What's better than humans in video games? Animals in video games! While there are plenty of fantastic characters of other species, there are always a select few that get a lot of play in the gaming world. One of the most common species that you see is cats, ranging from faithful companions to standalone characters.
The history of felines in video games spans multiple decades, with some being at the forefront of a franchise while others make temporary cameos that still leave a lasting impact. It's hard to narrow down which of them are truly the best as there are quite a few to choose from, but we've ranked some of the most iconic.
10 Mae (Night In The Woods)
When it comes to adventure games that have deep stories, it's hard to not put Night In The Woods in the conversation of the best. The character at the center of this game is Mae Borowski, an anthropomorphic cat who deals with depression.
The plot revolves around Mae's return to her hometown of Possum Springs after she decided to drop out of college. The fascinating thing about playing as Mae is having to face her struggles with mental health head-on and navigating certain social situations while reconnecting with old friends.
9 Blinx (Blinx: The Time Sweeper)
Not every famous feline in gaming has to be from a widely popular property. Instead, seeing Blinx from Blinx: The Time Sweeper probably hits many players of the first Xbox right in their nostalgia.
The main protagonist of the first game, Blinx is a striped orange-haired cat who has many of the personality types cats exhibit today. This includes being very stubborn, defying orders, treating fellow teammates poorly, and having an all-around playful side to him. We may never see Blinx in a game ever again, but it's hard to find another character that truly defines "cat."
8 Alvina (Dark Souls)
In the world of Dark Souls, it's nice to have a few characters that aren't set on killing you. But if you want to get on Alvina's good side, be prepared to answer all of her questions with a resounding "Yes." The large grey cat resides in a window in Darkroot Garden and can welcome you into the Forest Hunter covenant.
Joining the covenant could lead to some quests that earn nice rewards. Regardless, Alvina is a unique character that takes a liking to the player and immediately makes joining a covenant like this much more enticing.
7 Morgana (Persona 5)
While he isn't a real cat, Morgana of Persona 5 fame takes on a feline form that he consistently stays in while he seeks to understand who he is. Among the many playable characters in the hit Persona game, Morgana is unique in that he is suffering from amnesia and doesn't quite remember his past.
Throughout Persona 5, you'll learn more mysteries about the character and watch him evolve. Morgana may be a bit annoying at times, but his charm is in the fact that he really cares about the Phantom Thieves.
6 Rover (Animal Crossing)
The world of Animal Crossing has always been a welcoming place from the moment players first set foot on the train two decades ago. Those who remember that moment know that they were greeted by a cat who was just interested in getting to know you. That was Rover, a blue and white cat that was the first character one would interact with across most of the Animal Crossing games.
This was likely someone's first impression of the characters in the game, and Rover always makes the player feel nice and welcome to the friendly town they were about to move to.
5 Big The Cat (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Sometimes, people want to forget about characters that are fundamentally annoying, but Big the Cat has made enough of a name for himself across many Sonic the Hedgehog games that it's hard not to kind of feel for him.
Big loves spending his life in the tranquil areas of Mystic Ruins but may end up being called on for help by his friends, which he is more than willing to do. Of course, he also has a hard time keeping tabs on his best friend, Froggy. His most iconic moments may be in Sonic Adventure 2 as he runs around trying to fish Froggy up at different locations.
4 Taokaka (BlazBlue)
Another character that isn't really a cat, Taokaka is a playable character in BlazBlue and serves as the guardian to her tribe's village. While she has an iconic look, the mystery around Taokaka is that she never reveals her face. All that is seen of the character is her long blond braids and the tan outfit with cat ears.
In terms of her powers, her main features are her magical abilities and her long metal claws. She isn't among the strongest characters in the franchise, but she is definitely among the quickest and the most agile.
3 Kabegami (Okami)
In Okami, players spend the whole game playing as Amaterasu, a god that is a wolf. Despite the very canine focus on the main character, there are plenty of other animal gods in the game. Enter Kabegami, the Celestial Brush God who takes the form of a cat.
After climbing the Catcall Tower, Kabegami will grant Amaterasu the ability to climb walls wherever there is a Kabegami statue, which really opens up the game's exploration aspect. Kabegami seems to have a rather friendly relationship with the main character and them playing together is rather cute.
2 Cait Sith (Final Fantasy VII)
One of the best franchises for great character design is Final Fantasy, so it's no wonder that the series has a feline character that ranks rather high. Cait Sith of Final Fantasy VII is a stuffed cat plushie who stands only three feet tall.
That said, he spends most of the game standing on top of a large stuffed Moogle. Both toys are actually controlled by Reeve Tuesti. Initially working as a fortune teller, Cait Sith joins the party to help Cloud Strife and has the main ability to order the Moogle around to fight each of the bad guys they encounter.
1 Meowth (Pokemon)
It's hard to pick the very best of the cats, but someone in the running is definitely Meowth. The iconic Pokemon not only made its first appearance in the first generation, but the creature made an even bigger name for itself as a main member of Team Rocket in the Pokemon anime.
While its feisty personality doesn't show up in the video games, Meowth is a solid creature to have on your team as you progress through the journey. Meowth has a solid Speed stat that will pose a challenge to its opponent. It also evolves into Persian, one of the coolest cat-like Pokemon in the game.