Meowth
Meowth is a Normal-type Pokémon species classified as the Scratch Cat Pokémon, debuting in the first generation of the Pokémon video game series as National Pokédex number 052.[1] This small, bipedal feline creature features cream-colored fur, a curved tail with a white tip, and a distinctive golden coin embedded in its forehead that glows when encountering shiny objects.[1] Nocturnal by nature, Meowth sleeps during the day and is drawn to glittering items, often attempting to collect them.[1] It possesses abilities such as Pickup, allowing it to occasionally find items, and Technician, which boosts the power of its weaker moves.[2] In the Pokémon anime, the Meowth affiliated with the antagonistic Team Rocket trio stands out for its rare proficiency in human speech, a capability developed through dedicated learning to emulate human behaviors and woo a romantic interest from its street-gang past.[3] This anthropomorphic trait, combined with its role in recurring comedic schemes alongside Jessie and James, has made it one of the franchise's most iconic supporting characters.[3] Regional variants include the Alolan Meowth, a Dark-type adapted to tropical environments, and the Galarian Meowth, a Steel-type with a coin hardened into a sturdy material resembling metal.[4][5] Meowth evolves into Persian upon reaching level 28, though the Team Rocket exemplar famously resists this evolution to preserve its bipedal form and linguistic skills.[2]Origins and Creation
Conception and Development
Meowth was developed as one of the 151 Pokémon species in the first generation by Game Freak, with Satoshi Tajiri as director and Ken Sugimori finalizing the visual designs through sketches and illustrations. The character's bipedal feline form and affinity for coins stem from inspirations rooted in Japanese cultural motifs, particularly the nocturnal habits and treasure-seeking behavior attributed to stray cats in urban folklore. Its Japanese name, Nyarth (ニャース), phonetically mimics the "nyā" sound of a cat's cry, aligning with the franchise's emphasis on creature sounds and behaviors derived from real-world animals. The English localization adopted "Meowth" to evoke the onomatopoeic "meow," a decision Tajiri highlighted due to differing cultural perceptions of cats lacking direct equivalents to Japanese cat imagery in the United States. Visually, Meowth incorporates elements of the Maneki-neko, a traditional beckoning cat figurine symbolizing prosperity, evidenced by the gold coin embedded in its forehead reminiscent of the koban coins on such statues and the occasional raised paw gesture in depictions. This design choice facilitated Meowth's role as a Normal-type Pokémon capable of evolving into Persian upon reaching level 28, introduced in the initial games Pokémon Red and Green, released February 27, 1996, in Japan.[6] During early development, Sugimori's iterative sketching process balanced cute and formidable traits, ensuring Meowth's appeal as a starter encounter Pokémon with abilities like scratching and coin collection, later formalized as the Pickup ability in subsequent generations. Tajiri's overarching vision for Pokémon drew from childhood bug collecting, adapting it to capturable companions, with Meowth exemplifying the blend of everyday animals into fantastical entities without direct real-world analogs to avoid literal copies.Design Inspirations and Evolution
Meowth's design originates from the Japanese maneki-neko, ceramic statues of cats beckoning with a raised paw to attract good fortune, frequently featuring a gold koban coin on the forehead symbolizing wealth. This influence manifests in Meowth's embedded forehead coin, cream fur palette matching common maneki-neko variants, and currency-themed abilities like the Pay Day move, which scatters coins in battle.[7][8] Early conceptualization included a scrapped pre-evolution named Konya, depicted in internal Game Freak artwork as a smaller, more kitten-like form that would mature into Meowth at level 14; this design was abandoned during development of the original Generation I games but resurfaced in concept art releases.[9] Across Pokémon generations, Meowth's sprite and model evolved from rudimentary 2D pixel art in Generation I's Pokémon Red and Green (released February 27, 1996, in Japan) to animated, detailed renditions in Generation II (1999), with progressive enhancements in shading, fluidity, and environmental integration in subsequent titles.[10] By Generation VI (2013), full 3D models emphasized expressive animations, such as tail swishes and coin glints, while maintaining core feline bipedal proportions. Regional variants further diversified the design starting with Generation VII: Alolan Meowth, introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon (November 18, 2016), sports a sleeker, darker gray body with elongated, curved ears and a mischievous grin, adapting the archetype to a feral urban scavenger aesthetic aligned with its Dark typing.[2] Galarian Meowth, from Pokémon Sword and Shield (November 15, 2019), adopts a bulkier, fur-matted build reminiscent of rugged Viking-era cats, clutching a coin in its paw and evolving into the axe-wielding Perrserker, reflecting Steel typing influences.[2] A Gigantamax form, exclusive to Sword and Shield's Dynamax raids, enlarges Meowth into a colossal slot-machine hybrid with mechanical coin reels, amplifying its fortune motif through battle-exclusive G-Max Gold Rush, which inflicts status effects via scattered currency.[11]Characteristics and Lore
Physical Description and Variants
Meowth is a small, bipedal feline Pokémon characterized by cream-colored fur that darkens to brown at the tips of its hind paws and tail. Its ovoid head features four prominent whiskers, two short tufts of fur atop, large eyes with black pupils, and pointed ears; a golden coin is embedded in its forehead. The Pokémon has short forelegs ending in paw pads and five toes, longer hind legs enabling upright posture, and a curved tail. It stands at 0.4 meters tall and weighs 4.2 kilograms.[1][2] Alolan Meowth, a regional variant native to the Alola region introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon (2016), exhibits a sleeker, more refined build with predominantly gray fur accented by darker blue-gray on the hind paws and tail tip. It retains the signature forehead coin but appears slimmer overall, sharing the standard form's height of 0.4 meters and weight of 4.2 kilograms. Galarian Meowth, originating from the Galar region and debuted in Pokémon Sword and Shield (2019), resembles a rugged, fold-eared cat with coarse grayish-brown fur, a bushy white beard-like ruff around the neck, and a duller forehead coin hardened by environmental adaptation. Its body shows metallic toughening in parts, with a height of 0.4 meters but heavier build at 7.5 kilograms.[12] Gigantamax Meowth, a dynamic form accessible via Gigantamax energy in Pokémon Sword and Shield, dramatically elongates the body into a serpentine shape while enlarging the forehead coin into a massive, patterned structure; it reaches approximately 33 meters in height with indeterminate weight due to the transformative nature.[1]Biology, Behaviors, and Abilities
Meowth is designated the Scratch Cat Pokémon within the Pokémon classification system, belonging to the Normal type with standard dimensions of 0.4 meters in height and 4.2 kilograms in weight.[2] Its physiology resembles that of a small feline, characterized by light yellow or tan fur, large eyes, long whiskers, and retractable claws that allow for silent movement.[13] A prominent feature is the golden coin embedded in its forehead, which cannot be removed without fatal consequences and serves as an indicator of its fascination with shiny objects.[1] Meowth exhibits primarily nocturnal behaviors, spending daytime hours asleep and emerging at night to patrol urban areas and collect glittering items such as coins, which it hoards possessively.[1] [14] This attraction to sparkle triggers its forehead coin to glow in unison, aiding in the detection of valuables. While capable of quadrupedal locomotion, certain individuals adopt bipedal posture, often correlating with learned human speech in rare cases, though this adaptation may diminish combat effectiveness.[1] In combat scenarios, Meowth's innate abilities include Pickup, enabling a chance to acquire items post-battle or from the environment; Technician, which enhances the power of low-base-power moves by 50%; and the hidden ability Unnerve, which inhibits opponents from using held berries.[13] It commonly employs techniques like Pay Day, which scatters coins for damage and potential item retrieval, reflecting its affinity for currency.[2] Regional variants display adapted biology and behaviors. Alolan Meowth, a Dark-type form, possesses curved whiskers, silvery eyes, and a refined demeanor stemming from historical breeding as royal pets, rendering it selective in diet and more cunning in confrontations.[1] Galarian Meowth, classified as Steel-type, features unkempt, metallic-hardened fur and a dark, durable coin, traits evolved from cohabitation with rugged seafaring communities, where coin quality denotes social standing.[1] These forms maintain similar sizes but diverge in type affinities and environmental adaptations.[2]
Appearances in Media
In Video Games
Meowth, a Normal-type Pokémon, debuted in the main series video games with Pokémon Red and Green, released on February 27, 1996, in Japan.[15] It evolves into Persian upon leveling up to 28.[2] In these Generation I titles, Meowth appears as a wild Pokémon in areas such as Route 5 and the Pokémon Tower, often encountered at low levels with a focus on speed-oriented encounters.[16] Its signature move, Pay Day, scatters coins equivalent to the user's level after use, providing an early-game economic mechanic for item acquisition.[13] The Kantonian form possesses base stats of 40 HP, 45 Attack, 35 Defense, 40 Special Attack, 40 Special Defense, and 90 Speed, totaling 290.[13] Abilities include Pickup, enabling post-battle item retrieval with chances scaling by level; Technician, which boosts moves with 60 or less base power by 50%; and Unnerve, preventing opponents from consuming held Berries.[17] These traits position Meowth as a utility Pokémon in early gameplay, though its low defenses limit competitive viability without evolution. In later generations, a Gigantamax form was introduced for the Kantonian variant in Pokémon Sword and Shield, enhancing its Pay Day to G-Max Gold Rush, which scatters coins and lowers opponent Speed for five turns.[2] Regional variants expand Meowth's presence across games. Alolan Meowth, a pure Dark-type, was introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon, released November 18, 2016.[18] It evolves into Alolan Persian upon achieving high friendship during nighttime.[2] Galarian Meowth, a pure Steel-type, debuted in Pokémon Sword and Shield, released November 15, 2019, evolving into Perrserker at level 28.[19][2] These forms adapt to regional lore and typings, with Alolan emphasizing nocturnal trickery and Galarian reflecting industrial resilience, altering move pools and battle dynamics accordingly.[2] Meowth variants appear in subsequent titles like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet through breeding or transfers, maintaining core mechanics while integrating into expanded Pokédexes.[20]