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For other uses, see Guppy (disambiguation).

Dead Cat is a passive item.

Effects

Upon pickup, Isaac's health is set to one Heart Container (even if the deal would take him to 0 hearts), and he is given 9 lives along with a cosmetic cat head familiar. His health can be increased as normal, but it will reset to 1 heart container upon death (unless the maximum heart containers went off-screen, in which case, Isaac will respawn with those extra heart containers).

Interactions

  • It's possible to pick up two Dead Cats in a Curse Room by opening a Red Chest, not picking up Dead Cat, and then opening the other Red Chest. Picking up a second Dead Cat will reset Isaac's lives back to 9 and reset heart containers to 1.
  • If Ankh is picked up after Dead Cat, the next time you die you will become ??? with 4 soul hearts no red hearts per Ankh's effect. If you die again, you will return to being your original character with one red heart.
    • In 1.48 version, picking up Dead Cat and after the Ankh then die two times (one time for the Ankh to activate first, and then the second time for the Dead Cat to do so), you will stay as ???, and not return to your original character. Even if the player is ???, he will still have one Red Hearts container.

Synergies

  • Guppy's Paw - Dead Cat has good synergy with Guppy's Paw, as each life effectively means three soul hearts for a total of twenty-seven soul hearts. As such, it is a good idea to hang onto Guppy's paw if Dead Cat is already collected.

Notes

  • When Dead Cat is picked up and the player only has Soul Hearts (with the exception of ???), Dead Cat actually gives the player a permanent red heart container and does not take away the previously obtained Soul Hearts. This is useful if, for example, a Devil deal has left the player with no red hearts - Dead Cat essentially becomes an HP item.
  • Each death still adds the death count on the stat page.
  • In the Wrath of the Lamb DLC, Dead Cat has a 14.3% chance to drop from Super Pride and 2% chance to appear when opening Red Chests.
  • In the Wrath of the Lamb DLC, when combined with two other Guppy items (Guppy's Tail, Guppy's Head or Guppy's Paw), Isaac will turn into Guppy. He will also gain The Mulligan effect and flight.

Related Achievements

Trivia

  • The item's pickup quote and granting the player 9 lives is a reference to a common cat myth.

Bugs

  • After defeating a boss, Isaac can kill himself with a Bomb or something similar, respawn outside the Boss Room, and fight the boss again for another item. Items that appear after defeating the boss can either be picked up or left in place (for items that increase heart containers it is generally better to leave them in place, since heart containers are reset to one on death by Dead Cat, and you can pick up all of these items at once after you are done). This can be repeated as long as you have enough lives. Killing bosses like It Lives and Mom's Heart with each life will also count as beating the game that many times. This has been fixed in v1.666.
    • Doing this can possibly turn the boss into its Champion version, since it is determined upon entering the room.
    • If the first boss in an XL floor is a Harbinger, killing yourself, respawning, and then entering the boss room again will show the incorrect Boss vs. screen picture, and the reward will be an item from the next boss' pool.
    • Using this method on a Harbinger while not in an XL floor will make Cube of Meat spawn multiple times, which can give the player 2 fully formed meat boys if all 8 lives are used on that boss.
Items
Passive Items Tear Modifiers: The Inner EyeSpoon BenderMy ReflectionSkatoleCube of MeatCupid's ArrowDr. FetusMom's EyeWiggle WormTechnologyChocolate MilkLoki's HornsLittle ChubbySpider's BiteThe Common ColdThe ParasiteMom's ContactsMom's KnifeOuija BoardBrimstoneA Lump of Coal

(Wrath of the Lamb DLC: IPECACTough LoveTechnology 2Mutant SpiderEpic FetusPolyphemusSacred Heart)

Stat Ups: The Sad OnionMax's HeadNumber OneBlood of the MartyrMagic MushroomRoid RageRaw LiverLunchDinnerDessertBreakfastRotten MeatWooden SpoonThe BeltMom's UnderwearMom's HeelsMom's LipstickWire Coat HangerStevenPentagramThe MarkGrowth HormonesMini MushroomThe PactSmall RockSuper BandageRobo-BabyLittle C.H.A.D.Little GishLittle SteveThe RelicThe HaloMoney Equals PowerBlood BagOdd Mushroom (Thin)Odd Mushroom (Large)Whore Of BabylonBucket Of Lard
(Wrath of the Lamb DLC: StigmataSpeed BallChemical PeelBloody LustCat-O-Nine-TailsStem CellsTooth PicksSMB Super Fan!MEAT!Magic 8 BallSqueezyJesus Juice)

Familiars and Orbitals: Brother BobbyHalo Of FliesDistant AdmirationSister MaggyGuardian AngelDemon BabyDead BirdForever AloneSack Of PenniesBomb Bag
(Wrath of the Lamb DLC: Bum FriendThe PeeperGhost BabyHarlequin BabyDaddy LonglegsSacrificial DaggerRainbow BabyHoly WaterGuppy's Hair BallAbel)

Others: 1UPThe VirusLess Than ThreeSkeleton KeyA DollarA QuarterBoom!TranscendenceThe CompassPHDRosaryXRay VisionLucky FootMagnetoTreasure MapThe LadderCharm Of The VampireThe BatterySteam SaleDead CatLord Of The PitSpelunker HatMr. MegaThe Wafer9 VoltBobby-Bomb
(Wrath of the Lamb DLC: Guppy's TailMom's PurseBob's CursePageant BoyScapularInfestationThe MulliganHabitSpirit Of The NightAnkhCeltic CrossMitreFateThe Black BeanHoly GrailDead DovePyro3 Dollar BillMom's Coin PurseBox)

Activated Items Base Items: The PoopMr. BoomTammy's HeadMom's BraKamikazeMom's PadBob's Rotten HeadTeleport!My Little UnicornYum HeartDoctor's RemoteShoop Da Whoop!Lemon MishapThe HourglassThe NailWe Need To Go Deeper!Deck of CardsMonstro's ToothThe GamekidMom's Bottle of PillsThe DiceThe Pinking ShearsThe BeanDead Sea ScrollsRazor BladeForget Me NowA Pony

(Wrath of the Lamb DLC: Guppy's PawIV BagBest FriendRemote DetonatorGuppy's HeadPrayer CardNotched AxeCrystal BallCrack The SkyThe CandleD20Spider ButtDad's KeyPortable SlotWhite PonyBlood Rights)

Books: The BibleThe Book of BelialThe NecronomiconBook Of RevelationsBook of ShadowsAnarchist CookbookThe Book Of SinMonster Manuel
(Wrath of the Lamb DLC: Telepathy for Dummies)

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