Jones

The only significant character in the franchise that has lived a full and long life, having survived facing the Alien on multiple occasions.

Jones, commonly known as Jonesy, is a fictional ginger American Shorthair cat from the Alien franchise. He serves as the ship's cat on the Nostromo, the setting of the first film. In Alien, he was portrayed by four lookalike cat actors. His small size allowed him to comfortably share a hypersleep capsule with one of the crew members during long journeys.

While the Alien stalked the ship, Jones survived unscathed, likely because his biology made him unsuitable for reproduction. He inadvertently caused Brett's death: when motion trackers detected him, he fled; Brett was tasked with recovering him and was ambushed by the Alien while Jones watched. Ellen Ripley later found Jones and put him in a carry case. At one point, she abandoned him to the Alien, but the creature did not attack him, merely being distracted. Jones was eventually recovered and put into hypersleep aboard the Narcissus after escaping with Ripley.

Quick Facts

Series: Alien
First major: Alien (1979)
Species: Cat
Gender: Male
Occupation: Ship's cat

Reader's Guide

Jones has been described by Screen Rant as 'one of the most beloved cats in horror cinema' and by Film School Rejects as 'one of the most famous felines of the screen.' He is frequently called 'the true hero of Alien' due to his characterization as a survivor who teaches human characters valuable lessons. Insider listed him as one of the top 15 best movie cats of all time, specifically calling him a 'survivor.' The website Collider has also ranked him among the best cats in cinema and one of the best animal sidekicks in horror. Fans appreciate Jones as the only significant character in the franchise to live a full and long life, having survived facing the Alien on multiple occasions. His survival highlights the creature's selective hunting patterns, where his biology rendered him unsuitable for reproduction, making him an anomaly among the hunted.