cerina Vincent, Edy Ganem, Brittany Cavaco, Ashton Leigh, Sterling Sulieman and Tom O’Connell. Cruz directs and Del Negro produced for Avocado Toast productions.

Director Cruz said in a statement that “Don’t Let the Cat Out is a deeply personal exploration of grief, inspired by my own journey through loss and the initial refusal to face it. Shot over 16 intense nights in Louisville, Kentucky, this film delves into the psychological and supernatural consequences of unresolved grief through the character of Evelyn, who is unable to confront the impending loss of her beloved cats. In Evelyn, I see echoes of my own struggle with grief. Her refusal to mourn mirrors the way I came to terms with my father’s death.”

Cruz continues, “This unique blend [horror and comedy] allows us to navigate the dark and often uncomfortable terrain of grief with moments of levity and absurdity, reflecting the sometimes surreal and bizarre nature of coping with loss. The awkward humor serves as a counterbalance to the horror, providing a means to confront and process difficult emotions in a more accessible and relatable way.”

Don’t Let the Cat Out will premiere at Panic Fest 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri later this month, with a wider release to follow.