Acoustic Kitty

A not-too-long-time-ago, I came across this picture in my Facebook feed and it has haunted me ever since.

The Acoustic Kitty was a CIA project that involved surgically implanting a microphone and transmitter into a cat. The cat would have then been used to spy on persons of interest (at the time, the Soviets). The project was (allegedly) shut down after cats were deemed too difficult to train. Like most things, this will most likely make its way into my campaign. In a fantasy setting, the use of magic makes eavesdropping much simpler in general, especially when familiars are involved.

In a modern setting, the cat could become a MacGuffin, something lost that must be found, rescued, or eliminated by the player characters. It could also become an animal companion to the party, gathering intelligence on their behalf or slipped into their midst by a rival group who seeks to use it against them.

Acoustic Kitty

CR: 1/4     Tiny Animal (Cybernetic)

HD: 1/2d8 (2 hp)

Init: +2     Spd: 30'

AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), t: 12, ff: 12

BAB/Grap: +0/-12; +4 2 Claws: 1d2-4 and -1 Bite: 1d3-4

SA: - -

SQ: Cybernetics, Low-Light Vision, Scent

Align: N     Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1

Str: 3, Dex: 15, Con: 10, Int: 2, Wis: 11, Cha: 7

Skills: Balance +10, Climb +6, Hide +16*, Jump +10, Listen +3, Move Silently +8, Spot +3

Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse (b)
Purpose Trained: Hunting (Attack, Down, Fetch, Heel, Seek, and Track)

Gear: see below

* Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. Cats ha e a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8.

Gear/Cybernetic Implants: The Acoustic Kitty has been outfitted with the latest in covert listening and broadcasting technology. The parabolic microphone implanted in its ear has digital multichannel filtering and can isolate human speech at a range of 20' - 40' on a busy city street and in excess of 100' in more natural environments out to a maximum of about 160'.

A miniature radio transmitter at the base of Acoustic Kitty's skull has a maximum range of 300' and broadcasts between 87.5 and 108.0 Mhz. It features Digital Voice Protection and a self-synchronizing encryption technique.