Cat Beast

The **Cat Beast** is a mechanical monster built by the Fabrication Machine and the first machine that is introduced in the 2005 short and in the film.

Its main purpose is to retrieve the Talisman and use the artifact to reawaken the Machine.

In Hero Sluggers, the Cat Beast is part of the SkyNet Army, but after its defeat, it eventually became an inspiration of creating a new type of robot called the Cat Robot.

## *9* (2005)

### Description

The Cat Beast is a four-legged robot with a cat skull for a head, a metal skeleton, different types of knives, screws, and other sharp objects for the spine, a lightbulb in one socket and a green eye in the other. One of the machine's feet is a fork.

### Role

The Cat Beast first appears slinking around a junk pile, seemingly searching for something. The Talisman on its collar glows green, and it stalks away. Later, it finds 9 and 5, and sneaks up on them. 9 hides in a can, and 5 stays out to try and fight, but the Cat Beast comes up from behind and grabs him, managing to remove his right arm and trap him. It then steals 5's soul with the Talisman.

After a while, the Cat Beast appears again, this time, in the junk piles of the Fabrication Machine's lair. Searching, and showing it's wearing 5's and other stitchpunks numbered clothing. It see's 9 and chases him. Then, after following him again, it spots lights flashing, and a fake stitchpunk moving around. Believing it to be 9, the Cat Beast makes its way over and attacks. By the time it realizes it's not a real stitchpunk, its claws have already been stuck into the tar, momentarily trapping it. 9 leaps down and removes the collar with the Talisman, then runs off.

The Cat Beast soon gets itself free, and then chases after 9. They come to a plank hanging over a large drop-off, and 9 walks to the end of it. He goes to turn after a moment, but the machine has already caught up, and has trapped him. It walks towards him, roars, and continues forward, but becomes spooked by the drop underneath it, and backs up. 9 leaps off then activates a trap, spinning a lever and pushing a heavy book off of another nearby plank. The book is roped to the Cat Beast's perch, and causes it to fall. The Cat Beast desperately attempts to climb off in time but fails to do so, and falls into the pit below, the plank falling onto it and killing it.

## *9* (2009 film)

### Description/Appearence

The Cat Beast appears to have been hastily made, since the Fabrication Machine was near its "hibernation." Although metallic, the Cat Beast has a cat skull as its head, with one eye red and the other as a usable "flashlight;" with some cat bones attached to its arms and legs, including a metallic tail, to give it a more cat-like appearance. It has retractable claws and night vision, as well as a large amount of strength and an unexpected amount of agility. It uses its metallic claws to attack, its jaw mouth to carry large objects, and a little slot to carry the Talisman when it was found, hanging below its head. The spines on its back, made of assorted sharp objects, serve as another means of protection.

Unlike its 2005 short film counterpart, the Cat Beast in the 2009 film does not have any burlap clothing on its back and its eye is red instead of green. They both roar, but the 2009 Cat Beast roars at a higher and deeper pitch, giving an almost animalistic roar.

### Role in the Film

Shortly after 9 meets 2, the Cat Beast stalks upon them. 9 hides in a can and 2 stays out to protect him, but it circles behind him and the Cat Beast pins him down, lifting him up towards his face. 2 throws his double-bladed spear at it and then throws him at a nearby cart, momentarily knocking him out and causing him to drop the Talisman . It goes and picks up the device, studying it for a moment. 9 retreats into the can and gains the Beast's attention. It uses its lightbulb eye to peer into the can for a moment. It moves away, and then suddenly sticks its claws inside, trying to feel around for 9. It's unable to reach him, however, and 2 soon throws a rock at it. It walks back towards him, and snatches him up into its jaws. 9 manages to escape the can while this is happening, though he rips a bit of his fabric off of his left shoulder. The Beast picks up the Talisman and places it into the collar holder, it then runs off with 2 towards The Factory.

Afterwards, the Cat Beast holds 2 captive inside a bird cage in the abandoned factory. It was about to use the talisman to activate the Fabrication Machine, only to discover 9 and 5 freeing 2. It begins to attack the intruders. However, another stitchpunk attacks the Cat Beast, it struggles against the new intruder but she eventually destroys the Cat Beast by beheading it with her spear.

## **Trivia**

* The Fabrication Machine likely made it to re-find The Talisman.
* The Stitchpunks are about the size of mice compared to the Cat Beast.
* 7 may have possibly been captured by the beast before and put in the cage 2 was in. This was where she must have found the bird skull, and would explain her missing the number on her back.
* The bones used on it are like the doll's head on the Seamstress - showing the Fabrication Machine's tactic of using anything it can find to build robots.
* The Cat Beast has strange symbols etched into the outer rim of its left eye socket; the reasons behind their presence are unknown.