Animated character's loud warning cry turned attention (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
yogi bear
'animated character's' is the definition.
(cartoon character)
'loud warning cry turned attention' is the wordplay.
'loud' becomes 'big' (similar in meaning).
'warning cry' becomes 'oy' (sound used to get someone's attention).
'turned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'attention' becomes 'ear' (having someone's ear is having their attention).
'big'+'oy'='bigoy'
'bigoy' back-to-front is 'yogib'.
'yogib'+'ear'='YOGI BEAR'
(Other definitions for yogi bear that I've seen before include "Cartoon character" , "Jellystone resident" , "comic character" , "animated character" .)