Meowser
- Not to be confused with Mouser.
| Meowser | |
|---|---|
 Artwork from Mario Kart Tour | |
| Applies to | Bowser |
| Item needed | Super Bell/Double Cherry |
| Power(s) given | Run up walls, scratch enemies with claws, tail whip |
| First appearance | Super Mario 3D World (2013) |
| Latest appearance | Minecraft (Nintendo Switch 2) (2026) |
Meowser, or Cat Bowser,[1] is the Cat form of Bowser introduced in Super Mario 3D World. Bowser obtains the form only once during the final battle in The Great Tower of Bowser Land. He has orange fur with a white underbelly and brown stripes similar to a tiger's, a ringed tail, cat ears instead of horns, whiskers, and a black nose. His hands and feet retain their claws but become white and adorned with pink paw pads. His hair is colored red, white, and brown; his shell appears to become more gray-blue, looking similar to Dry Bowser's (but without red gaps); and the rings around his spikes are more red. He retains his ability to breathe fire in this form, but it is pink (and blue when the player reaches the top of the tower) instead of its usual orange. Even his trademark roar becomes different, giving off more of a meow-like sound. Additionally, he is larger than normal Bowser. Like Cat Goombas and Cat Bullet Bills, the form is more akin to a transformation than a suit.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]
During the final battle in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, when Mario and his friends are about to climb the Great Tower of Bowser Land to save the Sprixie Princesses, Bowser jumps down in front of them and reveals a Super Bell in his hand, putting it on his collar which transforms him into Meowser.
He begins to chase after the heroes by climbing up the tower using his claws to try and hinder the player character(s) until reaching a platform where a POW Block lies in front of him as he breathes pink fireballs. After the player characters hit the block, he is sent blasting away, only to immediately return once they use the Clear Pipe to proceed higher into the tower. Off-screen, Meowser uses some Double Cherries to become Double Meowser, spawning up to five doubles to fight them. The doubles begin to destroy parts of the tower by using tail whips and claw scratches to try and stop the player character(s) until they reach the tower's roof, where the real Meowser stands on top of a Super POW Block, holding the bottle holding the Sprixie Princesses captive. While the doubles attempt to attack the player character(s) with fireballs, they eventually defeat Meowser, who is sent flying into the sky by the impact and explodes into a Bowser-shaped firework. The Clear Pipe to the Goal Pole will then be revealed, where Mario and company can save the Sprixie Princesses.
Like Cat Mario, Meowser can climb walls and swipe his claws at his enemies. Unlike Cat Mario, however, his tail is large enough to whip, like Tanooki Mario, as well as retaining his ability to breathe fire (though he uses this less often). The player is unable to harm Meowser except through the use of the POW Block and Super POW Block.
The final boss battle against Meowser is reminiscent of the final boss battle against Wario at the end of Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins, where the final boss uses power-ups against the player. It is also similar to The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Super Koopa", where Bowser also uses power-ups against the Mario Bros. (though through the use of a magic pendant, rather than the power-ups themselves, and only in the Real World).
In Bowser's Fury, Bowser Jr. gains a Cat form if the player collects all 100 Cat Shines, which is similar in appearance to Meowser.
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
Meowser appears as a placeable enemy in Super Mario Maker 2 in the Super Mario 3D World style, in place of regular Bowser. He walks on all fours, and when the player gets close to him, Meowser will start breathing fireballs at the player character. He sometimes breathes three fireballs in a circular motion, similar to Bowser in the New Super Mario Bros. U style. Meowser can also roll off the ground and climb up onto the surface in front of the player or slide near the player. Like Bowser and Bowser Jr. in the other game styles, the player can only place up to three Meowsers on a single course layer. Placing or erasing Meowser in Course Maker makes him roar. Meowser is also unaffected by lava and abysses, as he will just come out of them or flip around.
Bowser can also be applied a Super Mushroom, Wings and/or a Parachute, like with most objects in the game. A Super Mushroom allows Meowser to breathe larger fireballs, Wings allow Meowser to flutter for short spurts and breathe fireballs in the background, and Parachutes float Meowser down before acting as normal.
As with normal Bowser, Meowser is immune to any jump attacks, but unlike in Super Mario 3D World, he can be directly harmed with projectiles. Fireballs and most items can defeat him in twenty hits. As Builder Mario, he can be defeated in seven hammer whacks. With a POW Block, he will be defeated in two hits and flinches briefly after getting hit the first time. He will be defeated instantly if a Thwomp hits him, if the player runs through him while invincible, or if crushed by a Bill Blaster. Giant items double the amount of damage to him, while using standard items on a giant Meowser will double the amount of hits needed to defeat it. Once defeated, he falls and leaves behind fireworks, unlike in the original game, where he is blown away before exploding into fireworks.
In Story Mode, Meowser is featured in Meowser Showdown!, the last course in the mode. Before Mario and the other Toads can complete the construction of Peach's Castle, the Taskmaster urgently tells Mario that Bowser has kidnapped the Chief and that they can't finish the castle without her. In the level, two large Meowsers are featured; one near the end of the first portion of the course which Mario must avoid and dodge, and a winged one in the third portion in a final boss-style gauntlet where Mario must use POW Blocks to hit Meowser until he is defeated, leaving behind a Key to unlock the Warp Box where Mario can rescue the Chief. Unlike Bowser, Meowser is not used in any other level in Story Mode.
Minecraft[edit]
In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack of Minecraft, calico cats are retextured to look like Meowser. Smokers are retextured to look like Meowser's head.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Meowser appears in Mario Kart Tour as a High-End driver, debuting in the New Year's 2022 Tour alongside Cat Rosalina, using the same emblem as the standard Bowser. His special skill is the Coin Box.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
- Mario Kart Tour Twitter: The New Year's 2022 Tour starts now in #MarioKartTour! It's time for Meowser to help you ring in good fortune for the new year with his Coin Box skill! Hop into the matching Tiger Bruiser and race into the new year![2]
- Spotlight Shop description:
- English:
Bowser the Koopa King is a…cat?! Meowser has arrived! Collect coins to get a high score with his Coin Box special skill![3][4] - Other languages:
- Japanese:
大魔王クッパがネコの姿に！？ネコクッパが登場！
スペシャルスキルのコインボックスで コインをあつめてハイスコアを目指そう！[5][6] - Chinese (Simplified):
大魔王酷霸王摇身一变成猫咪！？猫咪酷霸王登场！
使用特殊技能金币箱，收集金币，争取刷新最佳得分吧！[7][8] - Chinese (Traditional):
大魔王庫巴變成了貓咪！？貓咪庫巴登場！
使用特殊技能的金幣箱來收集金幣，並以獲得高分為目標吧！[9][10] - French:
Bowser chat est disponible ! Le roi Bowser s'adoucit-il... ou cherche-t-il à tromper ses adversaires avec cette apparence féline ?!
Faites le plein de pièces avec sa spécialité boîte à pièces ![11][12] - German:
Miauser ist da! Bowser, der erhabene König, ist jetzt... eine Katze?!
Sammle Münzen und erreiche mit seiner Spezialausstattung „Münz- Box" einen hohen Punktestand![13][14] - Italian:
No, non è un bel micino...! È Miauser, il re dei Koopa in versione felina, pronto a sfoderare i suoi poderosi artigli in pista!
Fai incetta di monete e batti il tuo record personale con il suo oggetto speciale: il cubo di monete![15][16] - Korean:
대마왕 쿠파가 고양이로 변했다!? 고양이쿠파가 등장!
스페셜 스킬인 코인박스로 코인을 모아서 하이스코어를 노리자![17][18] - Portuguese:
Que gato! Miauwser, a versão felina do rei dos Koopas chegou!
Com a característica especial dele, a caixa de moedas, consiga moedas de montão![19][20] - Spanish (Latin America):
¡A Bowser también le quedan bien los bigotes de gato! ¡Ya está aquí Bowser felino!
¡Consigue un montón de monedas con su característica especial, la caja de monedas![21][22] - Spanish (Europe):
¡A Bowser también le quedan bien los bigotes de gato! ¡Ya está aquí Bowser Felino!
¡Consigue un montón de monedas con su característica especial, la caja de monedas![23][24]
- Japanese:
- English:
Gallery[edit]
Artwork[edit]
Super Mario 3D World
Sprites and models[edit]
Super Mario 3D World (stamp)
Super Mario 3D World
Mario Kart Tour
Mario Kart Tour
Meowser as a calico cat in Minecraft
Meowser's head as a smoker in Minecraft
Screenshots[edit]
Cat Mario pursuing Meowser in Super Mario 3D World
Meowser on the first POW Block
Multiple Meowsers at the top of the tower
Meowser reaching for the Sprixie Princesses before being defeated
Meowser tricking in the Tiger Bruiser on 3DS Bowser's Castle in Mario Kart Tour
Meowser drifting in the Sports Coupe 2022 on 3DS Toad Circuit
Meowser tricking in the Tiger Bruiser on Wii Mushroom Gorge
Meowser drifting in the Red Offroader on GBA Bowser's Castle 3
Multimedia[edit]
 Meowser's roar | File info |