By John Lyle Belden

For productions of a certain feline-themed musical, actors often engage in “cat school” to convincingly move, speak – act – like Felis catus. So, even Broadway’s elite understand that no matter how much we anthropomorphize our housepets, they still have a unique, fascinating way of engaging with the world, and us.

This is key to the charm of “Herding Cats,” a new comedy by Neil Martin presented in its world premiere by Theatre Unchained, directed by Megan Ann Jacobs. Jacobs also provides costumes, while set designer Kurt Watkins provides appropriately-sized cat toys and furniture, but it is the talented cast who bring this domestic menagerie to life.

Stella (Angela Dill) is a brown and white Domestic Shorthair, energetic but “girly.” She has mastered the booty-shake pounce, and Dill’s feline vocalizations are uncanny.

Her fluffy white brother, Buddha (Julien Lyons), is highly intelligent and posh as only a proper cat can be. His manner, like a cat-version of the Brain combined with Liberace (if he fancied hot female Persians), helps us accept that our companion animals understand far more of our world than we realize. Lyons sells it with ease.

Lupin (Aspen Harnishfeger) is a male orange/black tiger-striped “street cat” who is quite content with the indoor life, fairly smart but prone to malaprops. Harnishfeger plays it smoothly with alley-cat savior fare.

The cats live in a Los Angeles-area apartment with their stressed-out human, Kelly (Jenny Williams), who works in show business. Bad news: Kelly is having serious issues with a toxic coworker. Good news: She plans to foster an additional rescue cat. Worrisome news: The new housemate is actually a dog!

Enter the adorabe, friendly pitbull terrier Charlize (Hannah Hoffman). In contrast to the close-to-the-fur attitude of cat portrayals, Hoffman is wide-eyed and engaging, embracing her inner puppy. True to her species, she feels big feelings, and snaps instantly from snarls to apology, or worry to unbound optimism.

Though Charlize is good with cats, and Buddha and Lupin give her a chance, Stella will have none of this – she has a history with canines, which ties into treasured memories of their deceased patriarch Benjy.

Cat-dog drama and Stella’s waning appetite spur Kelly into action to help them, but soon the pets realize that she needs their help more. Do they dare engage – “the nuclear option”?!

This show is fun and funny throughout. Once you’ve gotten into their eccentric world of the first act, you can fully accept the utter weirdness that unfolds in the second, inspired by their master’s teenage crush. You’ve accepted the talking cats and dog – just go with it. It all pays off in a most charming and heartwarming manner.

Come out and see (wo)man’s best friends save the day. “Herding Cats” has performances Thursday through Saturday, March 28-30, at the IndyFringe Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at indyfringe.org or theatreunchained.org.