star trek t'ana

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Starfleet personnel
• Starfleet personnel (24th century)
• Starfleet commanders
• Starfleet sciences personnel
• Starfleet science officers
• Starfleet medical personnel
• Starfleet chief medical officers
• USS Cerritos personnel
• 24th century births
• View history

Doctor T'Ana was a 24th century Caitian woman, an officer of Starfleet in the 2380s decade . ( LD episode : " Second Contact ")

• 1 Biography
• 2.1 Connections
• 2.2.1 Appearances
• 2.3 External link

Biography [ ]

T'Ana was serving aboard the Federation starship USS Cerritos as a commander in the year 2380 . On stardate 57436.2, she served as chief medical officer under Captain Carol Freeman . She frequently added a coat to her uniform , similar to that worn by Dr. Beverly Crusher . The newly arrived Ensign D'Vana Tendi was assigned to assist Nurse Westlake but worked directly for T'Ana in a crisis.

During a viral outbreak , Westlake was infected. Doctor T'Ana and her team had him and other infected and injured crewpeople strapped down in sick bay 's biobeds . The cure was spread through the ship in gaseous form and healed the survivors instantaneously. ( LD episode : " Second Contact ")

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], appearances and references [ ], appearances [ ].

• LD episode : " Second Contact "
• LD episode : " Envoys "
• LD episode : " Temporal Edict "
• LD episode : " Moist Vessel "
• LD episode : " Cupid's Errant Arrow "
• LD episode : " Terminal Provocations "
• LD episode : " Much Ado About Boimler "
• LD episode : " Veritas "
• LD episode : " No Small Parts "

External link [ ]

• T'Ana article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 The Chase
• 2 Preserver (race)
• 3 J.P. Hanson

Screen Rant

How star trek reintroduced caitians (& what it means).

Star Trek: Lower Decks' Dr. T'Ana is a Caitian. The cat humanoid race not only has a long Star Trek history but they could have an interesting future.

Star Trek: Lower Decks ' reintroduction of the Caitians could have larger repercussions in the Star Trek universe. The animated series features a member of the humanoid cat race in Dr. T'Ana (voiced by Gillian Vigman), who serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Cerritos . Dr. T'Ana also oversees one of the show's main Lower Deckers, Ensign D'Vana Tendi (Noel Wells) , whose enthusiastic effervescence contrasts the crusty and crude feline physician.

Due to the budgetary limitations of Star Trek: The Original Series in the 1960s, most alien races were humanoids in makeup and elaborate costumes, although the occasional purely alien creature, like the Horta, was seen. However, Star Trek: The Animated Series in the 1970s allowed for more eclectic aliens to be seen, including some serving on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. TAS introduced the franchise's first Caitian character, Lt. M'Ress (voiced by Majel Barrett), and the cat humanoid took the place of Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) as Communications Officer. M'Ress wouldn't be the last Caitian seen in Star Trek during that era either; a male feline Starfleet Officer was also seen in live-action in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

Related: Discovery Season 4 Can Bring Back A Classic Star Trek Format

Dr. T'Ana isn't one of the main characters in Star Trek: Lower Decks since the animated comedy focuses on the junior officers like Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), but she is a stand-out who gets memorable lines in every episode. T'Ana is gruff and lacking in patience or bedside manner, but the cat doctor does have a hidden softer side, and she had a romantic interest in the Cerritos ' Bajoran Chief of Security, Lt. Shax (Fred Tatasciore), who once kissed her on the bridge. Unfortunately, her hopes to start a relationship with Shax were dashed in Star Trek: Lower Decks ' season 1 finale when the Bajoran sacrificed his life to save his ship from the Pakleds. Dr. T'Ana was front and center at Shax's funeral, and she remains in charge of the Cerritos' sickbay and Ensign Tendi's superior officer.

As an animated series, Star Trek: Lower Decks makes it much easier for more elaborate humanoid alien beings to be prominent characters and Dr. T'Ana opens the door for other Caitians to appear in the franchise. Whether or not TAS is canon seems to change depending on the needs of the franchise, but regardless, M'Ress served on the Enterprise back in the 23rd century, over a hundred years before the setting of Lower Decks . But the Caitian race seems to be alive and well in the United Federation of Planets and there have been Caitians serving in Starfleet throughout the eras.

However, Star Trek: Picard , which is live-action, mentioned the existence of another race of humanoid cat people, the Kzinti, who also appeared in Star Trek: The Animated Series, but as villains. Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) mentioned to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) that the planet Nepenthe, where the Troi-Rikers made their home, was occasionally plagued by Kzinti raiders. Though the Kzinti weren't seen,  Picard established that they canonically exist, and that means the Caitians - and in effect, Star Trek: Lower Decks - is also canon, since some fans harbor doubts whether animated Star Trek shows 'count' as the live-action series do.

The links between the Caitians and the Kzinti are even more fascinating as the two cat races actually share a common ancestry. They are cousin races who originated from the same planet before the more aggressive Kzinti splintered off eons ago to create a more warlike culture. In effect, this makes the Caitians and the Kzinti the feline equivalent of the Vulcans and the Romulans, who shared a common origin before the Romulans left millennia ago to carve out their own empire. It's possible, through Dr. T'Ana, Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2 can elaborate on the Caitians' relationship with the Kzinti. The live-action Star Trek series may even pick up the baton and, perhaps, the Caitians and the Kzinti have come together in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century, just as the Vulcans and Romulans were unified on the planet Ni'Var thanks to the work of Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy).

Next: Why Star Trek's Animated Shows Are Always Controversial

• Animated Characters
• Anthropomorphic characters
• Star Trek characters
• Paramount Pictures characters
• ViacomCBS characters
• Neutral Characters
• View history
• 1 Starfleet career
• 2.1 Personal interests
• 2.2 Personal relationships
• 3 References
• 4 External Links

Starfleet career [ ]

During a second contact mission with the Galardonians in 2380, many of the Cerritos ' crew became infected by a rage virus brought back by Commander Jack Ransom , who was bitten by a Galardonian insect . This quickly resulted in an outbreak that consumed much of the ship. When the away team returned from the second contact mission, T'Ana noticed that Ensign Brad Biomler was covered in slime that he got from being suckled by a Galardonian spider cow . T'Ana discovered that the slime was able to completely neutralize the rage virus, and was able to synthesize a cure from the substance, returning everyone to normal. ( Template:LD )

T'Ana briefly tutored Ensign Sam Rutherford , who was exploring the medical division. Initially, she was impressed with his performance in managing medical equipment, but was disappointed with his bedside manner after he failed to keep a patient distracted. T'Ana dismissed Rutherford, and recommended trying out the security division. ( Template:LD )

T'Ana playing poker

On stardate 57538.9, T'Ana and the other senior officers were gathered in the conference room to witness Ensign Beckett Mariner 's promotion to lieutenant before moving on to debates over new conference chairs. She later joined the senior staff, including Mariner, in a game of poker . ( Template:LD )

During a salvage mission of the wrecked cargo ship , NCC-502 , T'Ana was in the mess hall eating nachos when Mariner accidentally bumped into her, causing her to fall face-first into her food. T'Ana furiously scolded Mariner, noting how difficult it was to clean nacho cheese out of her fur in a sonic shower . Mariner tried to apologize, but T'Ana remained angry with her. She started noting her past insubordinate behavior, and said she should work at Starbase 80 if she wanted to goof around. Before the situation escalated any further, Ensign Template:Dis intervened, and was able to calm things down by giving T'Ana a warm towel and a new platter of nachos.

When the Cerritos was on the verge of destruction during a standoff with Drookmani scavengers, T'Ana advised the crew to be evacuated before they noticed the Drookmani ship was being dismantled by a corrupted isolinear core . In the heat of their victory, Lieutenant Shaxs pulled T'Ana in for a kiss , which she seemingly enjoyed. ( Template:LD )

Personalities [ ]

Personal interests [ ].

T'Ana enjoyed rock climbing in her spare time, stating that it made her feel alive. While she used climbing gear she chose to forgo wearing shoes, opting to use her natural claws instead.

She once had Ensign D'Vana Tendi join her on the holodeck to climb a mountain face that was visually very similar to Yosemite National Park 's El Capitan . ( Template:LD )

Personal relationships [ ]

T'Ana and Shaxs shared some feelings for one another while they served together. When the Cerritos defeated a Drookmani scavenger ship, Shaxs celebrated on the bridge by giving her a kiss at his station, which she enjoyed. Later, after she found out that Mariner was Captain Carol Freeman 's daughter, she asked Mariner if she thought that Freeman would be okay with her starting a relationship with Shaxs. Unfortunately, a short time later, Shaxs sacrificed his life to save the Cerritos , and this relationship never came to pass. Following Shaxs' resurrection, T'Ana made advances towards Shaxs while he was recovering from mugato venom in sickbay. ( Template:LD )

References [ ]

• ↑ "ComicCon2019"
• ↑ "STLV2019"

External Links [ ]

• Official website
• Star Trek wiki
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Lower_Decks_characters#T'Ana
• 1 Dora the Explorer (2024 reboot)
• 2 Derek Morgan
• 3 Jack Reacher (Character)

• View history
• 3 Individuals
• 4.1 Appearances
• 4.2 Background information
• 4.3 Apocrypha
• 4.4 External links

History [ ]

Hundreds of years before the 24th century , Caitians hunted and ate Betazoids . After this practice was discontinued, the Caitians developed a synthetic substitute for Betazoid flesh . ( LD : " Empathological Fallacies ")

Caitians were attending Starfleet Academy by the early 2250s , and the Caitian homeworld was a Federation member with members on the Federation Council by 2286 . ( DIS : " Brother "; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ) Caitians were present on Qualor II in 2381 . ( LD : " We'll Always Have Tom Paris ")

In the alternate reality , Caitians were present on Earth by 2259 . ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

Biology [ ]

A Caitian child

Caitians exhibited feline features, such as short faces , triangular ears , large eyes with vertically slitted pupils , whiskers , fangs , and a tail . Most were entirely covered with fur that could be orange , brown , gray , or black , and could also be solid, multicolored, or patterned. Some Caitians had four fingers (including a thumb) on each hand , while others had five. Additionally, the feet of some Caitians possessed a digitigrade configuration, while others had a plantigrade foot structure. There were also at least a few Caitians who had a very different, more Human -like appearance. ( Star Trek: The Animated Series ; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ; Star Trek Into Darkness ; Star Trek: Lower Decks ; PRO : " Lost and Found ")

When they needed to move quickly, Caitians could switch to quadrupedal locomotion, displaying feline agility and reaction times. They had sharp claws on their hands and feet, which led some to prefer going without footwear . Their claws could be used combatively, or to scale vertical surfaces, such as cliffs . ( Star Trek: The Animated Series ; LD : " Mugato, Gumato ", " I, Excretus ", " wej Duj "; PRO : " A Moral Star, Part 2 ")

The voices of some female Caitians had a soft purring quality. Agitated Caitians could also make a variety of cat -like hisses and yowls. ( Star Trek: The Animated Series ; Star Trek: Lower Decks )

Caitians experienced several hormonal cycles. One of these was the need to have sex once a year , or else their hormones would drive them crazy ; this could be alleviated using a libido post . Caitian females had coital hooks as part of their reproductive anatomy . When stressed , Caitians enjoyed playing inside boxes . ( LD : " No Small Parts ", " We'll Always Have Tom Paris ")

Caitians were mainly carnivorous, and skilled hunters. In the past, they had no qualms about hunting Betazoids , a fellow sentient race, for food. Caitian doctors took an oath not to consume their patients. Even so, they could still determine the specific presence of Betazoids just by scent and considered the smell to be delectable. ( LD : " Empathological Fallacies ")

Individuals [ ]

• Unnamed Caitians

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

A list of all appearances of Caitians (excluding the regular appearances of T'Ana):

• " The Survivor "
• " Once Upon a Planet "
• " Mudd's Passion "
• " The Eye of the Beholder "
• " The Practical Joker "
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• " Temporal Edict "
• " Crisis Point " ( hologram )
• " We'll Always Have Tom Paris "
• " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers " ( photograph )
• " Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus " (hologram)
• " The Inner Fight "
• " Old Friends, New Planets "
• " Lost and Found "
• " Starstruck "
• " A Moral Star, Part 1 "
• " A Moral Star, Part 2 "
• " Preludes "
• " Skin a Cat "
• " Walk, Don't Run "

Background information [ ]

The name of the species comes from a biography of Lt. M'Ress , published by Lincoln Enterprises in 1974 , which claims that the Caitians are related to the Kzinti , and were from Cait . This is corroborated by extensive commentary by Larry Niven, author of most of the Known Space books and virtually the entire Known Space sub-series The Man-Kzin Wars, primarily found in his short story books "N-Space", "Playgrounds of the Mind", and "The Patchwork Man".

From StarTrek.com , "The felinoid Caitians and the warlike Kzinti share common roots in the deep past — as do Vulcans and Romulans . As with the Vulcans and the Romulans, the two groups went their separate ways to develop as two entirely different civilizations. The Caitians are fierce warriors when so called upon, but pride themselves on their accomplishments in arts and philosophy rather than on the martial arts. Natives of Cait tend to be small and sinewy; the females are as delicately dainty as the Siamese or Abyssinian cats of old Earth. Their family units are extremely close."

The Lincoln Enterprises biography of M'Ress similarly expanded on the Caitians, stating that they tended to be small and sinewy, with their females delicately dainty. [1]

Damon Lindelof has confirmed that the alien twins Kirk slept with in Star Trek Into Darkness were Caitians. [2]

According to Akiva Goldsman , Bjayzl from the Star Trek: Picard episode " Stardust City Rag " was originally intended to be a Caitian. [3]

Apocrypha [ ]

The Caitians are expanded upon in FASA 's Star Trek IV Sourcebook Update , which indicates that the feline humanoids seen in The Voyage Home were intended to be the same species.

The Last Unicorn and Decipher RPG books had to use the name "Regulans" because of copyright issues. [4]

M'Ress is also referred to as a Caitian in the audio story " Passage to Moauv ".

Set in 2409, the computer game Star Trek Online features the Caitians as a playable species of the Federation faction, which also employs ships of unique Caitian design, e.g., the Atrox Carrier, Aspero Support Carrier, Shikaris Escort, and Stalker Stealth Fighter. According to their description, Caitians are "known throughout their quadrant for their intelligence, curiosity, loyalty and love of beauty". The game includes several Caitian NPCs, including Enterprise -F Tactical Officer and Security Chief Commander Kyona. It also depicts a species closely related to the Caitians called Ferasans, who genetically engineered themselves which resulted in some Caitians leaving their homeworld of Ferasa, settling on Cait and taking the demonym "Caitian".

In Star Trek: Lower Decks - Crew Handbook , T'Ana's Profanity being censored out is suggested to be the Universal translator being unable to properly translate such words from Caitian and, thus, replacing it with "beep"s.

External links [ ]

• Caitian at StarTrek.com
• Caitian at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 3 Ancient humanoid

27 Years Later, Star Trek Finally Corrected Its Very Worst Episode Ever

Let's talk about alien babies born in caves.

Star Trek didn’t invent the idea of humans having alien babies after undergoing a sudden biological mutation. In fact, the idea of humans raising aliens is probably as old as science fiction itself. Whether we’re talking Alien Nation or Enemy Mine , nurturing and caring for a weird little critter pervades the genre. But in “Threshold,” an infamous 1996 episode of Star Trek: Voyager , we saw unplanned alien babies be straight-up abandoned, even though they were technically the offspring of Captain Janeway and Tom Paris. The absurdity of this episode has been mocked for almost three decades. Now, Star Trek has issued a correction of sorts on its weirdest storyline.

In Lower Deck Season 4 , Episode 8, “Caves,” our four lead characters, Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, and Rutherford, get stuck in a cave, which leads each of them to tell a story about being stuck in a different cave with other characters. It’s caves all the way down, including the prominent return of the very obscure tentacled shape-shifting aliens called the Vendorians, first seen in the underrated Animated Series episode “The Survivor.” Then Voyager’s worst episode gets its comeuppance.

Rutherford and Dr. T'Ana moments before becoming parents of an alien baby.

But the most obvious dissection of an old Trek episode comes midway through, when Rutherford casually mentions a time “when Dr. T’Ana and I were trapped in that cave with our kid... oh yeah, I had a cave baby with Dr. T!” Obviously, this shocks everyone, since Rutherford is human and Dr. T’Ana is a Caitian (that is, a cat person). Also, like Tom Paris to Captain Janeway in “Threshold,” Rutherford is T’Ana’s subordinate. The idea is unsettling, at least until we learn the details.

On a previous mission, T’Ana and Rutherford were harvesting some plants on Balkus 9, when a creature attacked and their local guide was slain. But before her demise, she transferred her mind energy into Rutherford, making him pregnant.

The idea of a male Starfleet officer getting impregnated by an alien vaguely references the Enterprise episode “Unexpected,” which also has a less-than-sterling reputation. But as Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan told Inverse in 2021 , “You’ve gotta go with what Star Trek [canon] has given you. This show respects and loves all Star Trek. There is no bad Star Trek to this show.”

And so, through the nested storyline of Rutherford’s “cave baby,” the silliness of both “Threshold” and “Unexpected” are both somewhat rehabilitated. Although T’Ana isn’t the baby’s biological mother, she and Rutherford do care for it while waiting to be rescued. And unlike Chakotay, who left the salamander-alien offspring of Janeway and Paris to fend for themselves in their “new habitat,” Rutherford and T’Ana actually protect their little clone-baby. Later, they make peace with the murderous monster who, in classic Trek form, turns out to not be a murderous monster at all.

Star Trek really loves morality tales about cave monsters.

Taking a cue from the Original Series classic “The Devil in the Dark,” Rutherford and T’Ana eventually learn that the cave monster was only protecting its baby. And so a well-written Trek classic was mashed up with material from questionable episodes to synthesize something new and clever.

“Caves” isn’t a remarkable episode in its own right, but as Lower Decks approaches 40 total episodes, it may have just delivered the best-ever Star Trek episode about Star Trek episodes. When bad sci-fi tropes collide with good ones, the result is often rough. But this episode of Lower Decks proved that a mixed bag of conflicting ideas is sometimes the best way for science fiction to thrive.

Star Trek: Lower Decks streams on Paramount+.

Ryan Britt's new book on the history of Star Trek's biggest changes. From the '60s show to the movies to 'TNG,' to 'Discovery,' 'Picard,' Strange New Worlds,' and beyond!

This article was originally published on Oct. 19, 2023

• Science Fiction

What Are the Caitians in Star Trek?

• Caitians, the "cat people" of Star Trek, have enjoyed increased prominence thanks to fan-favorite Dr. T'Ana on Star Trek: Lower Decks.
• Caitians and the similarly feline Kzinti both stem from Star Trek: The Animated Series, but managaed to creep into the saga in more prominent projects as well.
• Caitians and Kzinti are possibly genetically connected, along with several unmentioned feline species, but their background is surprisingly complex.

Star Trek has a strange affection for cat-based aliens, starting with Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 1 "Catspaw" which features an alien disguised as a shapeshifting giant feline. Star Trek: The Animated Series leaped into the concept with both feet by creating not one, but two specific cat-like species: the Caitians and the Kzinti. That, in turn, has led to a weird flirtation with canon, as other Star Trek projects confirmed the Caitians as official while muddying the waters at the same time. As with most things associated with The Animated Series , the franchise treated them as a dirty little secret, and edged around their status even while periodically showing them onscreen.

Star Trek: Lower Decks took them to another level with its Caitian chief medical officer, Dr. T'Ana. She quickly became one of the show's most popular characters, while simultaneously letting it take a bite out of her species' messy status in the canon. Thanks to her, their profile in the franchise is higher than ever, along with the plethora of odd quirks that accompany them. The series has also introduced a Kzinti character, Ensign Taylor, who has made numerous less prominent appearances as pure support. Both of them serve primarily to tweak the franchise's nose about its "cat people," and the way it periodically tries to have its cake and eat it too with them. But at the same time, it reflects Lower Decks' deep-set affection for its animated predecessor, as well as lending legitimacy to the cat people's decidedly odd history.

Both of Star Trek's 'Cat People' Species Started on The Animated Series

Star trek: lower decks creator wants to create animated, live-action movies.

Make-up and prosthetic effects were limited in The Original Series , and the show's budget rarely allowed for truly elaborate aliens. The Animated Series made things much easier on that front, and the producers took advantage of the opportunity with a pair of new characters on the Enterprise: the three-limbed Edosian Lt. Arex at navigation, and the Caitian Lt. M'Ress, who sometimes filled in for Uhura at the communications station. She was distinguished by her feline features -- including mane-like hair and a tail -- and was voiced by Star Trek staple Majel Barrett . Unfortunately, she did little beyond that, and her personality was limited to a sultry purr, though she did have a brief flirtation with Scotty while under the influence of love crystals in Season 1, Episode 10, "Mudd's Passion."

Things get considerably more interesting with the introduction of the Kzinti, a similarly feline species presented as foes of the Federation . They first appear in Season 1, Episode 14, "The Slaver Weapon," written by sci-fi author Larry Niven and based on one of his own (non- Star Trek ) short stories called "The Soft Weapon." He transferred the Kzinti along with the plot, making them the rare canon species that wasn't created specifically for the franchise. The episode states that they fought multiple wars against the Federation in the past, and the titular weapon threatens the entire galaxy before Kirk and the gang save the day. The Kzinti are also a prime example of one of the show's weirder details: animator Hal Sutherland was notoriously colorblind, leading to the species' bright pink spacesuits.

That creates a bit of a jumble when it comes to the Caitians. Despite their distinction as a separate species -- most notably with their hunched shoulders and bat-like ears -- apocrypha maintains that the two are related. An unofficial biography of M'Ress published by Star Trek Enterprises (later Lincoln Enterprises) in 1974 states that they share common roots similar to the Vulcans and the Romulans . It wouldn't merit much attention, save that Star Trek Enterprises was being run by Barrett at the time, who was married to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and presumably had a vested interest in the character she voiced. That carries canonical weight, despite never being officially confirmed, and adds to the general confusion surrounding Star Trek's various cat people.

Cat People Kept Creeping Back into Star Trek

Perhaps because of the M'Ress biography, Star Trek as a whole just couldn't stay away from the species, despite the fact that Roddenberry essentially shelved The Animated Series for many years after it originally aired. Caitians' canon status was confirmed in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home when a cat-like Starfleet officer appears in the background among the Federation Council. Yet, perhaps because of the general sheepishness surrounding The Animated Series , it had a hard time committing beyond that.

A catlike woman appears in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, though her features differ significantly from the Caitians in The Voyage Home. Star Trek: Into Darkness similarly reveals Kirk in bed with a pair of female aliens sporting tails, which director J.J. Abrams confirmed are Caitians despite their visual variations. Beyond that, the franchise has steered clear of them until very recently. As a result, the variations in appearance -- coupled with no subsequent appearances by the Kzinti -- further contributed to a huge number of questions surrounding the species.

For a time, the franchise could cheerfully ignore them, particularly when Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent series developed entirely new species to explore. The return of The Animated Series to canon, however, and its rediscovery on DVD and Blu-ray, brought M'Ress back front and center, along with all the weird questions about which feline alien is which. The presence of notable creatives like Niven and Barrett makes simply discarding them difficult, but neither have they been embraced the way other slow-burn species like the Andorians have.

Dr. T'Ana Finally Gives Star Trek's Cat People Their Due

This forgotten star trek species is perfect for lower decks.

M'Ress may be one-note, but Dr. T'Ana most definitely isn't. Since her appearance in the Lower Decks' premiere , she's rapidly become a fan favorite for her sour personality and amusingly cat-like habits. In the process, she's revealed a great deal about Caitian culture and disposition, something Lower Decks has become quite skilled at for a number of underdeveloped species. It doesn't hurt to associate her with typically funny feline behavior, such as running and hiding when she has to take her medicine and periodically needing a giant box to play in order to fulfill certain libidinous urges.

The central gag simply involves her terrible bedside manner, reflecting the typical indifference of real-world cats. Yet, that package reveals so much more about the Caitians than M'Ress or any subsequent member of the species ever did, including uncomfortable details about their biology and a disturbing past habit of killing and consuming sentient species. That, in turn, appears to confirm their connection to the Kzenti, who are also carnivorous and -- according to "The Slaver Weapon" -- tasted human meat during their early wars with the Federation . That adds a wrinkle to Ensign Taylor's presence on the series as well, suggesting that the link -- and possibly the cannibalism -- could be the subject of later examination.

Lower Decks Can Do Its Own Musical Episode with DS9's Weirdest Character

The show plays up Taylor's visual differences, and Season 2, Episode 6, "The Spy Humongous" makes a direct reference to Kzenti's habit of slumping their shoulders in The Animated Series . That ensures that the two species are formally distinguished in canon, while keeping the subtlest connections alive for possible story fodder later. In the process, the show cuts through the species' muddled origins and indifferent presence, allowing them to claim a legitimate spot in the franchises as well. Some of it comes out of pure iconoclasm, like Lower Decks taking advantage of its canon status to legitimize details the rest of the franchise would rather forget.

The Caitians are a special case, and Dr. T'Ana's popularity gives M'Ress a level of respect that she never would have received otherwise. The fact that Lower Decks brought the Kzenti along is doubly impressive, embracing and possibly resolving questions around both species, even as it mocks their more absurd qualities. Most importantly, it opens Star Trek's cat people up to far more possibilities in the future, and even if it doesn't develop them more than it already has, another series can easily take the ball and run with it.

The animated Star Trek: Prodigy has already done so with a prominent Caitian child appearing in several episodes. For a parody series, it's become extremely good at the trick, and when it comes to the Caitians and the Kzenti, it clears up an astonishing amount of detail with a few well-placed gags. Small wonder Dr. T'Ana is such a hit: she reflects her creators' love for a very weird corner of franchise history.

The first four seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks are now streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

The support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, have to keep up with their duties, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.

Release Date 2020-08-06

Cast Fred Tatasciore, Jerry O'Connell, dawnn lewis, Eugene Cordero, Tawny Newsome, Noel Wells, Gillian Vigman, Jack Quaid

Genres Animation, Comedy, Action, Science Fiction, Adventure

Rating TV-14

Creator Mike McMahan

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Star Trek: Lower Decks - Emergency Pep Talk from Dr. T'Ana

Go ahead and risk making a mess of things!

SPOILER WARNING: This clip may contain spoilers for Star Trek: Lower Decks — Season 3, Episode 3 "Mining the Mind’s Mines"!

Tendi's first day as a Senior Science Officer Trainee isn't going so hot. Luckily for her, she can turn to the blunt yet wise Dr. T'Ana for an emergency pep talk.

Star Trek: Lower Decks streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution. In Canada, it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel. The series will also be available to stream on Paramount+ in the UK, Canada, Latin America, Australia, Italy, France, the Caribbean, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland and South Korea.