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Peter-No-Tail (1981) movie poster

Timeline

Peter-No-Tail (1981) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1981 · 81 mins · Swedish
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Directed by
Jan Gissberg, Stig Lasseby
Starring
Ewa Fröling, Carl Billquist, Axel Düberg, Björn Gustafson, Lena-Pia Bernhardsson, Ernst-Hugo Järegård

Peter‑No‑Tail, a kitten born tail‑less on a Swedish farm, is abandoned when the farmer, unable to afford him, hides him in the car of a family renting a house for summer. In Uppsala the family keeps him; his taillessness makes him the talk and a target of Mike, whose courtship of Molly Silk‑Nose fails as she prefers Peter’s nature, prompting revenge.

Romance Drama Animation Family Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Peter-No-Tail
  6. 6 Every angle
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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Peter-No-Tail Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Peter-No-Tail (1981) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Tail-less kitten born on a farm

    On a Swedish country farm, a cat gives birth to a litter and one kitten is tail-less. The cruel farm owner orders the removal of the tail-less kitten, and the kindly farmer hides him instead. The sequence sets up Peter's precarious start in life.

    When
    at birth
    Where
    Swedish country farm

  2. Kitten smuggled to a new family

    The cruel owner orders the kitten's removal, and the farmer secretly smuggles him into a family’s car bound for Uppsala after their summer holiday near the farm. The journey hides Peter during the long drive back.

    When
    after summer holiday near the farm
    Where
    on the road to Uppsala

  3. Peter discovered and named

    Upon arrival at the family's home, the stowaway is discovered by the children Olle and Birgitta, who name him Peter-No-Tail. The kitten becomes a new member of the household in Uppsala.

    When
    upon arrival back from summer holiday
    Where
    family's home in Uppsala

  4. Peter chases by a bulldog

    In the following spring, Birgitta takes Peter for a walk and he is chased by a vicious bulldog. He escapes into a town alley where Elaka Måns, the long-tailed bully, and his twins Bill and Bull hold sway. This introduces the rival cat and the threat Peter will face.

    When
    the following spring
    Where
    town alley

  5. Måns tricks Peter for Maja

    Måns tricks Peter into singing outside the home of Maja Gräddnos, hoping to embarrass him. Maja's human owners hate cat howling, but Maja is attracted to Peter and invites him in to share some fish. Måns ends up soaked with a garden hose when he tries to imitate Peter.

    When
    spring
    Where
    outside Maja Gräddnos' home

  6. Spring ball and the snake bite

    At the town cats' spring ball, Måns organises a competition where contestants must show the winning number with their tails. Peter, lacking a tail, is mocked and given an impossibly hard sum to solve. A snake Peter befriended earlier reveals the correct answer and bites Måns' tail, humiliating him.

    When
    spring
    Where
    town

  7. Måns frames Peter for a cake

    In revenge, Måns breaks into Peter's home and frames him for eating Olle's birthday cake, so the family locks Peter in the ironing room as punishment. The injustice heightens tension and foreshadows later dangers.

    When
    that night
    Where
    Peter's home

  8. A fire and a heroic wake-up

    That night, a fire breaks out in the house. Peter wakes the sleeping family with frantic meowing and helps alert them to the danger. Birgitta awards him a medal for bravery.

    When
    that night
    Where
    Peter's home

  9. The Cat Championship is born

    Måns dismisses his medal and launches a new sport, the Cat Championship, with a gold medallion as the prize. The challenges include a dangerous distance jump, a heavy shotput, and a hurdle race rigged to favor Måns. Peter is forced to contend with these unfair obstacles.

    When
    after the medal
    Where
    town

  10. Peter earns the gold

    When Måns' tricks are uncovered, the referee disqualifies him and awards Peter the gold medal instead. Maja cheers Peter's victory and the two share a celebration.

    When
    after Championship
    Where
    town

  11. Måns escalates the rivalry

    Motivated by the defeat, Måns tries to rally the town cats against 'country' cats and releases a dangerous bulldog to chase Peter out of the city. Most cats watch from safety in the trees, unsure how to help.

    When
    following victory
    Where
    city

  12. Fridolf's rescue and acceptance

    Fridolf, a kitten, has strayed onto some high scaffolding and is attacked by the bulldog. Peter rescues Fridolf from the collapsing scaffolding and the bulldog is driven away by Måns and his allies. The town cats praise Peter and finally accept him into their community.

    When
    toward the end
    Where
    city

  13. Return to the farm with a homecoming

    At the film's end, Peter's family takes him on their next summer holiday, returning to the farm where Peter was born. The tail-less cat has found a home among the town's cats and his adventures come full circle.

    When
    end of film
    Where
    farm near Peter's birth and back to home

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:57

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Timeline questions answered

Peter-No-Tail Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Peter-No-Tail (1981): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Peter-No-Tail abandoned at the farm?

Peter was abandoned because he was born without a tail, which the farm's cruel owner considered useless. When the owner ordered the farmer to discard the tailless kitten, the kindly farmer instead secretly smuggled him into a family's car heading to Uppsala after their summer holiday.

  • abandonment
  • tailless kitten
  • farmer
  • uppsala
Q2

How did Peter-No-Tail get to Uppsala?

The farmer hid Peter in the car's engine compartment or among the family's belongings during their drive back to Uppsala after their summer near the farm. The kitten was discovered only after the family arrived at their home.

  • uppsala
  • journey
  • smuggled
  • family
Q3

Why does Elake Måns hate Peter-No-Tail?

Måns hates Peter because Maja Gräddnos, a female cat Måns was trying to court, clearly prefers Peter's genuine and courteous nature over Måns' boastful bullying. This rejection motivates Måns' repeated attempts to humiliate and exile Peter.

  • måns
  • maja
  • jealousy
  • bullying
  • rivalry
Q4

Why was Peter-No-Tail locked in the ironing room?

Måns snuck into Peter's home and framed him for eating Olle's birthday cake. Believing Peter's guilt, the family locked him in the ironing room as punishment. However, Peter was actually innocent of this crime.

Foreshadowing: Måns' earlier humiliation at the spring ball sets up his vengeful frame job.

  • ironing room
  • framed
  • cake
  • måns revenge
Q5

How did the fire start in Peter-No-Tail's home?

The exact cause of the fire is not specified in the film, but it occurs on the same night Peter is locked in the ironing room after being framed for the cake. Peter's frantic meowing wakes the sleeping family and alerts them to the danger.

  • fire
  • rescue
  • bravery
  • night
Q6

Why does Peter-No-Tail receive a medal?

Birgitta awards Peter a medal for his heroism when his frantic meowing wakes the family during the fire, helping them escape safely. This medal recognizes his quiet courage that had previously gone unnoticed by the family.

  • medal
  • bravery
  • fire
  • recognition
Q7

Why does the snake help Peter at the spring ball?

The snake helps Peter because Peter had befriended the snake earlier in the story. When Peter is given an impossibly difficult arithmetic question at the ball (due to having no tail for the visual clue), the snake reveals the correct answer and then bites Måns' tail to humiliate him.

  • snake
  • spring ball
  • answer
  • humiliation
Q8

Why does Elake Måns cheat in the Cat Championship?

Måns cheats because he cannot accept losing fairly to Peter. He rigs every event, providing inside-out spike shoes, an impossibly heavy shotput, and cheating in the hurdle race, to ensure Peter fails and Måns wins the gold medallion.

  • championship
  • cheating
  • måns
  • rigged competition
Q9

Why do the town cats finally accept Peter-No-Tail?

The town cats accept Peter after he bravely rescues Fridolf, a kitten stranded on collapsing scaffolding while being attacked by a dangerous bulldog. This heroic act proves Peter's character and earns him the community's respect and welcome.

  • fridolf
  • rescue
  • acceptance
  • community
  • bulldog
Q10

What happens to Peter-No-Tail at the end of the movie?

At the end, Peter's adoptive family takes him with them on their next summer holiday, returning to the farm where he was born. This journey completes his story circle, from abandonment to acceptance, and shows he has found belonging both with his new family and the town cats.

  • farm
  • homecoming
  • family
  • summer holiday

Movie threads

More Movies Like Peter-No-Tail, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Peter-No-Tail tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Gentle underdog journeys like Peter-No-Tail

Hopeful tales where a gentle outsider finds their place through kindness and courage. If you enjoyed the gentle perseverance of Peter-No-Tail, you'll love these movies about kind-hearted underdogs finding acceptance. Discover similar heartwarming stories of belonging, where courage and a good nature help an outsider triumph, providing a hopeful and uplifting viewing experience for the whole family.

  • hopeful
  • uplifting
  • gentle
  • lighthearted
  • whimsical
  • reassuring
  • Tone: hopeful, whimsical
  • Pacing: steady, episodic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread follow a predictable yet comforting arc: a protagonist marked as different faces initial rejection or bullying. Through a series of episodic challenges, their gentle nature and quiet courage are tested, leading to key moments of connection and support from a found family or community, culminating in a clear and happy resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core emotional journey—lighthearted perseverance in the face of mild adversity—and a reassuring tone. They balance whimsical challenges with a steady, predictable pace and a low-intensity viewing experience, making them ideal for a comforting, hopeful watch.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse movie poster

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

2022
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Lapitch the Little Shoemaker

1997
Feast movie poster

Feast

2014
The Greening of Whitney Brown movie poster

The Greening of Whitney Brown

2011
Peter-No-Tail movie poster

Peter-No-Tail

1981
Babe movie poster

Babe

1995
So Dear to My Heart movie poster

So Dear to My Heart

1948
Bambi II movie poster

Bambi II

2006

Whimsical animal adventures like Peter-No-Tail

Lighthearted animal-centered stories where friendship and found family conquer all. Looking for more movies like Peter-No-Tail? Explore this collection of whimsical animal adventures focused on friendship and found family. These lighthearted animated films feature charming animal protagonists on gentle journeys of belonging, perfect for viewers seeking uplifting and straightforward stories with a happy ending.

  • whimsical
  • lighthearted
  • uplifting
  • charming
  • gentle
  • comforting
  • Tone: hopeful, lighthearted
  • Pacing: steady, predictable
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around an animal protagonist who, often through circumstance, must build new relationships. The plot unfolds in a straightforward manner through episodic adventures that test these new bonds. Conflict is present but mild, serving to strengthen the theme of loyalty and community, always resolving in a positive and heartening conclusion.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a specific mix of a lighthearted mood, an animal-centric point of view, and the core theme of found family. They possess a low intensity and straightforward complexity, making them highly accessible, while their hopeful tone and steady pacing create a consistently warm and reassuring vibe.

The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales movie poster

The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales

2018
The Fox and the Hound 2 movie poster

The Fox and the Hound 2

2006
Dog Gone Trouble movie poster

Dog Gone Trouble

2021
Piglet's Big Movie movie poster

Piglet's Big Movie

2003
Pet Pals in Windland movie poster

Pet Pals in Windland

2014
Zookeeper movie poster

Zookeeper

2011
Fat Albert movie poster

Fat Albert

2004
The Wind in the Willows movie poster

The Wind in the Willows

1983

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Every angle

Peter-No-Tail (1981) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Peter-No-Tail in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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