Page "Tom and Jerry" Paragraph 27

Tom's physical appearance evolved significantly over the years.

During the early 1940s, Tom had an excess of detail — shaggy fur, numerous facial wrinkles, and multiple eyebrow markings, all of which were streamlined into a more workable form by the end of the 1940s — and looked like a realistic cat ; in addition from his quadrupedal beginnings Tom became increasingly, and eventually almost exclusively, bipedal.

By contrast, Jerry's design remained essentially the same for the duration of the series.

By the mid-1940s, the series had developed a quicker, more energetic ( and violent ) tone, due to the inspiration from the work of their colleague in the MGM cartoon studio, Tex Avery, who joined the studio in 1942.