NIELS
Real Name: Niels
Identity/Class: Terrestrial fauna (felis silvestris catus) mutate
Occupation: Pet
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Justin Baldwin, Dr. Nicholas Benson, Laura Dunham, Jim Hammond, Mike Jeffries, Madelyne Naylor, New Warriors (Firestar/Angelica Jones, Helix/Rafael Carago, Hindsight/Carlton LaFroyge, Justice/Vance Astrovik, Powerhouse/Alex Power, Timeslip/, Turbo/Mickey Musashi), Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Reptil (Humberto Lopez), Richard Rider, Speedball (Robert Baldwin), Speedball (Darrion Grobe) of Earth-9485, Timeslip (Rina Patel), Trauma (Terrence Ward), unidentified scientists
Enemies: Clyde
Bodtchik, Claude,
Mad Thinker, S.H.I.E.L.D., "Speedball
Revenge Squad" (Basher,
Bonehead, Bug-Eyed
Voice/Arthur Bigelow, Ghost
of Springdale High/Fred Caskey, Harlequin
Hit Man, Leaper
Logan, Sticker/Foxworth,
Two-Legged
Rat);
indirectly Greithoth (Absorbing Man/Carl Creel), Skirn
(Titania/Mary MacPherran)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: P-Cat, the Penitent Puss, Bouncing Cat
Base of Operations: Camp Hammond in Stamford,
Connecticut;
formerly Infinite Avengers Mansion;
formerly Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. in Stamford, Connecticut;
formerly Crash Pad in Manhattan, New York City;
formerly an apartment in Manhattan, New York City;
formerly Baldwin residence in Springdale, Connecticut;
formerly Hammond Research Lab in Springdale,
Connecticut
First Appearance: Speedball#1/2 (September, 1988)
Powers/Abilities: Niels projects an energy field around him that absorbs, amplifies and redirects kinetic energy. This field activates with any impact, causing him to rebound and bounce at high speeds, usually in the opposite direction. When the field is active, he is immune to physical harm, and is surrounded by multi-colored kinetic energy "bubbles." On at least one occasion, Niels coughed up a hairball that was imbued with enough kinetic energy to do massive damage upon impact. Niels has sharp teeth and claws, and senses of hearing and smell more acute than humans. He can see in the dark, yet has terrible depth perception and trouble seeing colors or immobile objects. He is an excellent hunter with quick reflexes, is very agile, flexible and always lands on his feet.
Height: 1'2" (at the shoulder)
Weight: 10 lbs.
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: Orange
History:
(New Warriors Annual I#1/4 (fb) - BTS) - Benson regularly fed Niels with
white mice at the lab.
(Speedball#6/2 (fb) - BTS) - Robbie fed Niels whenever Benson forgot to.
(Speedball#1/2) - At Hammond Research Lab Robbie Baldwin was packing up bottles and other trash with Dr. Benson and nearly stepped on Niels because he was underfoot, which he liked to do according to Benson. He kept strolling around Robbie, who was cleaning up, while Benson went to the lab for a big experiment, which got out of control.
(Damage Control II#3 (fb)/New Warriors Annual I#1/4 (fb)) - Niels and Robbie were both hit by the extradimensional energy and mutated.
(Speedball#2 (fb) - BTS) - Benson noticed that Niels acted weird and ran some tests on him. He discovered an energy field forming around the cat that almost acted like a cushion. Niels ran off before Benson could run more tests. Benson asked Robbie, unaware that he had also been exposed and mutated by the energy, to catch Niels for him.
(Speedball#2) - Robbie tried to catch Niels, but it proved harder than expected because Niels jumped around so much. Robbie gave up for the moment.
Robbie later saw Niels outside and tried to catch him again because he believed his own future depended on understanding what had happened to him and Niels. Niels ran around a dark corner and jumped up a roof, but Robbie searched for him in some boxes on the ground and even promised him some fish. Niels wasn't inside any of the boxes and just strutted away on the roof.
(Speedball#3 (fb) - BTS) - Benson asked his assistant Claude to catch Niels as well.
(Speedball#3) - Robbie and Claude ran after Niels, but Claude got so angry that he threw a hammer at the cat. Robbie was nearly hit and tripped while Niels got away unharmed. Robbie reminded Claude that they were supposed to catch Niels and not harm him. Claude promised that he wouldn't hurt Niels and continued his hunt for the cat.
At the labs Niels jumped around a few boxes and surprised Robbie, who had no time to chase the cat.
Robbie later returned to the lab and saw Claude throw away a bag. He was afraid that Claude had killed Niels, but it was only a rat. Niels jumped by and escaped Robbie once again.
(Speedball#4) - Niels was on the run from Claude again at Hammond Research Labs. He escaped while Robbie saw that Claude was armed with a piece of wood and looked like he would rather kill the cat than catch him. A surprised Niels watched shortly after how Robbie activated his powers.
(Speedball#5/2 (fb) - BTS) - Benson's colleagues were able to isolate an unstable compound from Niels' latest blood sample, but irradiation by the warp generator caused it to explode. Because Niels was still alive they all came to the conclusion that the energy reacted differently in every organism.
(Speedball#5/2) - Through a window at the lab Robbie saw Niels heading to Hammond Park. Robbie followed Niels in case the cat killer (Two-Legged Rat) was out hunting cats again. Niels ran away from Robbie, who nearly caught him, but Niels changed directions too quickly for Robbie, who turned into Speedball after hitting the ground. Watching Niels' movements became a teaching experience for Speedball. Niels also led Speedball by what seemed like pure coincidence to the Two-Legged Rat, who was on the lookout for cat to kill on a rock. Speedball was unable to capture either, but without his mask and weapon the Two-Legged Rat's killing spree was over. Niels was still running away from Robbie and wouldn't give him a break.
(Speedball#6/2) - Speedball was after Niels again and they bounced around a roof. Robbie still believed that if he could bring Niels back to the lab for testing, it would also help him understand his powers. Niels fell off the roof though while Speedball was distracted by trying to get his own powers under control again. Niels lost control over his powers and kept bouncing around the city, surprising a few people with his kinetic energy powers. Niels was also observed by cat-like humanoid extraterrestrials, who decided he could be most important find since they started abducting creatures from Earth.
Niels was still bouncing around the city and surprising a few people with his powers while Robbie planned to catch Niels by bribing him with catnip or milk. Robbie waited for Niels to return to the lab with milk, toys and catnip, but Niels didn't turn up. Robbie yelled for him and Niels suddenly appeared bouncing around wildly because he was unable to regain control over his energy flow. Speedball realized what was going on and was sure the Niels must be starving and disoriented while the aliens heard the cat's distress and rushed to the scene to help him. The aliens captured Niels with a net and were on their way back to their ship, but Speedball clumsily stopped them. Niels escaped the net while Speedball distracted the cat-like aliens by tossing catnip at them. Niels had some of the milk and then took his toy while the aliens left because they couldn't smell anything but the catnip.
(Speedball#7) - At Hammond Labs Robbie failed once again to capture Niels and had to hide from Claude because he had accidentally activated his powers. Claude heard the noise caused by Robbie's failed attempt, but only saw Niels, who ran off while Claude swore to kill the cat.
(Speedball#10) - Speedball was after Niels again at the lab, but Niels bounced around like crazy and even bounced on Speedball's head because he thought they were playing.
He later bounced by a window and was seen by Benson and his colleagues.
Over the next few days Robbie tried different methods to catch Niels, but everything failed. One day Niels just walked up to Robbie, but when he noticed and tried to catch Niels, the cat bounced away immediately.
(Marvel Super-Heroes III#5/3) - Robbie found Niels asleep on the floor in the lab, but he was sure he was only playing possum and would be up and running as soon as he tried to catch him. Robbie left the lab to meet Terri, Dave and Doris.
(Marvel Super-Heroes III#6/4) - Niels jumped around at the lab, but Robbie wasn't even trying to catch him because he knew it was just a game for Niels and he was just trying to tempt Robbie into chasing him.
(New Warriors I#3 (fb) - BTS) - While investigating the New Warriors for Genetech the Mad Thinker learned from workers at Hammond Research Lab about the cat that got somehow mutated during an interdimensional energy project. He caught Niels and studied the cat.
(New Warriors I#3) - Mad Thinker was still holding on to Niels when his assistant Primus caught Speedball. He release the cat and offered to tell Speedball at a later point everything he had learned about his powers from studying Niels.
(New Warriors Annual I#1/4 (fb) - BTS) - Niels became Robbie's pet. Niels regularly hunted birds in the neighborhood using his bouncing powers.
(New Warriors Annual I#1/4) - In the kitchen Robbie prepared cat food for Niels, even though the cat would've preferred salmon fillet with a slice of lemon. Niels bounced around and was told off by Robbie, who told him to be more careful about using his powers. Robbie eventually caught Niels in his arms.
(New Warriors I#66 (fb) - BTS) - Niels remained in Springdale when Robbie moved with his mother the Manhattan.
(New Warriors I#66) - Niels was trying to catch up with Speedball (unaware it was actually a physical duplicate inhabited by Darrion Grobe) when he "returned" to Springdale, but he was at the same time hunted by several costumed villains. Bonehead and Leaper Logan nearly caught Niels in a dark alley, but failed. Basher and Two-Legged Rat, who actually wanted to kill the cat, failed to catch Niels when Niels jumped after Justin Baldwin's car. Niels made it to a pizzeria where Justin Baldwin and "Robbie" were eating and nearly got caught by Bug-Eyed Voice and the Ghost of Springdale High. Niels jumped after Speedball on his way to Hammond Labs, but finally got caught when the Harlequin Hit Man shot at the cat and though the bullet got reflected by Niels' powers, Niels was pushed into Sticker and got stuck in the villains magnetic fluid. They delivered the captured cat to Clyde at Hammond Labs. Fortunately for Niels, Speedball was at the lab as well to visit Doc Benson. He dealt with most of the villains and then followed Sticker and the captured Niels, who had a hairball stuck in his throat, down the secret stairway to Clyde's lab. Speedball got caught by Clyde as well and ended up strapped to a slab next to Niels. Clyde planned to transfer the powers of Niels and Speedball to him to become a great super-villain. During the transfer Niels finally coughed up the super-charged hairball that caused the transfer machine to go out of control. Speedball and Niels were released and Niels attacked the Two-Legged Rat before he could push the button to shut down the machine. Speedball unplugged the machine before Clyde was sucked into the Kinetic Dimension.
Speedball called the police and while they arrested all the criminals, he claimed to Benson and his father that Niels had started bouncing around like crazy and had taken out the villains all on his own. The adventure had apparently also mellowed out Niels' antisocial disposition as he now liked to hang around "Robbie" (still unaware that he actually wasn't the original).
(New Warriors I#67 (fb) - BTS) - "Robbie" took Niels back to New York to live with him and his mother. Niels hated to be in the carrier during the train ride and broke out using his powers.
(New Warriors I#67) - "Robbie" arrived with Niels at Grand Central Station and tried to keep Niels calm so he wouldn't blow their cover. "Robbie" was surprised to be welcomed by Rina Patel, who had predicted Speedball's death some time ago. He invited her back to his apartment nonetheless to watch an interview of his "mom" on TV. Niels stepped into his new home with confidence, which was a complete mess, and took his place on the couch next to Rina to receive some pets. "Robbie" offered Rina milk and she asked him to get a bowl for Niels, but "Robbie" lost control over his powers and accidentally aged the milk and the fridge so much that everything turned to dust.
(New Warriors I#68) - "Robbie" took Niels with him to the New Warriors' Crash Pad headquarter where he played with the team and a few friends a game of Risk. Niels received pats and took a nap.
(New Warriors I#71) - Niels remained at the Crash Pad with Robbie's friends and groomed himself while Timeslip meditated. Eventually the New Warriors (Firestar, Justice, Powerhouse and Turbo) returned from the timestream with the real Speedball.
(New Warriors I#73) - Niels spent some time in his cat bed at the Crash Pad while Mickey Musashi called in the rest of the team to tell them that she was wanted to quit the team.
(Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular#1) - Squirrel Girl visited Penance at Thunderbolts Mountain to cheer him up by pointing out that it was not his fault that 600 people died in Stamford. She reminded him of his cat Niels, but he corrected her that Niels was now known as P-Cat, the Penitent Puss and showed her a photo of Niels in his new armor. He didn't look too happy. Squirrel Girl eventually left because Robbie was just too far gone for her to help him.
(Avengers: The Initiative#30 (fb) - BTS) - Robbie's parents returned Niels to his original owner Doc Benson, but the cat was a handful.
(Avengers: The Initiative#29) - Taskmaster gave Trauma (Terrence Ward) permission to get the brainwashed Penance a therapy animal.
(Avengers: The Initiative#30 (fb) - BTS) - Trauma of the Initiative did some research to find Niels and Benson was happy to hand him over.
(Avengers: The Initiative#29) - Trauma filled out a lot of paperwork to get Niels and brought him to Penance's cell as a therapy animal. Penance didn't want the cat at first, but Trauma convinced him to at least try having the cat around and promised to take the cat away the next day if it didn't work out. Niels recognized Robbie immediately and cuddled up to him, which seemingly triggered some of Penance's memories because the name he came up with for the cat was Niels. Penance got a bouncy ball to play with the cat, but Camp H.A.M.M.E.R.'s alarm interrupted the play session. While Penance was gone Niels used his powers to play with the ball.
(Avengers: The Initiative#30 - BTS) - After Nightmare returned Robbie's memories to him during a battle at Camp H.A.M.M.E.R., Robbie asked Trauma how he found his old cat and Trauma told him.
(Avengers: The Initiative#31) - At his quarters Robbie used a red string to play with Niels. Taskmaster interrupted them and Niels cuddled up to Robbie when Taskmaster suggested to get rid of the cat. Robbie made it clear that if anything happened to the cat he would tear Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. down. Robbie then continued his play session with Niels.
(Avengers Academy#19 (fb) - BTS) - Robbie moved with Niels into the Avengers Infinite Mansion when he became one of Avengers Academy's instructors.
(Avengers Academy#3 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Robbie put up a cat tree for Niels in his quarters at the Avengers Infinite Mansion.
(Avengers Academy#19 - BTS) - Niels someone escaped the destruction of Avengers Infinite Mansion at the hands of the Hammer-wielders Greithoth and Skirn. Reptil got worried about Niels because he thought he was still inside.
(Avengers Academy#19) - Quicksilver found Niels bouncing around Lincoln Park and retrieved him.
(Avengers Academy#20) - Speedball picked up Niels at Avengers Mansion and thanked Quicksilver for saving him. He quit working at Avengers Academy shortly after and took Niels with him.
(All-New Invaders#14 (fb) - BTS) - Niels somehow got separated from Speedball and S.H.I.E.L.D. caught the cat. Niels became a test subject for S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists, who studied its kinetic powers. Speedball didn't come forward to collect Niels and after S.H.I.E.L.D. was done with the tests it was decided to keep it in a secure tank at the lab until they would euthanize it because they had to due to regulations.
(All-New Invaders#14) - Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch, saw Niels bouncing around his tank and asked a scientist about the cat because he was bothered by how the cat was treated just because it wasn't human. He didn't like to learn about Niels' planned fate either.
(All-New Invaders#15 (fb) - BTS) - Jim took Niels off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands and moved the cat to his living quarters at Camp Hammond. Niels wrecked the place with his kinetic powers because he was scared and confused by his new home.
(All-New Invaders#15) - Jim got home and was a bit shocked to see all his stuff destroyed, but he understood how Niels felt and picked him up. Jim raised his body temperature just a bit so that Niels felt more comfortable in his arms. Jim then took a rest on his bed and Niels remained on his belly and felt so comfy that he turned into a loaf.
Comments: Created by Steve Ditko, Roger Stern & Jackson Guice.
Niels was accidentally colored white (or not colored at all) in Speedball#6/2.
On Earth-97161 Niels wants to be called Hairball and is part of the Pet Avengers. He was also a member of the in a few other realities. One of these alternate versions of Niels was likely the one seen in Marvel Meow Infinity Comic#12 and in the Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Infinity Comic series.
As entertaining as Nao Fuji's Marvel Meow online comics and similar titles are, they are kind of problematic continuity-wise. The inclusion of the Pet Avengers, who are from another reality, doesn't help their canon status either. Same with Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal's Infinity Comic, but maybe the Pet Avengers traveled to Earth-616 in both cases...that sounds feasible.
It is also possible that a version of the Pet Avengers became residents of Earth-616 after Secret Wars like Miles Morales, which sounds about right since the team did appear in Guardians Team-Up#5 (July, 2015).
Niels received handbook profiles in the Marvel Pets Handbook#1 (August, 2009) and All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC#14 (July, 2010). Physical stats and powers/abilities were taken from the latter profile.
This profile was completed on 11/06/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary event.
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Niels the cat should not be confused with:
images:
OHOTMU HC#14 - Niels (main)
Speedball#10, p3, pan6 (jumping)
New Warriors Annual I#1, p37, pan2 (mutated)
Speedball#2, p3, pan3 (kinetic field around Niels)
New Warriors I#3, p7, pan4 (caught by Mad Thinker)
New Warriors I#66, p5, pan6 (hunted by Two-Legged Rat and Basher)
New Warriors I#67, p15, pan3 (with "Robbie Baldwin" aka. Darrion Grobe)
Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular#1, p28, pan6 (P-Cat)
Avengers: The Initiative#31, p6, pan1 (at Camp H.A.M.M.E.R.)
All-New Invaders#15, p21, pan3 (with Jim Hammond)
Appearances:
Speedball#1/2 (September, 1988) - Steve Ditko (co-plot/pencils), Roger
Stern (script), Jackson Guice (inks), Howard Mackie & Terry Kavanagh
(editors)
Speedball#2 (October, 1988) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils), Roger Stern
(script), Jackson Guice (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Speedball#3 (November, 1988) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils), Roger Stern
(script), Bruce Patterson (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Speedball#4 (December, 1988) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils), Roger Stern
(script), Dan Adkins & Co. (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Speedball#5/2 (January, 1989) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils), Roger Stern
(script), Bruce Patterson (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Speedball#6/2 (February, 1989) - Jo Duffy (writer), Steve Ditko
(pencils), Bruce Patterson (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Speedball#7 (March, 1989) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils), Roger Stern
(script), Bruce Patterson (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Speedball#10 (June, 1989) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils), Jo Duffy
(script), Dan Day (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Damage Control II#3 (January, 1990) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Ernie
Colon (artist), Sid Jacobson (editor)
New Warriors I#3 (September, 1990) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Mark
Bagley (pencils), Larry Mahlstedt (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Marvel Super-Heroes III#5/3 (April, 1991) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils),
Jo Duffy (script), Mark Badger (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Marvel Super-Heroes III#6/4 (July, 1991) - Steve Ditko (plot/pencils),
Jo Duffy (script), Dan Adkins (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
New Warriors Annual I#1/4 (1991) - Gary Barnum (writer), Tom Morgan
(pencils), Marie Severin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
New Warriors I#66-68 (December, 1995 - February, 1996) - Evan Skolnick
(writer), Patrick Zircher (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
New Warriors I#71 (May, 1996) - Evan Skolnick (writer), Patrick Zircher
(pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
New Warriors I#73 (July, 1996) - Evan Skolnick (story), Dwight Coye
(plot assist), Patrick Zircher (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular#1 (September, 2007) - Fabian Nicieza
& Dan Slott (writers), Kieron Dwyer (artist), Nicole Boose (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#29 (December, 2009) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Jorge Molina (pencils), Victor Olazaba (inks), Bill Rosemann
(editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#30 (January, 2010) - Christos N. Gage (writer),
Jorge Molina (pencils), Victor Olazaba with Andrew Hennessy (inks), Bill
Rosemann (editor)
Avengers: The Initiative#31 (February, 2010) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Rafa Sandoval (pencils), Roger Bonet (inks), Bill Rosemann
(editor)
Avengers Academy#3 (October, 2010) - Christos N. Gage (writer), Mike
McKone (pencils), Andrew Hennessy (inks), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Academy#19-20 (November-December, 2011) - Christos N. Gage
(writer), Tom Raney (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Bill Rosemann
(editor)
All-New Invaders#14-15 (March-April, 2015) - James Robinson (writer),
Steve Pugh (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
First Posted: 09/03/2026
Last updated: 11/06/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
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