Pre-production Abdul proposed the idea of a "long-form video" for "Opposites Attract" to Virgin Records, though the label was initially hesitant due to concerns about potential overexposure following the success of
Forever Your Girl (1988), as well as the idea of releasing a sixth single from the album. Abdul framed the concept as a tribute to actor and dancer
Gene Kelly, which helped generate interest and support from the record label. Virgin executive
Jeff Ayeroff brought in animators Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger, known for their work on music videos such as
A-ha's "
Take On Me" (1984) and
Suzanne Vega's "
Luka" (1987). The pair developed the character MC Skat Kat, an anthropomorphic cat designed in a stylized, "
Disney-like" animated aesthetic that blended musical theater influences with hip-hop culture. The project emerged during a period of growing experimentation in combining live action and animation in mainstream media, following films such as
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and the increasing popularity of anthropomorphic cats in works like
Oliver & Company (1988) and
Garfield and Friends. which helped finalize MC Skat Kat's design. After Leiber heard Stevens on KMOJ radio, the music video for "Opposites Attract" presents a stylized romance between Paula Abdul, a human character, and MC Skat Kat, an anthropomorphic animated cat. Their relationship plays on a familiar live-action/animation pairing trope seen in films such as
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and
Howard the Duck (1986).'''' Set in a "noirish, neon set", the video begins with the pair meeting and immediately contrasting with each other. MC Skat Kat taps Abdul on the shoulder, which comically ignites into animated flames, prompting her to walk away in frustration and slam a door. The tone quickly shifts as they reunite in silhouette atop an alley wall, performing synchronized choreography in which Abdul tugs MC Skat Kat's tail and spends him into a cartoon blur. Throughout the video, the narrative uses direct-to-camera exchanges as the pair deliver lines from the song, emphasizing their contrasting personalities: "Who’d have thought we could be lovers? / She makes the bed, and he steals the covers." As the relationship develops, MC Skat Kat lounges in Abdul’s lap on a loveseat, exhaling cigarette smoke after she expresses dislike for smoking, underscoring their opposing habits. The interaction escalates as MC he flips onto Abdul, briefly pinning her wrists before the latter sits up and grabs him by the neck. The next sequence transitions into an animated staircase setting, where the pair perform a coordinated two-step dance. == Commercial performance ==