Dr. Richard Kimble is a veterinarian wrongfully convicted of a murder actually committed by a man with an overbite. After escaping custody, he lives as a fugitive, constantly evading recapture while striving to clear his name.

Despite the risks, he repeatedly pauses his flight to provide veterinary care to cats in need. Each time, after treating the animal, he plays a trick on his feline patient before immediately resuming his escape. This cycle of aiding animals then tricking them reinforces his ongoing life on the run.

His actions are motivated by the need to prove his innocence, stemming from a conviction based on mistaken identity and circumstantial evidence. The character's known history does not include details about his origins or ultimate resolution.