FC Barcelona’s newest star isn’t a rising academy talent or a record signing. It’s CAT, the club’s expressive yellow, blue, and claret mascot whose first official plush toy triggered a rush that even the most optimistic executives didn’t see coming.
The plush debuted at the Barça Immersive Tour during a hybrid presentation that mixed a live lip-sync performance, a studio-style setup, and a global broadcast aimed at reaching supporters far beyond Catalonia. The event highlighted just how quickly CAT has grown from a 125th-anniversary creation into one of the club’s rising brand assets.
According to the club, the plush is the result of a longer-than-expected creative and production process, driven by a commitment to make a figure that truly captured CAT’s identity. That extra time seems to have paid off, if sales are anything to go by. The first batch, released in an exclusive presale for members at 34.99 euros, sold out almost instantly. MARCA reported that 5,000 units disappeared in just 10 minutes, a demand more typical of limited-edition sneakers than a children’s toy.
Not all the fallout has been celebratory. Some members immediately tried reselling their preorder confirmations at steep markups, drawing public frustration from board spokesperson Maria Elena Fort, who denounced listings reaching around 100 euros. The club has clarified that another presale is on the way, but for now, there is no official method to secure a new plush.
Behind the character’s success is a team whose pedigree stretches far beyond football. CAT was designed by brothers Carles and Jordi Grangel, internationally respected artists known for their work on films such as Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, Spirit, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, for which they received an Academy Award. In a Barça One interview from late 2024, they admitted that when they received the assignment, their initial reaction was panic. Lifelong Barça fans themselves, they recalled the sense of responsibility that came with shaping a mascot that could become a permanent part of the club’s identity.
They eventually found inspiration in the wildcat of the Montseny, a native species that allowed for a playful but meaningful connection to Catalonia. The design also incorporates the outline of Barça’s crest, something the Grangels said emerged naturally once they settled on the concept.
Since launching last year, CAT has become a staple at training sessions, games, institutional events and collaborations with other mascots around Spain. Online, its reach is even greater: 1.3 million followers on Instagram and 1.7 million on TikTok in just a year, huge numbers for a European sports mascot. That digital presence has already drawn interest from potential partners, and the club is preparing even more CAT-centered activity for 2026.
Barça executives view CAT as more than a marketing tool. They see it as a bridge to younger fans and an accessible symbol of a club that wants to stay globally relevant without losing its local roots. As club president Joan Laporta said during the mascot’s original unveiling, “we were missing an animated character that identified us”, and now the club finally has one.
