Editing Cat (section)

=Dungeons and Dragons=
Domestic cats have long been an option for a [[Dungeons and Dragons]] [[familiar]]. Larger cats are typically favored forms of [[Druid]]s who transform into animals or take animal companions. This is especially so in 3E, as they tend to have Pounce, which dramatically increases their attack power by letting them full attack ''and'' move on the same turn.

==The Killer Housecat==
In ''[[3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons]]'', house cats have stats that make them incredibly deadly combatants for their apparent harmlessness and low [[Challenge Rating]]. Thanks to a tiny size and high dexterity, a cat has an armor class that makes it as hard to hit as a man in a chain shirt. The cat is actually ''harder'' to hit, since that AC is all touch AC, so splash weapons and energy rays '''will not save you'''. They are also very stealthy and win initiative, so they can ambush easily.

A cat has three natural attacks, all doing 1 damage each; statistically, a cat will virtually always kill a level one [[Commoner]] one on one, and possibly even a level one [[Wizard]] if there's no familiar helping them fight back, making them more dangerous than bandits and marauders to a human city since they are everywhere. Even if he can get casting off (which is already a resource expenditure far in excess of its supposed CR), the few first level Wizard spells available aren't that likely to work on the monster thanks to low damage that is likely halved (and if it's a ''familiar'' attacking you, outright avoided) by the cat's high reflex save. More meaty classes fare better, but still need disproportionate effort to kill it.

''[[Pathfinder]]'' nerfs them slightly, but only through a minor, easily overlooked system wide change: Damage reduced to less than one by damage penalties does one ''non-lethal'' damage (in 3E this was still lethal damage). This means a victim has a chance of being rescued after being KOed, but before the cat finishes them off. This does raise the question of how cats can actually kill rats without first KOing them; then again, that's not unrealistic to RL cats, who usually try to cripple their prey before going in for the killstroke (because the killstroke generally leaves the cat vulnerable, so making sure their prey can't fight back is important).

The "killer housecat" phenomenon is well known enough that it's referenced regularly in 3e forums and its derivatives as a standard deadly "monster" for its CR and to emphasize how squishy low level Wizards are, as well as other games and media in or near the /tg/-sphere.

==Special Cats==
The following kots appear in D&D:

*'''Caterwaul''': Felines with dark blue fur and prehensile tails. They emit a high-pitched screech that deals damage. They collect shiny objects.
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caterwaul FF 2e.jpg
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*'''Cath Shee''': Magical cats bred by elves.
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Cath shee FOR5.png
cath shee MCAV2.jpg
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*'''Change Cat''': A domestic cat that can transform into a cheetah.

*'''Crypt Cat''': [[Mummy]] cats.
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crypt cat The Awakening.jpg
crypt cat MCAV2.jpg
Midnight plains crypt cat DoDread.jpg|Crypt cat right
</gallery>

*'''Ebon Tiger''': Tigers made of black fire from the [[Ethereal Plane]].
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ebon tiger MC Mystara.jpg
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*'''Feliquine''': A lion with the hindquarters of a horse.
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feliquine MCSC.jpg
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*'''Grudgling''': Cats with the heads of humans, elves or dwarves that are kept as household pets by [[rakasta]] in [[Mystara]].
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grudgling MCSC.jpg
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*'''Luck Eater''': A [[Gotcha Monster]] that mind controls all creatures within 30 ft. to bring it with them wherever they go and protect it from all harm. It also gives a -5 penalty to surprise rolls, -2 to all other rolls, and -10% for all attacks to those within this range. If no rolls are made for 3 turns, those being controlled must attack the next creature they encounter. If still no rolls happen for another 30 minutes, The Luck Eater's victims must attack the creature closest to them (unless its the Luck Eater).

* '''Marine Cat''': Domestic cats that live on sailing vessels and are thought to bring good luck. From [[Red Steel]].
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marine cat MCSC.jpg
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*'''Midnight Cat''': Black cats that can bestow and remove curses at will. They drain Constitution from sleeping victims. Native to [[Ravenloft]].
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midnight cat MC Ravenloft3.png
Midnight plains crypt cat DoDread.jpg|Midnight cat center
</gallery>

*'''Plains Cat''': Black cats with white ear tufts. Their mating calls coincidentally sound like agonized human screams. Native to [[Ravenloft]].
<gallery>
plains cat The Awakening.jpg
Midnight plains crypt cat DoDread.jpg|Plains Cat left
</gallery>

*'''Psionic Cat''': Come in two subraces: Tagster and Tigone. Native to [[Dark Sun]].
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psionic cat MC12.jpg
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*'''Sand Cat''': Bobcat sized felines that prey on rodents in deserts and steppes.
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sand cat MC11.png
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*'''Skeletal Cat''': Skelecats, if you will.
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skeletal cat MCR3.png
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*'''Snow Tiger''': Normal tigers native to the country of Rashemen in [[Faerun]]. Their coat changes from brown to white in winter.
<gallery>
snow tiger spellbound.png
snow tiger MCAV3.jpg
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*'''Thylacine''': In real life, thylacines are an [[wikipedia:Thylacine|extinct species of marsupial]]. In D&D however, thylacines are tigers with innate illusion magic that they use to disguise themselves as humans.
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thylacine Book of Lairs.png
thylacine MC3.jpg
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*'''Winged Cat''': Cats with wings.
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winged cat City of Delights.png
winged cat MCAV1 1.jpg
winged cat MCAV1 2.jpg
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*'''[[Zombie]] Cat''': What it says on the tin.
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zombie cat The Awakening.jpg
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==Official Art Gallery!==
<gallery>
cat 1e.png|1e
jaguar monster card.jpg
sabretooth tiger monster card.jpg
cat MM 2e.png|2e
smilodon MC1.jpg
cat The Awakening 1.jpg
cat The Awakening 2.jpg
sachmet cat The Awakening.jpg|A worshipper of Bastet
</gallery>