In honor of Hug Your Cat Day, our first Star Wars Creature Profile reveals everything you ever wanted to know about the Loth-cats from Star Wars Rebels.
Cat lovers and Star Wars fans unite! In honor of Hug Your Cat Day, this article explores the origins and characteristics of the Loth-cat, the cutest and most ferocious feline in the galaxy.
What is it?
The Loth-cat is a relative of the Tooka, a feline creature which according to the official Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia is a popular pet in many systems because of their taste for “unwanted pests.” Tookas provide the same function as cats that keep down the rat and mouse populations in our world. Loth-cats, however, are wilder and less likely to be domesticated.
Where does it live?
The Loth-cat is a native of Lothal, a grassland planet in the Outer Rim. During the Dark Times, the Empire occupied Lothal and established ship and weapons factories there.
What Star Wars story does it appear in?
Currently, the loth-cat has only made an appearance on-screen in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. Its relative, the Tooka, was first introduced Rebels‘ television predecessor, The Clone Wars.
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How are they important to Star Wars storytelling?
Loth-cats not only bring variety to Lothal’s native culture, they are also helpful plot elements. In one episode of Star Wars Rebels, a Loth-cat unwittingly helps Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren by attacking an Imperial probe droid. Also in Rebels, a rare white loth-cat leads Ezra to a man who tells him the fate of his long-lost parents. Clearly, this creature has more to it than an adorable face and sharp fangs. As it is with all of nature, the Force is strong with the Loth-cat.
What do you think of the Loth-cat? Is it your favorite feline in the Star Wars universe? Tell us what you love about it and what other creatures you want to read about in our Star Wars Creature Profiles series.