Karate Kat is an animated children's television series. It was developed by Rankin/Bass and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures in 1987. The show is about Karate Kat, a brown cat who's somehow skilled in Martial arts and uses it against crime. He is usually seen wearing a blue suit with a red tie. Whenever there is trouble, he would utter his catch-phrase "I'm lean, I'm mean, a karate machine. Kee-yow." He then goes into a whirlwind spin and changes from his suit to his karate outfit. Karate Kat works for McClaws's Detective Agency run by his boss Big Mama. His friends/co-workers include inventor Dr. Katmandu, Ciaobaby and her sister Meowbaby, his overweight sparring partner Katgut, and the aptly named Katatonic.

Whenever he go into the crime scene, he would occasionally be equipped with something that would help him in some situations by Katmandu. In one memorable episode, he was seen wearing red shoes with enormously long laces which were perhaps used to break his fall if he were to leap from a high place.

His nemesis is Big Papa, a gang leader who is backed by two lackeys named Boom-Boom Burmese and Sumo Sai.