Of all the changes included inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, one of the most lauded has been the way its narrative is given more room to breathe while spotlighting characters that were not given much development in the PS1 original. The end result of this enhancement is that small, human moments from the game are capable of carrying just as much poignance as the main story beats. In the extended sections ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remakethat take place across the Midgar slums, one particular side quest involving the rescue of stray cats holds a special place in many fans' hearts.
Assigned to Cloud by the Midgar Sector 7 Slums resident Betty in Chapter 3, the “Lost Friends” side quest sees players navigating the interconnected alleyways of the slums to track down three missing cats. The pathos of the quest comes through in the gruff mercenary’s willingness to help a little girl find her feline friends, as well as Cloud’s kindness toward the cats themselves. There’s even a dead end that players may stumble upon during the quest which reveals Sector 7’s “cat corner” - the place where all strays congregate. In the upcomingsecond installment of theFinal Fantasy 7remaketrilogy,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,there are perfect ways to use more cats in side quests and the world at large.
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Final Fantasy 7 Should Mark the Proper Introduction of Cait Sith
Players ofFF7 Remakewere granted a brief cameo of Cait Sith during the destruction of the Sector 7 slums, but the character should have a full introduction inRebirthif the second entry adheres to its source material. Theending ofFF7 RemakeshowedSquare Enix was not afraid to branch off from the narrative of the original. Whether Cait Sith is brought into the party during the Golden Saucer segment, or ifRebirthwill even include the mega amusement park at all, is up in the air. Regardless of when the feline part member is introduced, the character’s inclusion inRebirthwould give cause for more cat-themed side quests.
Cait Sith in the originalFinal Fantasy 7was an animatronic cat controlled by a deep-cover Shinra operative, but the remake trilogy may change this backstory. If the character ends up being reworked into an actual feline party member (perhaps one attracted by Cloud’s previous helpfulness), there’s potential for humorous and creative cat-centric side content that players could pursue in an effort to enhance the character’s stats and abilities. After all, one of the defining features of cats is that they’re expertly skilled at getting humans to work on their behalf.
Adding Cats and Cat-themed Content Into Final Fantasy 7’s World
There is an area located in the Ehime Prefecture of Japan known as Aoshima or, more commonly, “Cat Island.” It is one of six such islands around Japan where felines outnumber humans at considerable ratios. With Cloud and the rest of his party reaching the outskirts of Midgarby the conclusion ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, there is a wide world of possibility regarding the locations and areas that players will visit in the upcoming sequel. Having two feline-adjacent party members (Red 13 and Cait Sith) seems a compelling reason to have players spend at least part of a chapter in an in-game location that mirrors or references Aoshima.
Additionally, with two party members who are either literal cats or at least some type of large feline,Rebirthshould lean into the use of cat-themed limit breaks, skills, and accessories that accentuate this distinction. Cait Sith could have a limit break where an army of stray cats stampedes over the enemy, for example. The Internet is full of cat owners sharing their love for the domesticated animal alongside countless memes, andRebirthshould capitalize on the love of cats it already hinted atinFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s side quest.
