Who was "the KAT from AMT?"

The AMT KAT is a almost forgotten character trademark of the AMT Corporation, a manufacturer of car and hot rod model kits in the 1960s. There is absolutely nothing important or even interesting about the character.
The only reason to spotlight the KAT at all is because I happen to like the look of it. The KAT has an interesting oddball design that was permanently branded into my mushy preteen brain. It's pleasing to look at. What can I tell ya? He's a fuzzy buddha with a long freakin' neck.

From the KAT's beatific smile to its extra long neck to his jazzy red blazer and black bow tie he was the very image of early 60s playboy style cool. He even resembled the suave cartoon rabbit PLAYBOY art director Art Paul had used on covers in the magazine's first years circa the late 50s.
AMT KAT
PB Rabbit
All the KAT actually does is gesture, point and pontificate. He has no personality. He simply radiates bonhomie. He's a pitchman, whaddaya expect?

Originally "the KAT from AMT" was a man named Budd Anderson, a custom car designer who worked for AMT Corporation in the early 1960s. Anderson worked at AMT at the same time as George Barris (designer of the Munster's car and the Adam West Batmobile among many others) and was quite famous in hot rod circles. The KAT ads appeared after Anderson had left the company sometime in mid 1964.
Budd Anderson
KAT Key
What you are about to see are a series of five ads that ran from September 1965 through December 1966 in DC comics. After poking around in internet search engines, I found the KAT did not only appear in the ads. The long neck KAT design was also a small plastic figure, less than an inch tall, included in the model kits as well as a plastic novelty key.

So, without further adieu. Join me in taking a look at "the KAT from AMT" comic strip ads, shall we.