The black alley cat who is a friend and rival of Tom is Butch. He is one of Tom and Jerry’s recurring feline antagonists and allies, depending on the short’s storyline.
Butch is usually portrayed as a tough street cat who wants to eat Jerry or compete with Tom. He frequently rivals Tom for the attention of Toodles Galore, creating a recurring romantic rivalry, but he can also act as Tom’s chum or lead a group of alley cats who help him pursue Jerry.
The character’s history predates his regular Tom and Jerry appearances. Butch first appeared in MGM’s 1941 short The Alley Cat, where the character was not yet given his familiar name. He entered the Tom and Jerry series proper in Baby Puss, released in 1943, alongside Topsy and the already established Meathead.
Butch is easy to confuse with the other alley cats. Lightning is orange, Topsy is generally gray or brown, and Meathead is usually brown and mangy. Butch’s defining visual cue is his black coat, while his role shifts between friend, rival and antagonist.