Meowrimos are tiny mossball kitties found in the same ponds and streams as koi dogs. Though easily overlooked due to their small size, these little creatures are full of personality and are very playful. Guppies (young koi dogs) play with meowrimos by rolling them back and forth across the bottom. Occasionally a meowrimo will follow them back to their dens and cuddle in with the koi dog family for a day or two before returning to the water, but their mobility on land is limited and they prefer to stay close to the bank. Meowrimos lack any fully present limbs, typically showing only a round body, bobbed tail, and stubby ears. Their mouths are not visible most of the time, although they can be quite loud when they want to!

Meowrimos grow and develop through photosynthesis, absorbing sunlight and rolling in the current to maintain their round shape. Those who live in shallower water tend to grow more quickly under stronger light, while deeper ponds host slow growing but very dense meowrimos. They reproduce by splitting off small bits of moss and rolling them around until a kitten starts to form. This process can take several weeks. New kittens have no separation between head and body, although their ears and tails form quite early. As they grow, a more defined line between head and body forms.

Generally, kittens start out lighter and more yellow in tone. Their color deepens as they grow, perhaps because larger meowrimos tend to stay near the bottom where less sun can reach them. However, all meowrimos are individuals and adult coloration can include any shade of green imaginable. Most show a lighter color on their backs and the tops of their heads where sunlight tends to be more direct.

While meowrimos have no fully present limbs, they can push out sections of their bodies to create temporary pseudopods to aid in mobility. Their soft bodies are highly flexible, and can stretch and squish as needed. Most often they’re seen with two or four pseudopods, but no maximum number has been discovered. While running, they often resemble tiny mossy tank treads! Meowrimos are very inquisitive and love to explore, and most often utilize their unique physiology to squeeze into small spaces or stretch to look up over a tall barrier.

While all meowrimos are green, they can be found in a vast array of patterns and shades. It’s believed that these patterns result from striped or dappled shade that leaves some parts exposed to more or less sunlight. Tabbies, tuxedos, calicos, and solid colors are the most common. While most patterns resemble those found on regular cats, this seems to be primarily coincidence.

Meowrimos are a closed species. You’re welcome to create a meowrimo character based on a meowrimo art doll that you’ve purchased, but you may not make your own from scratch and you may not make a character based on an existing doll that you don’t own. Currently, only Patreon backers are able to order custom meowrmios; all others are created and released to the shop in scheduled batches.