Meowth (Pokémon)


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Meowth (Japanese: ニャース  Nyarth) is a  introduced in Generation I.

It evolves into starting at level 28.

In Alola, Meowth has a regional variant that is. It evolves into Alolan Persian when leveled up with high friendship.

Biology
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. Being nocturnal, it is known to wander about city streets at night 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. It shares this intrigue with, with whom it often fights with for objects and prey. Meowth is a playful but fickle Pokémon with the capacity for human-like intelligence, with at least one member of the species teaching itself how to. Meowth tends to live in.

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, prideful, and cunning Alolan Meowth. Alolan Meowth will turn hysterical if its coin or pride are besmirched. When the monarchy fell, the rare Alolan Meowth went feral and eventually grew as common in Alola as anywhere else. 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.

Meowth is one of the two main Pokémon in the series (the other being ). Meowth is a member of, and he is unlike ordinary Meowth in that he can speak human language. His first appearance was in Pokémon Emergency!, which also marked the species' debut.

His background story, including another female Meowth named Meowzie, was told in Go West Young Meowth.

Meowth was cloned in Mewtwo Strikes Back, but his clone couldn't talk or walk on two legs, just like an ordinary Meowth, likely due to the fact that its progenitor needed to learn how to do this. The Meowth clone is encountered again in Mewtwo Returns.

Meowzie
Meowzie is the main reason behind 's ability to talk and walk on two legs. He fell in love with her when he was still a stray Pokémon on the streets of Hollywood.

Tyson's Meowth
Tyson's Meowth debuted in Like a Meowth to a Flame and made further appearances throughout the Ever Grande Conference arc. This Meowth was dressed up like, giving it the nickname "Meowth in Boots".

Other
A Meowth appeared in The Purr-fect Hero, where it was revealed to have saved from a  in a flashback. For most of the episode, Timmy believed was the same Meowth that had saved him. However, this was proven wrong when the real Meowth appeared to save Timmy again.

A gang of Meowth living on the streets of Hollywood appeared in Go West Young Meowth. Team Rocket's Meowth was revealed to be a former member, while his love interest Meowzie currently is one.

Over 100 years ago, The Black Arachnid had a Meowth as seen in Spinarak Attack.

An Alolan Meowth appeared in Acting True to Form!. After working with Team Rocket, it later arrived at the after stealing the trio's money to buy an airline ticket to Kanto. At the Team Rocket HQ, it became an assistant to Matori. It reappeared beside her in Filling the Light with Darkness!. It reappeared in SM102, when Team Rocket attempted to contact Headquarters and ignored them.

Multiple Alolan Meowth appeared inside Nanu's house in Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, where they robbed Team Rocket of their food. They appeared again in Tough Guy Trials!, where Nanu made Ash play with them while he went off somewhere else; and Guiding an Awakening!.

Minor appearances
used a Meowth during the Pokémon League entrance exam in The Ultimate Test. The Meowth was defeated by the instructor's.

A Meowth appeared in Lights, Camerupt, Action! as an actor in one of Elijah's movies, where it was sized up to appear.

A Meowth appeared in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew as a of.

A giant Meowth appeared in The Island of Illusions! as one of 's s.

A Mirror World Meowth briefly appeared at the end of The Cave of Mirrors!, as part of Mirror Team Rocket.

In the Ash & Pikachu manga
Meowth appeared in the Ash & Pikachu manga.

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga
appears in the The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga series along with his teammates Jessie and James. He first appears in the chapter Pikachu's Excellent Adventure.

In Days of Gloom and Glory, an unnamed Meowth based on Meowzie appears. Like in the anime, Meowzie finds Meowth's ability to speak human language "creepy". In the manga, she has at least one kitten, which she captures into a stolen Poké Ball to protect it from an impending flood.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga


Meowth debuted in a cameo in Bulbasaur, Come Home! as one of the Pokémon that escapes from Professor Oak's Laboratory.

In The Coming of Slowpoke (Eventually), when the Pokémon Fan Club President explains about the move, he also states that it is normally an attack specific for Meowth.

Meowth appeared as one of Sham's Pokémon, which attacked and  while they were escaping from Masked Man's compound, as seen in a flashback from The Escape. Sham's Meowth later presumably evolved into one of her three Persian.

A Meowth appeared in The Last Battle XIII as one of the Pokémon sent to participate in the fight in Ilex Forest.

Multiple Meowth were used by s in Cleaning Up Grimer.

In The Grand Entrance and Delivery Boy Sun, during a flashback, three Alolan Meowth are shown in under the care of 's great-grandfather. In the present day, Sun is shown to have his own Alolan Meowth, nicknamed Cent, using him to defeat two s with Pay Day. A Meowth also appears with a Persian in the book Sun had when he was younger.

A 's Alolan Meowth appeared in The Decision and the Tournament of Six.

An Alolan Meowth belonging to the Aether Foundation appeared in a flashback in the.

In the Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All manga
In Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All, Shu's rival has a Meowth. Masatoshi's Meowth is talented at playing the, a Japanese stringed instrument.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga
borrowed a Meowth from Blaine. It is not known if Red kept it or returned it to him.

owns a Meowth which first appeared in The No. 1 Pokémon!!. It later evolved into a Persian and devolved back into Meowth.

owns a Meowth too, often assisting his Hitmons.

In the TFG
One Meowth figure has been released.



Pokémon Snap
Multiple Meowth can be found during the Beach level. These Meowth are prone to accident and injury, as is easily provoked to use  on them. Snap can also knock Meowth off a rock, making it fall to the ground.

Super Smash Bros.
Meowth appears as a Poké Ball summon. It attacks opponents with.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Meowth appears as a random trophy. Meowth's trophy in this game is based on the anime ending theme Meowth's Party.



Trophy information
"This... is Meowth's dream. Meowth strides all over the globe, scattering invitations to other Pokémon insisting they come to "Meowth's Party." At this wonderful party, guests are packed in like sardines as Meowth climbs up the stage with its faithful guitar. It strikes a chord, pauses, and then rocks their world!''

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Meowth returns as a Poké Ball summon, attacking opponents with. However, it instead faces one direction rather than attacking from all sides.

Trophy Information
"A Scratch Cat Pokémon. It's one of the most famous Pokémon and very fond of things that glitter--the gold medallion on its head could be seen as an indicator of this infatuation. There are many Pokémon that resemble cats, but Meowth is the only one that can use Pay Day to receive coins at the end of battle. It evolves into Persian."

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
Meowth returns as a Poké Ball summon, with its abilities unchanged from Brawl.

Trophy information
NA: "Meowth is a Normal-type, Scratch Cat Pokémon who absolutely loves anything shiny. It's a creature of the night, and it's not unusual to discover a Meowth and a Murkrow fighting over their finds. Meowth's attack Pay Day can deal a ton of damage if an opponent gets caught in it. How purrfect!"

PAL: "Meowth, a Normal-type Pokémon, loves round, shiny things. It runs around at night, hunting for little treasures and trinkets, but often ends up getting into fights with Murkrow about who'll get to keep them. Watch out for Meowth's Pay Day attack. If it catches you from behind, it can be purralysingly pawerful!"

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Meowth returns as a Poké Ball summon, retaining the same behavior as before.

NPC appearances

 * : A Meowth appears in a bonus stage that is accessible from the Blue Table. The player must hit the Meowth and get it to drop gold coins which must be collected.

Meowth

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Alolan Meowth

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Game locations

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In side games

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In events

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Meowth























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Alolan Meowth



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Trivia

 * released a one-dollar coin featuring Meowth as part of a commemorative promotion for the Pokémon franchise, with Meowth on one side and the nation's coat of arms on the other.
 * In the Pokémon anime episode Go West, Young Meowth, it was stated that of Team Rocket had to learn and practice standing on his hind legs like a human, implying that Meowth as a species are not naturally able to stand on their hind legs. However, almost all sprites in the  and the Pokédex in the anime depict it standing on its hind legs, suggesting Meowth has the natural ability to walk on two legs. Tyson's Meowth is also able to walk on two legs, seemingly naturally.
 * Meowth is the first Pokémon in the Pokémon anime to talk.
 * Meowth's number in the National Pokédex and the Alola Pokédex in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are the same: 052.
 * Alolan Meowth has the lowest base of all  Pokémon.

Origin
Meowth seems to be based upon the Japanese legend of the 招き猫 , 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 fortune and good luck. Statues of the cat are usually depicted holding a , an ancient coin used in Japan, like the one on Meowth's head. Its Japanese species name also suggests it is based on a .

Name origin
Meowth may be a combination of meow (the sound a cat makes) and wealth, alluding to the Maneki-neko's capacity to bring good fortune. 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 ), becoming ミャス Myasu. Siam relates to a cat breed, the, which in turn relates to Meowth's evolution, , and the cat breed.

Related articles

 * Meowth (Team Rocket)
 * Cent
 * Meowzie
 * Tyson's Meowth