Meowth seems to be based upon the Japanese legend of the 招き猫 Maneki Neko, also known as the lucky cat or beckoning cat. According to one legend, a cat raised its paw to welcome a lord and saved his life when a lightning bolt hit the spot where he had been standing. Maneki Neko are often used as charms in restaurants and shops to bring customers or fortune and good luck. Statues of the cat are usually depicted holding a koban, an ancient coin used in Japan, like the one on Meowth’s head. Its Japanese species name also suggests it is based on a Bakeneko.
Meowth may be a combination of meow (the sound a cat makes) and mouth. The -th may also be borrowed from Nyarth, as both meow and nyā are onomatopoeia of a cat’s cry.
Nyarth may be a combination of ニャー nyā (the sound a cat makes) and the switched sounds of シャム Shamu (Siam, former name of Thailand), becoming ミャス Myasu. Siam relates to a cat breed, the Siamese, which in turn relates to Meowth’s evolution, Persian, and the Persian cat breed.
No: 052
English Name: Meowth
Japanese Name: Nyasu
Generation: 1
Type: Normal
Species: Scratch Cat Pokémon
Abilities: Pickup, Technician, Unnerve (hidden ability)
Evolution: Meowth > Persian
Meowth is a small, feline Pokémon with cream-colored fur that turns brown at the tips of its hind paws and tail. Its ovoid head features four prominent whiskers, wide eyes with slit pupils, two pointed teeth in the upper jaw, and a gold oval coin embedded in its forehead. Its ears are black with brown interiors, and are flanked with an additional pair of long whiskers. Meowth is a quadruped with the ability to walk on its hind legs; while the games always depict Meowth on two legs, the anime states that Meowth normally walks on all fours. It can freely manipulate its claws, retracting them when it wants to move silently. The tip of its tail curls tightly.
Meowth is attracted to round and shiny objects, and has the unique ability to produce coins using Pay Day. It is known to wander about city streets and pick up anything that sparkles, including loose change. Upon finding a sparkling object, its eyes will glitter and the coin on its forehead will shine brightly. Meowth is a playful Pokémon with the capacity for human-like intelligence, with at least one member of the species teaching itself how to speak. Meowth tends to live in urban areas.
Meowth was introduced to Alola as a gift to royalty. The luxurious royal lifestyle soon led to Meowth diverging from its origins and becoming the selfish and prideful Alolan Meowth. Alolan Meowth will turn hysterical if its coin or pride are besmirched. It also has great cunning. When the monarchy fell, the rare Alolan Meowth went feral and eventually grew as common in Alola as anywhere else.[1] Alolan Meowth’s fur is a light blue-gray color. Instead of brown markings, the tip of its tail, whiskers, digits, and the insides of its ears a whitish-gray shade. Alolan Meowth’s whiskers maintain a slight curve compared to regular Meowth’s straighter whiskers, and it has silvery eyes.
POKEDEX ENTRIES
Pokemon Red: Adores circular objects. Wanders the streets on a nightly basis to look for dropped loose change.
Pokemon Blue: Adores circular objects. Wanders the streets on a nightly basis to look for dropped loose change.
Pokemon Yellow: Appears to be more active at night. It loves round and shiny things. It can’t stop from picking them up.
Pokemon Stadium: Sleeps in the daytime. At night, its eyes glow as it happily collects coins, its favorite things.
Pokemon Gold: It is fascinated by round objects. It can’t stop playing with them until it tires and falls asleep.
Pokemon Silver: It loves anything that shines. It especially adores coins that it picks up and secretly hoards.
Pokemon Crystal: It loves things that sparkle. When it sees a shiny object, the gold coin on its head shines too.
Pokemon Stadium 2: It is fascinated with round objects. It can’t stop playing with them until it tires and falls asleep.
Pokemon Ruby: Meowth withdraws its sharp claws into its paws to slinkily sneak about without making any incriminating footsteps. For some reason, this Pokémon loves shiny coins that glitter with light.
Pokemon Sapphire: Meowth withdraws its sharp claws into its paws to slinkily sneak about without making any incriminating footsteps. For some reason, this Pokémon loves shiny coins that glitter with light.
Pokemon Emerald: Meowth withdraw their sharp claws into their paws to silently sneak about. For some reason, this Pokémon loves shiny coins that glitter with light.
Pokemon FireRed: All it does is sleep during the daytime. At night, it patrols its territory with its eyes aglow.
Pokemon LeafGreen: Adores round objects. It wanders the streets on a nightly basis to look for dropped loose change.
Pokemon Diamond: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon Pearl: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon Platinum: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon HeartGold: It is fascinated by round objects. It can’t stop playing with them until it tires and falls asleep.
Pokemon SoulSilver: It loves anything that shines. It especially adores coins that it picks up and secretly hoards.
Pokemon Black: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon White: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon Black 2: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
pokemon White 2: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon X: It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly.
Pokemon Y: Adores round objects. It wanders the streets on a nightly basis to look for dropped loose change.
Pokemon Omega Ruby: Meowth withdraws its sharp claws into its paws to slinkily sneak about without making any incriminating footsteps. For some reason, this Pokémon loves shiny coins that glitter with light.
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire: Meowth withdraws its sharp claws into its paws to slinkily sneak about without making any incriminating footsteps. For some reason, this Pokémon loves shiny coins that glitter with light.
Pokemon SUN: It lies around all day, becoming active near dusk. At night, it wanders the city in search of loose change.
Pokemon MOON: It loves shiny things. It often fights with Murkrow over prey they’re both trying to catch.
