Pokémon has 648 (as of Pokémon Black and White) distinctive fictional species classified as the titular Pokémon. These creatures and entities reside throughout various locations of the fictional Pokémon universe and can be caught by humans designated as Pokémon Trainers often using devices called Poké Balls. These trainers use Pokémon for a variety of purposes, such as being pets and loyal companions and/or being pitted against other trained Pokémon in competitive Pokémon battles. Pokémon are potentially super-powered creatures that can employ a variety of talents such as generating fire or heat, martial arts, telekinesis, and so on. Through age and experience many of these species undergo a metamorphosis and transform into a similar but stronger species in a process referred to as Pokémon evolution.

This is a selected listing of fifty of the Pokémon species, arranged as they are in the main game series' National Pokédex.

Meowth (ニャース, Nyāsu^?, Nyarth), known as the Scratch Cat Pokémon, has a distinctly feline appearance, resembling a small housecat. It has cream-colored fur, which turns brown at its paws and tail tip. Its oval-shaped head features prominent whiskers, black-and-brown ears, and a koban, a gold oval coin (also known as "charm") embedded in its forehead. Meowth are valued for their ability to collect coins using their signature move, "Pay Day", as it is the only Pokémon that learns it. Meowth's coloration, its love of coins, and its charm indicate that Meowth is based on the Japanese Maneki Neko, a cat-shaped figurine that is said to bring good luck and money to its owner. Aspects of Meowth were drawn from a Japanese myth dealing with the true value of money, in which a cat has money on its head but does not realize it.