The wonderful world of Pokemon is made up of a variety of creatures, each with their own unique features and traits. Some Pokemon are designed after real-world creatures, with some taking inspiration from mythology and others from various inanimate objects. A popular source of inspiration for Pokemon designers has always been cats.
Cat-like Pokemon have been part of the games since Gen I and plenty more have been added to the roster since then. These Pokemon might all take inspiration from the same real-world counterpart, but each and everyone is different in the world of Pokemon. These cat-like Pokemon stand out as the best of the bunch.
10 Meowstic
Meowstic’s design is a little unusual compared to other entries on this list, as its bipedal nature hints at something extraordinary. Although its exact origins aren’t clear, Meowstic shares physical and visual traits with certain cat yokai, particularly the Nekomata and Bakeneko.
Certain depictions of the Nekomata show it wearing a handkerchief on its head, which looks visually similar to the bit of fur atop Meowstic’s head. The mythology behind the Nekomata claimed that their tails would split after a number of years, which also seems to be a possible visual similarity.
9 Delcatty
First introduced in Gen III alongside Skitty, it would be difficult to confuse Delcatty’s design for anything but a cat. This speedy Normal-type looks the part in every way imaginable, with a few distinguishable features sprinkled in here and there.
Delcatty’s design seems to take inspiration from the everyday domesticated cat. Its sharp eyes and big ears make for a distinguishable design, as does the pillow-like fur that makes up its collar. It might not be the strongest Pokemon out there, but Delcatty’s gentle and graceful demeanor makes it perfect for Pokemon contests.
8 Persian
Persian was one of the first-ever cat-like Pokemon introduced in the series, having made its debut in the Gen I games. It looks much different than its evolutionary predecessor, Meowth, and carries with it a much more composed demeanor.
Persian’s design possibly takes inspiration from a number of different things. While its name might lead one to believe it’s modeled after a Persian cat, its size and aggressive features resemble much larger animals like pumas or cougars. It could also take some inspiration from the Latin-American Carbunclo, a legendary cat-like creature that sports a gem on its head similar to Persian.
7 Luxray
The Shinx evolutionary line is one of the more visually interesting of Gen IV, with each design having its own memorable traits. Shinx itself seems to resemble some sort of lion cub, with Luxio and Luxray looking the most similar.
Luxray’s design could take inspiration from a number of things. Its strong physical features resemble that of a lion while it also shares some traits with the mythical Sphinx. Its Japanese name contains the Japanese word for tiger, Tora, which could give better insight into what the designers were thinking of when creating Luxray.
6 Liepard
Liepard and Purrloin both share similar visual characteristics, with the latter looking more like a typical domestic cat. Liepard’s design certainly expands upon its predecessors but its exact inspiration is tough to narrow down.
Liepard’s name and design would lead one to assume that it’s modeled after a leopard. Its spotted body and large frame certainly support that theory, though it could also be based on a number of other wildcats such as the ocelot and serval. The shape of the fur around its eyes also makes it seem like it’s modeled after a cat burglar.
5 Pyroar
Pyroar’s design greatly resembles that of a lion, with both the male and female variants taking inspiration from their real-world counterparts. With Litleo looking a lot like a lion cub, Pyroar’s line doesn’t hide its design inspirations.
The male version of Pyroar has a unique pattern spanning across its mane. The design looks very similar to the kanji for “fire”, 火, but could also resemble the character for “large”, 大. The latter could be a reference to the Gozan no Okuribi festival where five giant bonfires are lit, one being molded after the 大 kanji.
4 Espeon
The exact inspiration for Eevee and its many Eeveelutions’ various designs has always been tough to narrow down. Designer Motofumi Fujiwara revealed that the inspiration for Eevee came from hazy childhood memories of an animal that resembled some sort of cat or dog. So it’s a given that its various forms would take on a similar ambiguity.
Espeon is one of the more feline of the bunch, with certain characteristics that match up with various real-world counterparts. It shares some traits with the mythical Lynx, most notable its psychic abilities and the gem on its head. Espeon’s large ears resemble wildcats like the caracal, which gives credence to the thought that its design is more a mixture of various influences rather than one animal.
3 Incineroar
The Litten evolutionary line very closely resembles some sort of cat-like creature. Incineroar shares many traits with its predecessors, but its bipedal nature gives its design a uniqueness that Litten and Torracat lack.
Incineroar seems to heavily resemble a tiger, though certain aspects of its design also seem to take inspiration from everyday domesticated cats. What makes Incineroar so unique is that it also seems to resemble a professional wrestler. This element of its design is probably more prevalent than its similarities to any cat.
2 Raikou
Raikou has one of the most memorable designs of its generation. It, alongside the rest of the Legendary Beasts, stand out among the other Gen II additions thanks to their unique and personalized looks.
Raikou went through a number of design changes throughout the development of the Gen II titles. It would eventually come to resemble a tiger, with its upper fangs greatly resembling those of the saber-toothed variety. Being an Electric-type, Raikou’s design might also have been inspired by the legendary Japanese Raiju.
1 Solgaleo
The Cosmog line is one of the more varied out in the Pokemon universe, as Cosmog itself resembles some sort of cloud while its evolved forms don’t maintain any of its characteristics. The inspiration for Solgaleo’s design can be found right in its name.
Solgaleo greatly resembles a lion, and its connection to the sun allows for some more mythical and abstract features to shine through as well. The shape of its mane and the vibrant tufts of hair that surround it very strongly resembles the sun, and its blue eyes manage to maintain some of Cosmog’s original color scheme.