Original airdate: November 25th, 2013
Production code: 1020-005
When Steven finds out that all the Crystal Gems have the ability to shapeshift, he tries to shapeshift himself, but fails. A few tries later, he manages to change one finger into a cat.
After having fun with his finger-cat, Steven then makes the rest of his fingers cats. Then Body Horror ensues.
With the other gems gone to battle a living island, he resorts to asking his dad for help. They figure out that the cat-heads hate water and manage to eliminate them by bathing Steven in the car wash.
Tropes:
- Body Horror: Steven's shapeshifting soon runs away from him, resulting in cat heads manifesting all over his body. It's so bad that, by the time he's entered the car wash, Steven's body is basically just a shifting mass of cats with barely anything of his normal self left. It is best described as a "shoggoth made of cats"; it's exactly as horrifying as it sounds.
- Cats Hate Water: Exploited to get Steven back to normal—the cat body parts recoil when they get wet and eventually go away.
- Continuity Nod: Because of the events of the previous episode, Peedee has been promoted (as noticed by Steven).
- Copycat Mockery: Amethyst teases Pearl by using her shapeshifting powers to take on her form.Amethyst: (as Pearl) Of course I can [shape-shift], I'm perfect! (slaps her own butt) WOMP WOMP!
- Darker and Edgier: There are a couple of intense scenes such as Steve's shapeshifting getting the best of him to the point where he's become - in his own words - "an adorable cat monster". The music that plays during this scene doesn't help.
- Deus Exit Machina: Just when Steven starts to regret having cat fingers, the Gems have to go on a mission to prevent a disaster. They have to put off helping him until they get back, and then things get much worse.
- Don't Think, Feel: Amethyst's minimal instructions on changing form include "Think of what you wanna be, and then, just shake it out." and "You're too tense. Just feel it. (eats food) Bio-rhythms, yo. "
- Early-Installment Weirdness: No Gem's shapeshifting ever gets out of control again after this episode.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Steven only figures out how to get rid of the cat heads while lamenting that his life is about to be ruined by them.Steven: My life is over! I can't go on magic adventures! I can't even open the fridge! And I'll never get to have another water fight with you, Dad, because these things hate...water! They hate water! Dad, spray me again!
- "Everybody Laughs" Ending: Subverted. Steven tries to invoke this with some cat-related puns, but the Gems don't find any of them funny.
- Foreshadowing: When Amethyst demonstrates her shapeshifting powers, one of the forms she takes is the same large, hairy man that she uses for her Wrestling Monster persona in "Tiger Millionaire".
- Gone Horribly Wrong: Amethyst tries to teach Steven to shapeshift, but doesn't give enough instructions on how to change back. He shapeshifts his fingers into cats, but it gets out of control and he starts turning into a fleshy mass of cat faces.
- Hurricane of Puns: Steven makes a bunch of cat puns when the gems come back. Pearl laughs a little at the first one while Amethyst groans, and when he keeps making more, all of them leave.Wait, I've been coming up with cat jokes all morning!
- I Am a Monster: While begging his dad to put him through the car wash to get rid of the cats, Steven cries out "I'M AN ADORABLE CAT MONSTER!"
- Iris Out: Over Steven and his poor attempt at puns.
- Kill It with Water: Steven and Greg get rid of Steven's cats by running Steven through their car wash at maximum settings.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: Peedee tries to get Steven to order off the menu instead of just eating fry bits, but Mr. Fryman says not to bother.It'll be over sooner if you just give him what he wants.
- Lame Pun Reaction: When Steven Gives his Hurricane of Puns at the end of the episode, the other gems are not amused. Their reaction to the first pun is Amethyst rolling her eyes and sarcastically laughing, the second one is outright cringing, and the third has Garnet say "Okay that's enough" and everyone walks away.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl sail off to fight a living island, which Garnet implies is to prevent an earthquake.
- Opt Out: When Amethyst offers to teach Steven shapeshifting, Greg realizes this is "magic stuff" and should keep out, although they end up leaving instead of him.
- Organ Autonomy: The cat fingers act independent of Steven's will and thoughts.Sadie: Are you making it purr?
Steven: It kind of does what it wants. - Partial Transformation: Steven was trying to turn entirely into a cat when he grew the first cat finger.
- Power Incontinence: Steven can make the cat heads appear, but can't get rid of them. Then even more start appearing without him trying.
