Meowth evolves into Persian at level 28 through standard level-up evolution, but this only applies to the original Kantonian form. The evolution picture becomes considerably more complex when you factor in the regional variants introduced over the years. Alolan Meowth requires high friendship to evolve into Alolan Persian, while Galarian Meowth evolves into an entirely different species called Perrserker at level 28.
For collectors tracking cards across generations, understanding these distinct evolutionary paths matters because each variant has its own card pool and pricing dynamics. The cat-like Scratch Cat Pokemon holds Pokedex number 052 and first appeared in Generation I back in 1996. What makes Meowth particularly notable among collectors is that it stands as one of the few Pokemon with three distinct regional variants, each with unique typing and evolution requirements. This article covers how each Meowth form evolves, the differences between Persian and Perrserker, the special case of Gigantamax Meowth, and what these variations mean for card collectors building complete sets.
Table of Contents
- How Does Each Meowth Regional Variant Evolve Differently?
- Understanding the Persian Versus Perrserker Split
- The Special Case of Gigantamax Meowth
- Collecting Strategies Across All Meowth Forms
- Common Mistakes When Evolving or Collecting Meowth
- Meowth’s Unique Position Among Regional Variant Pokemon
- Future Possibilities for Meowth Variants
- Conclusion
How Does Each Meowth Regional Variant Evolve Differently?
The original Kantonian Meowth follows the simplest evolution path in the franchise. Train it to level 28, and it automatically evolves into Persian. No friendship requirements, no held items, no time-of-day restrictions. This straightforward approach reflects the design philosophy of Generation I, where most evolutions relied purely on reaching a specific level. Cards featuring Kantonian Meowth and Persian remain the most widely available across all sets, from Base Set through modern releases. Alolan Meowth breaks from this pattern entirely by requiring high friendship rather than a specific level. Introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon in 2016, this Dark-type variant evolves into Alolan Persian only when your bond with it reaches a sufficient threshold.
Building that friendship involves walking with the Pokemon outside its Poke Ball, winning battles together, and using vitamins. The evolution can theoretically happen at any level once friendship is high enough, making it unpredictable compared to level-based evolution. For example, a well-treated Alolan Meowth could evolve as early as level 15 or as late as level 40 depending on how players interact with it. Galarian Meowth presents the most dramatic departure from the standard formula. This Steel-type variant, introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield in 2019, evolves into Perrserker rather than any form of Persian. The lore explains that after living with Viking-like seafarers for generations, its body partially turned to iron, fundamentally changing what it becomes. Perrserker maintains the level 28 evolution threshold but represents a completely separate species from Persian, complete with its own Pokedex entry and distinct card appearances.
Understanding the Persian Versus Perrserker Split
The existence of Perrserker creates an interesting situation for collectors because Galarian Meowth cannot evolve into any form of Persian under any circumstances. Each regional form can only evolve into its designated evolution, meaning you cannot use friendship tricks or special items to make a Galarian Meowth become a Steel-type Persian. The games simply do not allow cross-variant evolution paths. This split affects card collecting in practical ways. Sets featuring Galarian Pokemon include Perrserker cards that have no equivalent in Kantonian or Alolan card pools.
Collectors aiming for complete evolutionary lines need to track three separate chains: Kantonian Meowth to Persian, Alolan Meowth to Alolan Persian, and Galarian Meowth to Perrserker. However, if you are collecting based on the Meowth family rather than regional Pokedex completion, you might reasonably exclude Perrserker since it represents a divergent species rather than a variant of the same Pokemon. The pricing implications vary by market. Persian cards generally command modest prices outside of rare vintage printings, while Alolan Persian cards from the Sun and Moon era occupy a middle ground. Perrserker cards benefit from recency and the novelty of being a distinct species, though supply from Sword and Shield sets remains relatively high. Collectors should note that completing all three evolutionary lines requires cards from at least three different generation releases.
The Special Case of Gigantamax Meowth
Gigantamax Meowth arrived as a special event distribution in Pokemon Sword and Shield, offering players an elongated version of the classic cat Pokemon with access to the exclusive G-Max Gold Rush move. The critical limitation that collectors and players need to understand is that Gigantamax Meowth cannot evolve into Persian at all. Attempting to level it past 28 simply results in a higher-level Meowth that retains its Gigantamax capability. This creates an unusual dynamic where the Gigantamax factor essentially locks Meowth into its base form permanently. For players who want both a Gigantamax Meowth and a Persian, they need two separate specimens.
The breeding mechanics add another layer of complexity: offspring of Gigantamax Meowth are regular Meowth that can evolve normally but lose the Gigantamax capability entirely. You cannot breed for a Gigantamax-capable Meowth that can also evolve. Cards depicting Gigantamax Meowth appear in specific Sword and Shield expansion sets and typically show the dramatically stretched body characteristic of this form. These cards occupy their own niche in collections since they represent a form that exists outside the normal evolutionary chain. Prices for Gigantamax Meowth cards depend heavily on the specific printing and whether it includes special artwork or texture treatments.
Collecting Strategies Across All Meowth Forms
Building a comprehensive Meowth collection requires deciding between depth and breadth. A depth-focused approach might target every printing of Kantonian Meowth across all sets, from the original Base Set card through the latest standard releases. This could include dozens of cards with varying artwork, rarity levels, and special printings like reverse holos or full arts. Alternatively, a breadth-focused approach collects one representative card from each form: Kantonian, Alolan, Galarian, and Gigantamax. The tradeoff between these strategies involves both budget and storage considerations.
Depth collecting for a single popular Pokemon like Meowth can become expensive when chasing vintage cards in near-mint condition, particularly the original Japanese and English Base Set printings. Breadth collecting costs less overall but requires tracking releases across multiple generations and staying current with new sets that might introduce additional variants or special printings. A middle-ground approach that many collectors find satisfying involves completing each evolutionary line once in the best affordable condition. This means obtaining Meowth and Persian from Base Set or an early expansion, Alolan Meowth and Alolan Persian from Sun and Moon releases, Galarian Meowth and Perrserker from Sword and Shield sets, and a Gigantamax Meowth card from its respective expansion. This strategy captures the full evolutionary story without requiring exhaustive completion of every variant printing.
Common Mistakes When Evolving or Collecting Meowth
One frequent error players make involves attempting to evolve Gigantamax Meowth and becoming confused when nothing happens at level 28. The game provides no explicit warning that this particular Meowth cannot evolve, leading to wasted experience or frustration. If you specifically want Persian for competitive play or Pokedex completion, avoid using your Gigantamax Meowth and instead catch or breed a standard Kantonian version. Collectors sometimes misidentify regional variant cards, particularly when artwork does not clearly distinguish between forms. Alolan Meowth has darker fur with blue-gray coloring, while Galarian Meowth appears more rugged with a distinctive beard-like fur pattern.
Kantonian Meowth maintains the classic cream-colored coat familiar from the anime. Card text usually specifies the regional form, but older or foreign-language cards may require closer inspection to properly categorize. Another limitation worth noting involves transferring Pokemon between games. Regional variants only appear in games that support them, meaning you cannot send an Alolan Meowth to a Generation I virtual console game or a Galarian Meowth to Sun and Moon. This affects collectors who track both cards and games, as complete collections require access to multiple platforms and releases to encounter all forms in their native environments.
Meowth’s Unique Position Among Regional Variant Pokemon
Very few Pokemon share Meowth’s distinction of having three separate regional variants with different evolution outcomes. Most Pokemon with regional forms, such as Vulpix or Sandshrew, simply have Kantonian and one alternate form that evolves into a regional version of the same species. Meowth breaks this pattern by including Perrserker as a completely separate evolutionary endpoint. For example, Alolan Vulpix evolves into Alolan Ninetales, which is still recognizably Ninetales with Ice/Fairy typing.
Galarian Meowth evolves into something that shares no design lineage with Persian at all. This uniqueness gives Meowth collections added interest for completionists. The family represents not just type variations but actual speciation within the Pokemon world, where one base form can lead to fundamentally different creatures depending on regional origin. Cards capturing this diversity tell a broader story about Pokemon biology and adaptation than most single-species collections can offer.
Future Possibilities for Meowth Variants
Given the pattern established across generations, additional Meowth variants remain possible in future releases. Each new region introduced in mainline games creates opportunities for regional forms, and Meowth has proven popular enough to receive continued attention from Game Freak. Whether future variants would evolve into new Persian forms or diverge into additional unique species like Perrserker remains speculative, but the precedent exists for either direction.
Collectors anticipating future releases might consider maintaining flexibility in how they organize Meowth collections. Leaving space for potential new variants prevents the need to restructure binders or display cases when the next generation inevitably expands the family tree. The franchise shows no signs of abandoning regional variants as a concept, making Meowth a likely candidate for continued expansion given its iconic status and existing variant diversity.
Conclusion
Meowth’s evolution depends entirely on which regional variant you have: Kantonian evolves into Persian at level 28, Alolan requires high friendship to become Alolan Persian, and Galarian evolves into the distinct species Perrserker at level 28. Gigantamax Meowth stands apart by being unable to evolve at all, trading evolutionary potential for access to the exclusive G-Max Gold Rush move. Understanding these distinctions matters for both gameplay and collecting purposes.
For card collectors, the Meowth family offers unusual depth through its three regional variants and their separate evolutionary endpoints. Building a complete collection requires sourcing cards across multiple generations and carefully distinguishing between forms that can appear similar at first glance. Whether pursuing comprehensive completion or selecting representative cards from each form, Meowth provides one of the more interesting collecting challenges among common Pokemon due to its evolutionary complexity.
