 During the pre @-@ production for the episode , the cast and crew realized that the Halloween conceit would allow the various cast members to wear costumes , rather than their " usual , realistically plain suits " . B.J. Novak called the dress @-@ up experience " fun " , noting that " seeing the most serious of our plotlines play out alongside such silly and bizarre visuals was , I think , one of the most inspired ideas of the episode 's writer , Greg Daniels . " The idea for Pam to be dressed as a cat was inspired by several unused stories , created by Gene Stupnitsky , in which " Pam Beesley must disguise herself as a cat " . The plot lines were vetoed by the shows writers , but Stupnitsky successfully petitioned to allow Pam to wear a cat costume . 
