Cat Viper, also known as Nekomamushi in Japanese, is one of the two rulers of the Mink Tribe introduced in the One Piece series. Along with his sworn brother Inuarashi, also known as Dogstorm, Cat Viper leads the Mink Tribe on Zou and commands the Musketeers. He ate the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard Devil Fruit which allows him to transform into a leopard-human hybrid. Cat Viper and Dogstorm both served under Kozuki Oden during his travels with the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates 20 years ago. They consider themselves retainers of the Kozuki Family and helped protect Raizo after he arrived on Zou. Cat Viper plays a major role when the Straw Hats reach Zou and helps them on their mission to take down Kaido. His design and transformation abilities have made him a popular character among One Piece fans.
Source: https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Nekomamushi
Cat Viper’s Background
Cat Viper, whose real name is Nekomamushi, is one of the minks and a ruler of the Mokomo Dukedom along with his childhood friend Dogstorm.[1] He and Dogstorm were abandoned as children and later took in by Pedro and Zepo of the Nox Pirates. They traveled together and eventually returned to Zou to take it back from Jack of the Beasts Pirates. Cat Viper and Dogstorm fought for 5 days straight against Jack until they were poisoned by Jack’s gas weapons.[2]
After recovering from the poison, Cat Viper left Zou to search for a cure for his people who had also been poisoned. He traveled with the Straw Hat Pirates to Whole Cake Island where he helped them retrieve Sanji and a copy of the Road Poneglyph rubbing. Cat Viper continues to rule over Zou alongside Dogstorm, protecting the minks from threats.[3]
Cat Viper’s Abilities
Cat Viper is one of the strongest minks and a powerful warrior. He does not possess a devil fruit, but has formidable fighting abilities.
Cat Viper is an expert in Electro, a powerful mink martial art that utilizes electricity. He can channel electricity through his claws and fangs to deliver powerful shocks to his opponents [1]. His Electro attacks are strong enough to incapacitate the mighty Jack, one of Kaido’s Lead Performers [2].
In addition, Cat Viper has immense physical strength and dexterity. He easily flipped the mammoth form of Jack over and slammed him to the ground [2]. His claws are sharp enough to clash against sword blades. Combined with Electro, his claws can shred through defenses.
Cat Viper can also access his Sulong form under the full moon. In this state, his physical abilities are enhanced even further with immense speed and power. His Electro also becomes stronger in Sulong form, making him a formidable fighter.
Cat Viper and the Mink Tribe
Cat Viper is one of the top leaders of the Mink Tribe, along with his childhood friend Dogstorm. As one of the Duke ranks, Cat Viper commands great respect and loyalty amongst the Mink Tribe, who view him as a great warrior and leader (Source).
Cat Viper and Dogstorm have ruled Zou together for many years, protecting the Mink Tribe from threats like pirates and the Beast Pirates. When Jack and the Beast Pirates invaded Zou in search of Raizo, Cat Viper and Dogstorm led the Minks in battle. Even though they were ultimately defeated, Cat Viper’s strength and bravery earned him the admiration of the tribe (Source).
Despite occasional disagreements with Dogstorm, Cat Viper cares deeply for the wellbeing of the Minks. He is extremely loyal to his tribe and fellow Minks, and they view him as a great leader worthy of their respect and allegiance.
Cat Viper’s Bounty
As of yet in the One Piece story, Cat Viper does not have an official bounty placed on his head by the World Government. He is the leader of the Mink Tribe on Zou and works closely with the Kozuki Family of Wano Country, which puts him in opposition to the World Government. However, since Zou and Wano are both isolated nations, Cat Viper has been able to avoid direct confrontation and being labelled an international criminal.
Though he doesn’t have a bounty himself, Cat Viper leads the powerful Whale Forest Guardians who have fought against infamous pirates like Jack of the Beasts Pirates, who has a bounty of 1 billion berries. Cat Viper in his Sulong form was able to fight Jack for 5 days straight before they were forced to retreat. This speaks to his combat abilities being potentially on the level of high bounty pirates.
As Cat Viper gets more directly involved in the conflict against the World Government and continues to support Luffy’s goals, he may eventually gain his own bounty. For now though, he remains free of one.
Why Characters Get Bounties
In the One Piece world, bounties are issued by the Marines and the World Government against individuals that threaten their power. Bounties are usually placed on pirates, but can also be issued to revolutionaries, bandits, and other criminals. The general rule is that the higher the bounty, the greater the threat the criminal poses to the World Government.
Bounties are calculated based on the individual’s threat level, which is influenced by their combat abilities, destructive acts, and ability to influence others. Causing civilian casualties, disrupting government activities, defeating powerful opponents, and establishing dangerous alliances can all raise a character’s bounty. Bounties typically continue to rise as the individual gains infamy.
According to One Piece Wiki, bounties are usually only retracted if the criminal is captured, killed, or dies. However, bounties may be frozen if the threat is contained (like being imprisoned) and can be reinstated if they become a threat again.
Notable Bounties
Some of the most notable bounties in One Piece include:
– Monkey D. Luffy: With a bounty of 3 billion berries, Luffy has one of the highest known bounties in the series. He earned this massive bounty after defeating two of the Four Emperors.
– Roronoa Zoro: As Luffy’s first mate, Zoro has a bounty of 1.1 billion berries. His skills with a sword make him a formidable pirate.
– Vinsmoke Sanji: The crew’s cook has a bounty of 1.032 billion berries, not far behind Zoro. His fighting style makes full use of his legs.
– Jinbe: The helmsman of the Straw Hat Pirates has a bounty of 438 million berries for his past as a Shichibukai.
– Charlotte Katakuri: With a bounty of 1.057 billion, he has the highest known bounty of the Big Mom Pirates.
Bounty Power Levels
While bounties are not a direct indication of a character’s power level or strength, they do generally correlate to some degree. Characters with higher bounties tend to be stronger fighters and greater threats to the World Government (source). For example, the Yonko, who are considered among the most powerful pirates, all have bounties in the billions.
However, bounties are influenced by other factors besides just combat ability, like threat to the World Government, crimes committed, and notoriety. So they should not be treated as strict power levels (source). Weaker characters can also have inflated bounties due to associations or getting credit for other’s actions.
Overall, higher bounties typically indicate greater strength and threat level, but numerous exceptions exist. Bounties provide a general sense of power rather than an absolute scale.
Future Bounty Prospects
Cat Viper currently does not have an official bounty, but there is speculation among fans that he could receive one in the future. As one of the leaders of the Mink Tribe and a powerful martial artist, Cat Viper played a major role in the battle against Kaido and the Beasts Pirates during the Wano Arc. Though the Minks were allied with the Straw Hats and Heart Pirates, the World Government may still view Cat Viper as a threat.
On Reddit, fans have predicted that Cat Viper could receive a bounty ranging from 500 million to 1 billion berries after the events in Wano (Source). His fighting abilities, reputation, and leadership position make him a prime candidate for a high bounty. The World Government also has a history of assigning bounties to those who oppose them, even if they are not pirates.
Ultimately, while Cat Viper does not currently have a bounty, it seems likely he will receive one in the future as a result of his actions and status as a powerful figure opposed to the World Government and Navy. The exact amount is hard to predict, but would likely place him among the top-tier bounties in the One Piece world.
Conclusion
In summary, Cat Viper, who is one of the mink rulers of Zou along with his trusted partner Dogstorm, currently does not have a bounty on his head. As a powerful mink and ally of the Straw Hat Pirates, he has formidable combat abilities and leadership skills that could warrant a high bounty. However, since he resides in the isolated nation of Zou and maintains a low profile outside of Wano, the World Government has not assigned a bounty to him.
The lack of a bounty does not indicate weakness or insignificance for Cat Viper. Rather, it reflects that the full extent of his powers has not been revealed to the World Government yet. With his critical aid to the Straw Hats and central role in the Onigashima Raid, Cat Viper’s visibility is increasing. If he continues actively opposing the World Government and assisting “threats” like Luffy, a bounty for Cat Viper may materialize in the future.
For now, Cat Viper’s mysterious abilities and kingdom leadership likely deter the World Government from unnecessarily provoking him and his mink subjects. He enjoys relative autonomy in Zou without need for an active bounty. However, as the New World saga escalates, that untouchable status could change. Cat Viper’s lack of a current bounty does not diminish his strength – it simply signifies calm before a storm of future clashes with the marines.
