History Main / CatStereotype

** Inverted with Pouncequick, a {{keet}} CheerfulChild gray-furred kitten. [[spoiler:Subverted]] after his experience with [[spoiler:Whitewind turns him into a WiseBeyondTheirYears {{Seer}}.]]

* Often portrayed as [[CatsAreMean mean]], often even by cat standards. The wedgeheaded or "modern" Siamese are depicted as ill-tempered, bratty, aristocratic and showy, like the Persian. The Applehead or "traditional" Siamese, AKA the Thai cat, are depicted more neutrally, looking more like typical cats, but may still [[CatsAreMean be just as mean]]. Most writers are unaware that the Appleheaded Siamese exists at all, so the former will be used more often. In RealLife, both types are nothing like their Hollywood portrayal, being one of the most affectionate and energetic among the cat breeds. (If a [[CuteButCacophonic bit noisy.]])

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' has TalkingAnimal Fu Dog face off against Yan Yan, a female hairless sphynx cat and longtime (as both have been fighting over a lucky coin during many famous periods in history such as the Ming Dynasty, 1793 France during the Revolution, 1917 during the Battle of Keilbergmelen in Germany, and even during the sinking of the ''Titanic'') enemy who masqueraded as pet of Haley's arch-rival and SpoiledBrat Olivia Mears under the UnfortunateName of Miss Tinkles during Show-and-tell.

* Pizzazz from ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHolograms'' has a Siamese cat. The cat is a normal cat - not anymore 'evil' than normal - but their owner is a JerkAss with a temper.

* The Siamese stereotype is subverted with Koko in ''Literature/{{The Cat Who|Series}}...'' series, who, like real life Siamese, tends to be bright, friendly, inquisitive, and mouthy.

** Tom, a grayish-blue cat with white patches, [[BuffoonishTomcat while famously buffoonish,]] he was sometimes shown as lazy or mean, and did sometimes torment Jerry for fun, but it depended on the episode.
** If Tom likes a molly she will almost always be completely white furred.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'': Stimpy is an fire-engine red cat, and the nicest character on the show who portrays the stereotypes of being the the red furred protagonist who is humble, friendly, lazy, the comic-relief [[BuffoonishTomcat (if not particularly bright by exception)]] and is called an [[FatIdiot "fat bloated eediot" for a reason,]] and has a white or off-white front of his snout to his belly and has InnocentBlueEyes.

* Often seen as prissy, high-class, and snobbish, especially if purebred longhair cats. Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats are an exception, being stereotyped instead as rugged, tough survivor types who love the outdoors.

* Positive portrayals of Persian cats tend to be on the [[BuffoonishTomcat buffoonish side]].

* Mr. Hubert from ''ComicBook/BillyTheCat'' is a mentor white cat.

* Siamese are sometimes portrayed with Southeast Asian (whether specifically Thai or not) or Chinese NationalAnimalStereotypes. As mentioned above, they'll often be evil or at least annoying and [[CuteButCacophonic noisy]], presumably in reference to the YellowPeril stereotype.

* Generally good, particularly if paired against a black cat (unless they are the RightHandCat). Kind, nice, and refined. Often upper-class and rich. An alternate portrayal of a white cat is as a TheMentor. Can alternately be antisocial. Can also be shy or nervous. Usually female when paired with an orange male cat. Almost always have blue eyes in fiction (unless when it's a HeroicAlbino with red eyes), though the deafness associated with blue-eyed white cats is rarely mentioned.

* [[RedIsHeroic Heroic]] and humble. Usually male in fiction regardless of whether there's another cat present, but especially when paired with an all-white cat. Can also be LovableRogue types. Scrappy, wisecracking, comic relief and maybe a bit spirited, {{fiery|Redhead}}, tricky, and clever. Also portrayed as irascible alley cats. Can be lazy or fat. Can be laid back, friendly, and/or affectionate, but can alternately have a bit of a temper. Female cats with this coat color tend to be more laid back than males with this coat color, but can alternately be flighty.

* ''WesternAnimation/HeathcliffAndTheCatillacCats'': Heathcliff (an orange male cat, as in the comics) and Sonya (an all-white female cat). Averted with Cleo (a cream-colored female cat with [[FurryFemaleMane long orange hair]]), however. Riff Raff's cousin, Lucky, is a black cat with notorious bad luck that spreads to everyone around him... everyone that is, except for Riff Raff.

** Tom, a grayish-blue cat with white patches, was sometimes shown as lazy or mean, and did sometimes torment Jerry for fun, but it depended on the episode.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'': Stimpy is a fire-engine red cat, and the nicest character on the show (if not particularly bright), and has a white or off-white front and InnocentBlueEyes.

* Generally good, particularly if paired against a black cat, unless they are the RightHandCat. Kind, nice, and refined. Often upper-class and rich. An alternate portrayal of a white cat is as a TheMentor. Can alternately be antisocial. Can also be shy or nervous. Usually female when paired with an orange male cat. Almost always have blue eyes in fiction, though the deafness associated with blue-eyed white cats is rarely mentioned.

With [[DogStereotype dogs]], breeds are often used as a shorthand for personality stereotypes. Cat breeds are rarely as distinctive as dog breed (certain exceptions like the Persian and the Siamese notwithstanding), See ThisIndexMeows for more about cats other than stereotypes only. So when writers want to use a cat's visual appearance to denote its personality they usual rely on its color and its fur length.

With [[DogStereotype dogs]], breeds are often used as a shorthand for personality stereotypes. Cat breeds are rarely as distinctive as dog breed (certain exceptions like the Persian and the Siamese notwithstanding), so when writers want to use a cat's visual appearance to denote its personality they usual rely on its color and its fur length.

* Sometimes a cartoon cat would be made orange to make it obvious that it is a male character– like bows on girl characters. The "usually male" part is partially justified as orange cats are a little more likely to be male than female. [[note]]Specifically, the gene for red/orange fur is located on the X chromosome. A normal male cat will only have one X chromosome and one red gene = red/orange fur. A female has to inherit genes for red fur on both X chromosomes in order to become a red/orange cat -- one red gene and one non-red gene will result in a tortoiseshell or calico coat.[[/note]]

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has the elegant but vicious cream Persian (which despite the name is based more on Siamese cats; however, a Persian is a villain's RightHandCat in the anime, fitting the Persian cat stereotype), the prim lavender and cream Delcatty, the obese gray Purugly, the devious dark purple Purrloin, and the mystical gray Espurr. There's also Incineroar, a red/black tiger {{heel}} wrestler.

Sometimes, a cat's breed is used to determine its personality by making it a kind of voiced ethnic or nationality stereotype, especially if the name of the breed has a country in it. This often has little to do with how the breed really acts, as anyone who has cats will attest. Breed stereotypes are rarely done with cats since breed variations aren't always as striking and well known.

* Generally good, particularly if paired against a black cat. Kind, nice, and refined. Often upper-class and rich. An alternate portrayal of a white cat is as a TheMentor. Can alternately be antisocial. Can also be shy or nervous. Usually female when paired with an orange male cat. Almost always have blue eyes in fiction, though the deafness associated with blue-eyed white cats is rarely mentioned.

* Often seen as prissy, high-class, and snobbish, especially if purebred longhair cats. Can also be tough and independent if they're more Maine Coon-looking; in this case, they often have messy fur.

* Often portrayed as [[CatsAreMean mean]], sometimes even by cat standards. The wedgeheaded or "modern" Siamese are depicted as ill-tempered, bratty, aristocratic and showy, like the Persian. The Applehead or "traditional" Siamese, AKA the Thai cat, are depicted more neutrally, looking more like typical cats, but may still [[CatsAreMean be just as mean]]. Most writers are unaware that the Appleheaded Siamese exists at all, so the former will be used more often. In RealLife, both types are nothing like their Hollywood portrayal, being one of the most affectionate and energetic among the cat breeds. (If a [[CuteButCacophonic bit noisy.]])

* Large, longhaired cats who are tough survivors and skilled hunters of the GrimUpNorth, but also as pets they are typically sweet {{Gentle Giant}}s. Usually male.

* Some Franchise/{{Pokemon}} play with the cat breed stereotypes, such as Zangoose playing the mean Persian cat stereotype straight (although it's mainly based on [[SnakeVersusMongoose a mongoose]], it still resembles a Persian cat), Espurr being an affectionate Scottish Fold with {{Psychic|Powers}} ThousandYardStare, and [[{{Planimal}} Leafeon]] averting the Siamese cat stereotype, being more in line with the more-affectionate portrayal of real-life Siamese cats.

* Often portrayed as mean, or a cat version of BaldOfEvil. If not, often portrayed as a CreepyHairlessAnimal, UglyCute or a SicklyNeuroticGeek.

** The shaded/chinchilla and colorpoint/lynxpoint fur patterns do not appear commonly, if at all, likely because they're almost exclusively found on domestic cats and the series focuses on feral cats.

** The shaded/chinchilla and colorpoint/lynxpoint fur patterns do not appear commonly, if at all.

* Often portrayed as mean, or a cat version of BaldOfEvil. If not, often portrayed as a CreepyHairlessAnimal or UglyCute.

* Fictional Sphynx usually have white or van-patterned skin tones. Usually female. Often portrayed as not being born hairless, but losing their fur through accidents.

* Often portrayed as mean. If not, often portrayed as a CreepyHairlessAnimal or UglyCute.