Petey

Petey the Cat (often just called Petey) is a central character in Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man book series (a spin-off from Captain Underpants). He starts as the main antagonist—self-proclaimed “World’s Most Evilest Cat”—but evolves into a deuteragonist and reformed (though still grumpy) good guy, largely due to his son/clone Li’l Petey.

Appearance

Petey is an anthropomorphic ginger (orange) cat with distinctive black stripes running from his shoulders down his back and along his tail. His eyes are typically drawn as simple vertical black lines (like most characters in the series), with no visible irises. He has whiskers on his cheeks—specifically, as of A Tale of Two Kitties, his right cheek has only two whiskers while the left has three. His tail has a flat tip (unlike other family members). He has a tall, lanky build.

In the 2025 Dog Man movie adaptation, his design is slightly adjusted with crooked whiskers and green eyes.

Personality

Petey is highly intelligent, inventive, and quick-witted, often using clever manipulation and gadgets for his schemes. He has a hot-headed, irritable temper, easily annoyed by small inconveniences, immaturity, or “ditsy” behavior (e.g., from characters like Molly). This leads to frequent outbursts and stress.

Early on, he’s cunning, vengeful, and power-hungry, viewing life as a competition to dominate. Despite this, he occasionally shows flashes of empathy. His arc involves significant growth: becoming a single father softens him, making him more thoughtful, protective, and determined to improve. Official descriptions capture this well:

• “Once known as the World's Most Evilest Cat, Petey is now working on becoming a better version of himself.” (Strength: Intelligence; Weakness: Easily Annoyed)
• “He used to be an irritable, impatient bad guy. But when his son arrived, Petey became determined to change his ways. Now he's an irritable, impatient good guy.”

He remains sarcastic and flawed but prioritizes family and does heroic acts when needed.

Backstory and Role

Petey’s tragic past shapes him: abandoned by his father as a kitten, he and his mother (who inspires aspects of Li’l Petey) lived in poverty at the Happy Home Shelter. His mother died of illness when he was young, leaving him orphaned. He faced rejection after trying to reform in jail, pushing him back to villainy.

He has a long criminal history, including teaming up with (and betraying) Rip Van Tinkle in Super Diaper Baby 2. In the Dog Man series, he’s Dog Man’s arch-nemesis, building robots and plotting crimes, until he clones himself in A Tale of Two Kitties, creating Li’l Petey. The clone’s pure-hearted nature ultimately redeems Petey, leading him to reform around Brawl of the Wild and beyond.

He lives in his secret lab (later “Petey & Son”), filled with inventions, and has complex relationships—rival-turned-ally with Dog Man, deeply loving father to Li’l Petey, and often annoyed by others.

Petey is inspired by Dav Pilkey’s own childhood struggles with behavior and reading, with his mother’s support mirrored in the story. He’s a complex, humorous character blending villainy, redemption, and relatable flaws, making him a fan favorite.