The movie opens with a UFO descending towards Earth and getting disabled by a bolt of lightning. The ship crash-lands on a remote hillside in California, and the US government immediately seizes it and impounds it in a top-secret military base. The craft’s pilot, a cat named Zunar J5/9-Doric-47, manages to escape from the wreckage and sets out to find help.
Meanwhile, a young scientist named Frank Wilson (played by Ken Berry) is having troubles of his own. He is working on a project that can power a submarine with a new and innovative energy source, but his funding has been cut off, leaving his research in danger. That’s when Zunar J5/9-Doric-47 appears in his life, speaking through a collar that can translate his thoughts into English.
The cat, who is an alien and a highly-advanced being from a distant planet, explains his mission to Frank. Zunar J5/9-Doric-47 is on Earth to acquire the cobalt needed to run his damaged ship's engines and return to his home planet. Frank initially doubts the cat’s story, but when he witnesses the cat’s intelligence and his futuristic gadgets, he agrees to help.
Together, Frank and Zunar J5/9-Doric-47 hatch a plan to steal the much-needed cobalt from a military base. They also enlist the help of some of Frank’s friends, including a beautiful nurse named Elizabeth (played by Sandy Duncan) and her friend, a magician named Oscar (played by Harry Morgan).
The team pulls off a series of daring heists, but in the end, they are caught by the authorities and brought before the head of the military, General Stilton (played by Roddy McDowall). However, the cat’s surprising abilities convince the general to release them, and the team beats the clock to fix the spacecraft before time runs out.
The Cat from Outer Space is a delightful family movie that combines science fiction, comedy, and adventure, and features a cast of beloved actors. The film proved to be a hit with audiences when it was released in 1978 and has since become a cult classic.