Stinky is Power Girl's mangy, blond-furred tabby cat.
History
Stinky has been sometimes referred to simply as "The Cat", although Guy, Wally, Theodore, or Streaky have been considered until Power Girl settled on "Stinky".[1]
By and large, the creature is wholly unremarkable, but for the fact that it is ugly and universally reviled by nearly anyone who encounters it. Everyone hates it, and most live in fear of it.
Stinky was first discovered inside of a garbage can that Guy Gardner accidentally brought back inside the Justice League headquarters. After scaring Fire, the animal came to blows with Guy himself, and left a lasting impression on the irascible Green Lantern.[2]
The cat disappeared for a short time and was primarily forgotten about, but it eventually returned. Power Girl first came into possession of the animal during her tenure with Justice League Europe where it stayed at the Justice League embassy in Paris, France. Known for its exceptionally bad odor, the cat earned itself the unflattering nickname "stink-bomb". League members often drew straws to see who would end up with the thankless chore of bathing him. The cat always fought against such practices and would invariably leave its mark upon those who tried to clean him. The task was always a futile one, for after coming out of the bathtub, it would usually race outside to roll about in the garbage cans until it acquired it's preferred odor.
At one point, a man named Mister Biggers surreptitiously planted video implants inside the cat so that he could spy on members of the Justice League. This plan proved futile however, as the cat was rarely seen around the League during important matters. The only footage he succeeded in acquiring were mundane events, such as Catherine Cobert and Kilowog discussing plumbing problems, Ralph on the telephone with an agent discussing his memoirs, Ice talking about her love life, Blue Jay taking a nap, etc.[3]
Since the dissolution of the Justice League's international charter, the cat has since taken up residence in Power Girl's quarters at JSA Headquarters in Battery Park, Manhattan. Power Girl took it with her when she eventually moved out of the base.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Intimidation: Due in part to its wretched appearance and also its vicious demeanor, Power Girl's cat has the ability to instill great fear and hatred in anyone it encounters.
- Claws: Though not superhuman by any stretch of the imagination, the cat always has its claws out, ready to swipe at potential prey. Blue Jay in particular, has barely avoided being raked by the beast's claws on more than one occasion.
Other Characteristics
- Missing Eye: The cat is missing its right eye.
Notes
- Stinky is inspired by Supergirl's cat Streaky, which was created by Otto Binder and Jim Mooney in Action Comics #261.
- Stinky reappeared in JSA Classified (Volume 1). Although his fur color was different and he was no longer one-eyed, Kara Zor-L never mentioned to have gotten a new pet, so there's no reason to think he isn't the same character.
Trivia
- During the events of Armageddon 2001, when Waverider was investigating the possible futures of members of Justice League Europe, the Cat scratched against him accidentally and made contact. A future in which Mister Biggers finally used the Cat's intelligence to break into the Justice League Embassy and attempt to steal Mitch Wacky's time machine was revealed. The Cat, remembering its earlier abduction, sought immediate and violent revenge on the two men breaking in, and nearly mauled the two of them before perching on the time machine itself to hiss, causing an explosion when one of the men pulled its gun out and shot at the cat. This explosion would send all of the Leaguers to various different parts of history, including Camelot, the 31st Century, the Hex world, World War II, and the dawning of the Age of Man. This confusing and annoying future was simply avoided by Waverider after perceiving it when he uncovered Mister Biggers' plot.
Recommended Reading
- Supergirl Recommended Reading
- Action Comics (Volume 1)
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- All-Star Comics (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 1)
- Superman Family (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 2)
- Infinity Inc. (Volume 1)
- Power Girl (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 3)
- Supergirl (Volume 4)
- Supergirl (Volume 5)
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1)
- Power Girl (Volume 2)
- Supergirl (Volume 6)
- Worlds' Finest (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 7)
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (Volume 1)
Related
- 48 Appearances of Stinky the Cat (New Earth)
- 11 Images featuring Stinky the Cat (New Earth)
- Quotations by or about Stinky the Cat (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Stinky the Cat (New Earth)
Footnotes
  This character is or was a close ally of Power Girl. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Power Girl Supporting Cast" category. |
 Superman Family member |
 This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |