Backstories are critical for a character. First, it helps the author understand him or her, and second, it helps the reader to understand the character as along as the author only shares the parts of the backstory that are needs for a particular story. So what’s the backstory for this character? Even nonhuman ones need a backstory.
So is the cat a him or a her? Is he fearful or just alert? If he’s fearful, what happened in his past to make him this? Asking yourselves these kind questions will kickstart the backstory.
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I think he saw his mom get attacked by a coyote when he was a kitten, so he and his litter mates had to band together to survive. Right now he’s eyeing a nest of baby birds, hoping to bring lunch to his siblings who all look to him for protection.