Panic Fest 25' Don’t Let the Cat Out Is a Bizarre, Bloody Throwback to Cat-Lore Horror with a Dark Comedy Bite - Review

Anthony Del Negro stars in a twisted night of cursed rules, creepy cats, and killer comedy in Don’t Let the Cat Out.

Next up in the beautifully bizarre bouquet that is Panic Fest 2025 is the peculiar, oddly adorable horror-comedy Don’t Let the Cat Out, directed by Tim Cruz and written by (and starring) Anthony Del Negro. If you grew up on the cat-obsessed horror canon of the ’80s and ’90s—think Cat’s Eye, Pet Sematary, or even Sleepwalkers—this one purrs in familiar territory. But what sets it apart is its commitment to building a strange and sticky mythology around our collective obsession with pets.

The premise is simple: Charlie (Del Negro), a guy deathly allergic to cats, is hired to house-sit for a mysterious and wealthy couple. He quickly learns that their beloved feline comes with a set of eerily specific rules. Break them, and the consequences aren’t just allergic reactions—they’re deadly. Think Gremlins, but with fur, a cursed checklist, and a creeping sense of dread that never quite takes itself too seriously.

What makes Don’t Let the Cat Out click in its first act is its creepypasta energy. There’s a real sense that this could’ve been a Reddit urban legend before morphing into a horror film. Cerina Vincent (yes, Cabin Fever legend) slinks into a twisted, villainous role that’s a departure from her usual fare, and it works. Alongside Jordan James Smith as Rodney, the cast taps into a weird, off-kilter rhythm that’s equal parts uncomfortable and hilarious.

There’s also a deliciously deranged undertone—a kind of incest-adjacent, money-rotted family dynamic that calls to mind The People Under the Stairs by way of White Lotus. The more wealth these characters have, the weirder—and more dangerous—they become. The real monsters here aren’t just cats with rules. It’s entitlement. It’s obsession. It’s whatever Cerina Vincent’s character is really up to in that house.

But while the first half sets the stage for something wild, the film doesn’t fully stick the landing. Once the premise is clear, Don’t Let the Cat Out starts to feel like it’s running on fumes—introducing cool concepts without sealing the deal on any of them. At the Panic Fest Q&A, the cast and crew teased the idea of expanding the film into a larger universe, which could be fun, but the groundwork needs more depth if it’s going to sustain itself.

Still, for cat lovers, horror-comedy fans, or anyone looking for something a little offbeat and unapologetically weird, this one will scratch the itch. It’s funny, campy, and just self-aware enough to earn its stripes.

Don’t Let the Cat Out may not claw its way to classic status, but it’s got enough bite to leave a mark.

3 out of 5 stars

Director: Tim Cruz

Screenwriter: Anthony Del Negro

Producer: Anthony Del Negro, Shane O'Brien, Zach O'Brien,

Cast: Cerina Vincent, Edy Ganem, Sterling Sulieman, Jordan James Smith