Cactus Cat

This lean feline creature is studded from head to toe with long, thin spines. Its ears are tufted like a lynx’s. Its forelegs have embedded within them long blades of bone, and its whip like tail is covered in barbs.

Taken from the Creature Codex

Cactus cats are ornery predators of the sandy deserts. They are violent and territorial creatures, and humanoids that cross their path are typically met with violence. The victims of a cactus cat are rarely eaten, merely left behind to mummify in the sun as a warning. Most of a cactus cat’s prey comes in the form of small animals, like jackrabbits and rattlesnakes.

Cactus cats get their moniker both from their prickly hide and from their predilection for certain species of cactus. Cactus cats will slash at the trunks of cactuses with their boneblades and let the sap ooze out and ferment into an alcoholic paste. This paste is then consumed, sending the cactus cat into a drunken revel. These bacchanalia are typically the only time when two cactus cats can stand to be in each others company long enough to mate. Cactus cats will go out of their way to waylay travelers if they smell alcohol on them. A cactus cat is about the size of a large cougar, although they are leaner.

Cactus Cat            CR 5

XP 1,600
CN Medium magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +4, scent

Defense

AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 51 (6d10+18)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +1
Defensive Abilities barbs

Offense

Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d4+2), 2 boneblades +8 (1d8+2), tail +6 (1d4+1 plus pain)

Statistics

Str 15, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 4, Wis9, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Step Up
Skills Acrobatics +8 (+16 jumping), Perception +4, Stealth +8
SQ sand stride

Ecology

Environment warm deserts
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Barbs (Ex) any creature striking a cactus cat with a melee or natural weapon takes 1d4+2 damage from the creature’s barbs. Weapons with exceptional reach do not endanger their wielder in this way.
Pain (Ex) a creature struck by a cactus cat’s tail attack must succeed a DC 15 Fortitude save or take be sickened for 1 minute. Multiple strikes of a cactus cat’s tail do not stack, but resets the duration on a failed save. This is a pain effect. The save DC is Strength based.
Sand Stride (Ex) a cactus cat can move through any natural difficult terrain in a desert without penalty. Magically altered terrain affects a cactus cat as normal.