Catkind

The Catkind were a race of humanoid felines that inhabited New Earth during the 5,000,000th millennium along side Human colonists.

Physical appearance
Catkind resembled the non-humanoid cats of Earth, though closer to the size of a Human. They had fur of a variety of lengths and colours, including brown, black and striped (DW: Gridlock). They had retractable claws which they can use for defence. (DW: New Earth)



Life cycle
Catkind reproduced in their teenage years, and often had litters of several kittens. They could also reproduce with Humans, with the kittens looking like the kittens of conventional Earth house cats, though capable of speech. (DW: Gridlock)

Catkind could apparently live for at least 30 years, as Novice Hame, a member of the Sisters of Plenitude, was young in the year 5,000,000,023 at the time of the order's dissolution, and lived beyond the Face of Boe's death in 5,000,000,053. (DW: New Earth, Gridlock)

History
Individuals of Catkind descent had been involved in several important events on New Earth.


 * Based on the comments by Novice Hame, the Cats may have been the original inhabitants of New Earth. The Sisters of Plenitude, at least, were on the planet before the Humans arrived.

The Sisters of Plenitude ran a hospital called Pleasure Gardens near New New York on New Earth. They had cures for nearly every known ailment and were able to heal their patients with a remarkable success rate. Unfortunately, these amazing skills were gained by using thousands and thousands of grown Human clones known as "The Flesh". They were infected with every known disease and culled in the rare cases of them starting to show signs of thought. These disease carriers were released by Lady Cassandra and eventually cured by the Doctor, producing the New Humans. The Sisters were later arrested by the NNYPD for their actions. (DW: New Earth)

After the loss of the New Earth Senate to a deadly mood virus, several Cats were trapped in the Motorway, including Thomas Brannigan. (DW: Gridlock)


 * Presumably, all of the Cats in the upper levels of New New York were wiped out by this virus.