In commemoration of Nintendo’s 135ᵗʰ anniversary, September 20 to 30 is NIWA Cross-Wiki Week. Click here for event details and the possibility to win a $20/€20 Nintendo eShop gift card. Please remember to follow the manual of style and code of conduct at all times. Check the Bulbagarden home page for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
Persian (Pokémon)
Revision as of 17:59, 29 March 2014 by Crystal Talian(talk | contribs)(Unnecessary and inaccurate - Pumas aren't considered "big cats" such as lions or tigers)
Persian is a large, quadruped, feline Pokémon. Its fur is pale tan with the exception of its black-rimmed ears. It has a short muzzle with a small, black nose, red eyes with slit pupils, rounded ears, a pair of pointed teeth in its upper jaw, and three whiskers on either side of its face. Its thick whiskers are very sensitive to changes in air movements, enabling it to detect its prey by movement alone. In the center of its forehead is a red jewel. Its long tail has a distinctive curl at the end. Persian communicates with body language, and holds its tail upright to signal its intention to pounce. It has long legs and three-toed paws with retractible claws. Persian's lithe muscles also enable it to walk without making a sound.
Persian normally lives in towns and cities. Although popular for its elegance, it is extremely difficult to raise as a pet due to its fickle and temperamental personality. It will scratch anyone, including its Trainer, with little or no provocation, and has been observed ripping its prey apart for no discernible reason. However, when a Persian is yanked by its whiskers, it becomes temporarily docile for unknown reasons.
Giovanni has a Persian that is his primary Pokémon. It first appeared in Battle Aboard the St. Anne. While it is almost always seen at his side, it was only seen battling once. Meowth of Team Rocket seems to be its "rival" as Giovanni's "top cat."
In The Problem with Paras, Cassandra's grandmother found a Persian sleeping in the backyard. She decided that it, and not Meowth, should be Cassandra's company mascot.
Persian, the Classy Cat Pokémon and the evolved form of Meowth. Persian can walk silently thanks to its nimble muscles. It pounces on its prey at lightning speed.
In the manga
Persian in Pokémon Pocket Monsters
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
In Purrrr-sian, Super Nerd Miles is seen using a Persian to attack Yellow. It scratches the walls of buildings to create dissonance to disorient Yellow.
Sird also has a Persian as one of her main team members. While it was probably well-trained and helped Sird obtain her position in Team Rocket, it lost to Lorelei's Slowking, forcing her to pursue other means to win the battle.
In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga
Green's Meowth evolved into a Persian and devolved back into Meowth.
Persian has six bold whiskers that give it a look of toughness. The whiskers sense air movements to determine what is in the Pokémon's surrounding vicinity. It becomes docile if grabbed by the whiskers.
Persian's Crystal still sprite is different from that of Gold and Silver, making it one of few Pokémon to have three distinctly different sprites in Generation II.
Origin
Its appearance is arguably more similar to Siamese cats than Persian cats, and its species in Japanese is シャムネコ or "shamuneko" meaning "Siamese Cat". It is also similar to wild cats such as Pumas. The gem on its head makes it resemble a Carbuncle, a Latin-American mythological beast which had a jewel on its forehead.
Name origin
Persian refers to Persian cats. It could also be related to purr, the onomatopoeia for the noise a cat makes when content.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.