Disney villains are an essential part of the studio's movies, with some of them taking the form of animals. There are a number of notable human villains that have a huge impact on the films. The likes of Captain Hook from Peter Pan or Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas have all made their mark as the worst villains, inflicting suffering on the movies' protagonists.

However, the villainous animals that are also part of many a Disney movie are just as scary (if not more so) as the human characters. They all had different abilities that would help them achieve their goals, or assist those that they were a sidekick to. Some of them may have appeared to be cute animals, but they weren't to be underestimated.

10 Iago Was a Confident Parrot

Iago wholly reflects the evil traits of Jafar in Aladdin. The only thing that separated them was the fact that Iago was far more vocal and had less control of his emotions. Although he was somewhat of a sidekick to his master, Iago was a forceful driver to Jafar's pursuits and wanted power just as much as him.

Iago may have been just a small parrot, but his personality and motives made him one of the most frightening, especially as he was completely on board with what Jafar wanted. He was a prime example of not needing to be big to be a scary character, as his persona almost made him seem bigger than he was.

9 Diablo Was Loyal to Maleficent

Maleficent's pet raven in Sleeping Beauty has a big connection to his owner, providing her with support and help in whatever she chooses to do. The pair appear to be very similar in personality, which automatically makes him a frightening presence, considering Maleficent's power.

Diablo is both clever and alert to everything Maleficent wanted to do. He successfully found Aurora, which Maleficent might not have been able to do without his aid. He had no qualms in being evil, putting Maleficent's demands first before anyone else's feelings. Again, like Iago, he was a small villain, yet he was effective and an extension of the evil that ran through Maleficent.

8 Lucifer Was a Spoilt Family Pet

As the name suggests, Lucifer is devious, conniving and downright vicious. As one of the highest-rated Disney animations, Cinderella delivered a few villains in the movie, led by Cinderella's evil stepmother and her daughters, Drizella and Anastasia. However, to keep their malicious intent secure in the family, their cat was also so spoiled that he believed he was far more important than anyone else.

Lucifer's appearance added to what made him particularly frightening. His visibly sharp claws and piercing eyes were a warning to his harsh personality. There was no escape for Cinderella, and Lucifer was part of her horrible life, even though he was just a family pet.

7 Cheshire Cat Had a Menacing Grin

Alice in Wonderland became a classic cult movie that has amassed a solid fan base. The movie is largely different to other Disney animations, because it doesn't include a love story, and is very surreal in its narrative. However, it does include villains. One of whom isn't the worst in the movie, but because of his sly, unnerving presence, he's definitely one of the scariest Disney animals.

The Cheshire Cat appears when Alice is trying to find her way after falling down a rabbit hole. He makes it seem as if he wants to be helpful but is actually confusing. His unsettling smile is actually quite disturbing, and when coupled with his yellow eyes, he is truly frightening. His ability to appear and disappear also adds to the fear of not knowing where he could be.

6 The Three Main Hyenas Worked Together

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed worked as a trio and were virtually inseparable. As secondary antagonists in one of the highest-grossing animations, The Lion King, the three acted as minions to Scar. Their laughs could be heard from a long way off, with a sharp, worrying sound that was enough to ward off enemies.

However, what really proved them to be frightening animals was when they turned on their leader, Scar. It was shown that they weren't quite as stupid as they seemed, eventually working out that Scar was simply using them to his own advantage, constantly breaking promises that they became fed up of hearing. This twist highlighted that no matter who it was, if you wronged them, they would eventually attack, even if you were their leader for a long time.

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