Cat O' 9 Tails
- “This crazy cat is a whirling dervish. It will tangle you up in its many tails and spin you round until it collapses.”
- —Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction booklet, page 31
A Cat O' 9 Tails (also stylized Cat o' 9 tails, Cat-O´-9-Tails[1][2] and Cat-O’-Nine-Tails[3]) is a rare type of enemy appearing in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Its name is derived from a type of whip known as the "cat o' nine tails", possibly also deriving from the well-known myth of cats having nine lives. It is a blue cat, and, contrary to its name, appears to have seven tails rather than nine. It is one of the game's few enemies that does not appear in Donkey Kong Land 2.
Cat O' 9 Tails are uncommon enemies, appearing in only three levels throughout the game: Mudhole Marsh, Screech's Sprint, and Fiery Furnace. If a Cat O' 9 Tails notices Diddy Kong and/or Dixie Kong, it will begin to rapidly twirl and move around, attempting to whip both Kongs with its many tails. They are invulnerable to attack while they spin around, though after a while, they collapse from dizziness. While dazed, the Kongs can defeat the Cat O' 9 Tails by simply jumping on its head or by rolling into it.
If the Kongs are caught by one of the tails as they are spinning around, the Cat O' 9 Tails flings them upwards. While this allows the Kongs to collect out-of-reach items, this may also put them in danger, sending them flying into certain hazards or obstacles.
Gallery
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest sprite
A Cat O' 9 Tails as seen during the ending
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ネコのナインテール Neko no Naintēru |
Cat O' 9 Tails |
| German | Power-Neunschwanz |
Power-Ninetail |
| Italian | Gattanovecode |
Catninetails |
