Ocelot PrideOcelot Pride | art by Chris Seaman

The Internet Might Be Made Of Cats… But What About Your Commander Deck?

Cats are a highly populous type across the history of Magic: The Gathering with over 300 unique Cat creatures over 30 years. The first Cat card, Savannah LionsSavannah Lions, was a 2/1 for – insane value for upwards of 10 years – though Cats didn’t truly shine as a kindred collection until Mirrodin block, when the Leonin race debuted.

Since then, Cats have become an eminently popular addition to Magic, with multiple Secret Lair Drops featuring cards festooned with these furry feline friends (that go for top dollar, of course). But what about Cats in Commander?

Most Cats can be found in the Naya () family, though a handful of blue and black options are present as well. Often, lifegain is a notable pairing for Cat decks, as is token generation – sometimes even paired together on the same cardsame card.

Either way, we can all agree, cats are awesome – both in Magic and in real life – so it’s my pleasure to introduce the 20 best Cats for Commander. So, sharpen those claws, grab some catnip and curl up on your hooman’s lap (or laptop) to explore the finest felines Magic has to offer.

Note: This article is dedicated to my wife and I’s three cats: Molly, Tigress and Henrietta.

Honorable Mentions

King of the PrideKing of the Pride

Unlike Treefolk and Dragons, Cats have no shortage of lords (aka creatures that boost power and toughness and provide a notable keyword or ability to other creatures that share a creature type with them).

This uncommon Cat lord originally from Modern Horizons delivers a tremendous power-and-toughness increase (+2/+1), giving a Savannah LionsSavannah Lions-level power boost to all of your other cats – from lowly 1/1 tokens to curve-topping threats like Nacatl War-PrideNacatl War-Pride or Highcliff FelidarHighcliff Felidar.

Enduring CuriosityEnduring Curiosity

There are very few blue Cat cards in Magic (19 total, only seven that are monoblue), but this Cat Glimmer from Duskmourn: House of Horror certainly delivers an awesome effect for any deck that wants to be attacking a lot – like a Cat-themed deck.

The fact that this card returns as a regular enchantment with the same ability (drawing a card whenever a creature you control deals damage to a foe) is just icing on the glimmering cake.

Jinnie Fay, Jetmir’s SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir’s Second

Let’s say you’re playing a Cat deck that focuses on producing loads of tokens. You’ve got a nifty little token engine in the works, but your 1/1 Cats just don’t look threatening enough. Enter Jinnie Fay!

She can turn all of the tokens you create into 2/2 Cats with haste or 3/1 Dogs with vigilance. Seeing as this is a Cat-related article, you can see what the clearly better choice is.

Brimaz, King of OreskosBrimaz, King of Oreskos

Speaking of token creation, this 3/4 for was a frightening presence in Born of the Gods limited play when it released and it is still a flavorful and strong card in the 99 of a Cat Commander deck. Netting you a 1/1 Cat token whenever it attacks or blocks means you’ll be getting triggers on your turn and (potentially) each of your foes’ turns.

Prava of the Steel LegionPrava of the Steel Legion

Speaking of lords, this Cat doesn’t give a boost just to Cats. Instead, this legendary Cat Soldier gives a whopping +1/+4 to all creature tokens you control – as long as it’s your turn, that is. Boasting the partner keyword (which means you can have two commanders as long as they both have partner) allows this four-mana Cat to pair with any number of quality “bonus” commanders, the best of which might be Ikra Shidiqi, the UsurperIkra Shidiqi, the Usurper.

Top 20 Cat Cards for Commander

20. Qala, Ajani’s PridemateQala, Ajani’s Pridemate

A supercharged Ajani’s PridemateAjani’s Pridemate, this legendary Cat Warrior from Foundations Jumpstart delivers the same “put a +1/+1 counter on this creature when you gain life” ability that is the OG Pridemate’s bread-and-butter but combines it with an activated lifegain ability plus a nifty triggered ability that gives QalaQala's power boost to all other attacking creatures you control. A phenomenal cat, indeed.

19. Kaheera, the OrphanguardKaheera, the Orphanguard

This lord from Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths not only boosts all of your Cats and provides them with vigilance, but it also delivers that same benefit to your Elementals, Nightmares, Dinosaurs, and Beasts. That’s quite a wide swath of critters, and if your deck is full of solely those creature types, you can even activate this card’s Companion benefit.

18. Keeper of FablesKeeper of Fables

Any card in Magic that allows you to draw more cards is usually going to be a card worth playing. When it comes to Cats, this fancy 4/5 for nets you a bonus card whenever one (or more) of your non-Human creatures deals damage to a foe. If you’re playing your Cat deck correctly, that should be every turn, so this card is more or less an auto-include in a thematic Cat deck.

17. Arahbo, the First FangArahbo, the First Fang

The first of two distinct Arahbo cards on this list, this more recent version is a 2/2 for that serves as a Cat lord, giving all Cats you control +1/+1, and it also delivers a 1/1 Cat token whenever it or another nontoken Cat enters the battlefield under your control. Simple, sleek and effective – just the way cats like it.

16. Runadi, Behemoth CallerRunadi, Behemoth Caller

This legendary 2/3 Cat Shaman for from Jumpstart 2022 is a terrific mana dork in decks that want to play mana-intensive threats, thanks to its triggered ability that pings whenever you cast a spell with five or more mana value.

The sweet spot here is playing a creature with mana value seven or higher, as that card gets three +1/+1 counters and gains haste. Pairs well with…

15. Raksha Golden CubRaksha Golden Cub

One of the best lords of all time, this Cat Soldier is supremely underrated. Sure, it lacks any sort of protection and requires an additional card before its effect is activated, but come on, look at that boost! Once equipped, not only does Raksha Golden CubRaksha Golden Cub give a striking +2/+2 to all Cats, it also bestows one of the best keywords of all time: double strike. Also, unlike most lords, this fantastic Cat gives that boon to itself too, so make sure to have some “Equip ” cards lying around, like Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves, ShukoShuko or Leather ArmorLeather Armor if you plan on playing this forgotten seven-mana Cat.

14. Mirri, Weatherlight DuelistMirri, Weatherlight Duelist

Mirri is a notable character from Magic’s long-running Weatherlight saga, and, as such, she has seen three distinct printings over the game’s history: Mirri, Cat WarriorMirri, Cat Warrior from Exodus, Mirri, the CursedMirri, the Cursed from Planar Chaos and, most notably for Commander, Mirri, Weatherlight DuelistMirri, Weatherlight Duelist from Commander 2017. This card begs to be part of an aggressive strategy – perfect for Cat decks – as it forces foes to block with only one creature in combat. MirriMirri also plays terrific defense, as when she’s tapped, opponents can’t attack with more than one creature. A powerful two-way force.

13. Roxanne, Starfall SavantRoxanne, Starfall Savant

Hailing from Outlaws of Thunder Junction, this 4/3 Cat Druid for provides you a nifty ETB and attack trigger by gifting you an artifact that would normally cost .

In addition to that passive damage, RoxanneRoxanne also doubles up any mana produced by artifact tokens – including the MeteoriteMeteorite tokens that she produces. Also, you don’t have to put on the red light!

12. Regal CaracalRegal Caracal

Arguably, the final Cat lord on this list (are eminence creatures lords? Let me know in the comments), Regal CaracalRegal Caracal is a bit pricier than most lords you expect to cast (except for say, Raksha Golden CubRaksha Golden Cub). But the payoff is worth it.

For one thing, you get seven power and toughness for that five mana, the majority of which has lifelink. If you’re playing a lifegain theme in your Cat deck – a highly synergistic and popular option – then this card will make things go ever-so-smoothly.

11. Alms CollectorAlms Collector

This annoying 3/4 for will either completely curtail your foes’ plans or be immediately destroyed out of spite. Imagine an opponent has spent 10 minutes putting together a huge turn and just cast Finale of RevelationFinale of Revelation to draw their entire deck and end the game on the spot.

Instead, you cast this tricky little blighter and your foe is forced to just draw one card, with you getting to draw a card for your troubles. A perfect representation of Cats: they do what they want.

10. Felidar SovereignFelidar Sovereign

When this 4/6 Cat Beast for with vigilance and lifelink was first printed in 2009’s Zendikar expansion, Wizards of the Coast was not designing cards with the Commander format in mind, and the first official Magic Commander product didn’t release until 2011.

As such, a card that wins you the game for having 40 life – handily, the exact life total you start with in the Commander format – wasn’t thought to be overly pushed upon its debut.

Of course, as Commander grew in popularity, so too did the popularity of prevalence of this monowhite lifegain card that fits perfectly into a lifegain-focused Cat deck, for which there are myriad synergies (many of which can be found here).

9. Displacer KittenDisplacer Kitten

Most of the cats on this list are part of fairly straightforward strategies: “produce tons of cat tokens, attack, profit.” Or “obtain equipment, suit up your kitties, profit.”

Not so with this tricksy blue 2/2 Cat Beast for . This Dungeons & Dragons-borne creature’s “avoidance” ability gives it the ability to flicker any nonland permanent you control when you cast a noncreature spell.

As you might expect, this easy-to-abuse ability is part of myriad infinite combos, the most notable (in Commander at least) featuring top-flight Azorius planeswalker Teferi, Time RavelerTeferi, Time Raveler.

An eminently strong card on its own, when you pair him with Displacer Kitten and a mana rock (Sol RingSol Ring specifically) you get infinite draws.

Replace Sol RingSol Ring with another notable ring, The One RingThe One Ring, if you want to gain protection from everything and prevent all damage done to you forever.

8. Ajani, Nacatl Pariah / Ajani, Nacatl AvengerAjani, Nacatl Pariah / Ajani, Nacatl Avenger

The rare Boros () Cat card, this version of Ajani (the first white planeswalkerfirst white planeswalker) begins life as a 1/2 Cat Warrior creature for that delivers you a 2/1 Cat Warrior token and lets you flip it if another Cat you control dies.

If one does, you get the big pay-off: Ajani, Nacatl AvengerAjani, Nacatl Avenger, a three-loyalty planeswalker with three banger abilities – two of which deal directly with Cats.

The first tosses +1/+1 counters on all Cats you control (sweet), and the second produces a 2/1 Cat Warrior token and then deals damage to any target equal to the number of creatures you control.

Its ultimate is an all-player board wipe that can easily leave your foes in the dust if they’re not prepared to face off against some angry jellicles.

7. Lurrus of the Dream-DenLurrus of the Dream-Den

From one rare two-tone cat to another, this Orzhov () Cat Nightmare was just that for WotC’s rules committee when it debuted in 2020.

In fact, the card was deemed so powerful that it was actually banned in Magic’s strongest format, Vintage. This was the first time that a card had to be banned in Vintage due to power level since 1996. It was unbanned nine months later, but still.

However, in Commander, no such bans existed, and this card is generally a bit player in dedicated Cat builds. Of course, if you opt to make this your commander, you can craft some absolutely nasty builds that do include Cat synergies. On an unrelated note, I really wish I had the Multiverse Legends serialized version of this kitty that originally released in Ikoria: Lair of the Behemoths.

6. Ocelot PrideOcelot Pride

One of the best one-drops ever, this 1/1 Cat for might not look like much on the surface, but this little fella is packed to the whiskers with some utterly busted abilities.

First off, a 1/1 with first strike and lifelink is already pretty sweet – at one point, Suntail HawkSuntail Hawk was the peak of value – but it’s this card’s ascend ability (which comes online once you hit 10 permanents) that truly pops.

While you already get a free 1/1 white Cat creature token if you gain life while Ocelot PrideOcelot Pride is in play, if you have the city’s blessing (what happens when you ascend), you get to double up all tokens that came into play during your turn, just like that.

This card plays beautifully with lifegain strategies as well as with white token duplicators such as Ojer TaqOjer Taq, MondrakMondrak and Elspeth, Storm SlayerElspeth, Storm Slayer.

5. Marisi, Breaker of the CoilMarisi, Breaker of the Coil

A sweet Naya commander option for Cat decks, this card has only been printed twice: originally in Commander 2019 and then again as part of The List. This Cat Warrior has an interesting restriction for your foes in that it denies them the opportunity to play spells during combat – meaning that you can fire off your nifty combat tricks with reckless abandon with no chance of a foe ruining your day.

Of course, while that static ability is great, it’s MarisiMarisi's triggered ability that is even spicier.

Goading ALL creatures an opponent controls is a terrific way to help thin the herd and force your foes into making attacks they would prefer not to make.

Even better, if you’re able to hit all three of your opponents at once, they’ll all have to attack each other while you sit back and chill – perhaps leaving the door open for you to swing away unimpeded and win with your furry friends swiftly.

4. Scythecat CubScythecat Cub

One of the best landfall enablers of all time, this card debuted in Foundations Jumpstart and immediately became one of the most valuable cards from that set (currently worth over $30).

It’s easy to see why, as Commander decks are more or less synonymous with taking a few turns to get going via ramping mana, setting up mana rocks, playing supports cards and so on.

Throwing this down in the early game as you fire off CultivateCultivates, Nature’s LoreNature’s Lores and Rampant GrowthRampant Growths – or partnering it with cards that allow you to play more than one land – means you’ll be building up a critical mass of +1/+1 counters on creatures fairly quickly, which will likely go well with your early game Cats.

Sure, they might get nuked via a board wipe, but your foe will be happy they made the trade – Scythecat CubScythecat Cub is just that strong. A query: why does the CubCub have higher power and toughness than its fully grown version (Territorial ScythecatTerritorial Scythecat from Zendikar Rising)?

3. Jetmir, Nexus of RevelsJetmir, Nexus of Revels

An extremely fun four-mana Cat Demon hailing from the Streets of New Capenna set, the Cabaretti Family’s leader is also found on New Capennan currency and he also happens to have a wonky eye, two horns and is the life of the party. Sounds like someone you’d like to hang out with, no?

In Commander, JetmirJetmir is an amazing choice as a Cat commander as the name of the game is getting as many creatures into play as possible.

If you can reach that magical number of nine (you know, like the number of lives cats have?) your creatures will have received +3/+0, vigilance, trample and – the real kicker – double strike.

If you’re able to swing just once with an army of nine creatures with those boosts, even if they’re all just 1/1 Cat Warrior tokens, that’s still a staggering 72 damage your foes have to contemplate dealing with. Sometimes your revelries need a nexus.

2. Ygra, Eater of AllYgra, Eater of All

In a cute, animal-focused set like Bloomburrow, you’d think there would be myriad opportunities to showcase cats – one of the cutest animals of all time. However, the set highlights smaller creatures, such as frogs, lizard, squirrels, rats and mice, with cats only being given two creatures – one being Ygra, Eater of AllYgra, Eater of All, a mythical Calamity Beast found in Valley lore.

In-game, Ygra synergizes extremely well with another renowned black Magic cat, Cauldron FamiliarCauldron Familiar, and can even go infinite with it and Witch’s OvenWitch’s Oven alongside Clock of OmensClock of Omens and an additional FoodFood token.

Overall, YgraYgra is a terrifying threat, as it turns ALL creatures into FoodFood, which can lead to some bonkers shenanigans – as well as a massive YgraYgra that simply needs trample or landwalk to swing in for huge damage out of nowhere. A nifty ward ability adds protection, making this kitty truly purr.

1. Arahbo, Roar of the WorldArahbo, Roar of the World

Much like Dragons, the best Cat creature for the Commander format also happens to be the one that boasts the supremely powerful eminence keyword. Having an ability ping whether a commander is on the battlefield or in the command zone is a massive boon, and the first printing of ArahboArahbo certainly makes that clear.

Giving any Cat a Giant GrowthGiant Growth’s power-and-toughness boost at the beginning of combat every turn is sweet, and then if ArahboArahbo is actually in play, you can double the creature’s total power and tack on trample for . Also, that’s great art for the top Cat of all time.

Another List in the Kitty

There you have it. Cats are very persnickety, particular creatures, and if things aren’t just so, they have a tendency to act out. Similarly in Magic, if given a less-than-ideal situation and supporting cast, Cats can lose quietly. But give them some time and include a few of these fine felines in your Cat deck, and you’ll be well on your way to a post-win Fancy Feast. Thanks for reading!

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