Shen Kuei (Earth-616)

Shen Kuei was a martial artist who worked as a spy based in Hong Kong, first for communist China, later as a freelancer. His martial skill and grace earned him the nickname of Cat. A British agent named Juliette fell in love with him. When Sir Denis Smith asked Shang-Chi to investigate Cat, Juliete, and some documents that had been stolen from British intelligence, Juliette gave him info on the documents, but refused to tell him Kuei's whereabouts. However, Cat saw the two, and thought she betrayed him.^[1]

After Shang-Chi recovered and discarded the documents, Cat and Shang-Chi fought, each amazed at each other's skill. Juliette stabbed herself to stop their quarrel. Shocked, Kuei expected Shang to kill him, but he did not.^[2]

Kuei continued to work for the People's Republic of China and with Kogar, trying to find plans for a neutron bomb. Juliette left him telling him he was working with evil people. The mercenary Pavane became Kuei's new lover, and Juliette also met a new man, Skull-Crusher. Juliette and Skull-Crusher worked with Kogar, but were tricked into leaving explosives at the Jade Peacock. Kuei's brother worked at the nightclub and was killed.

Cat confronted Kogar, but was surprised to see Shang-Chi there. Shang had infiltrated the group to find the bomb plans, but the two battled once more. After confirming that Kogar was responsible for his brother's death, Cat worked with Shang to stop the villain.

Now refusing to work for any government, Cat learned of a sunken German ship with plans for a particle beam weapon. He felt that he should destroy it before other agents could attempt to recover the items. There, he encountered Leiko Wu, Shang-Chi's former lover. The two destroyed items on the ship and had a brief affair. However, they admitted that each still loved their former partners. Shang-Chi and Juliette showed up, causing another battle, until Wu and Juliette threatened to shoot each other. The ship was destroyed, and each couple left.

Cable hired The Cat first as one of several parties tasked with collecting specific future-tech components taken from Graymalkin. This brought him into conflict with Deadpool, who greatly admired Kuei but was hired to do the same job.^[3] They chased each other until the X-Men took the component that they were fighting over from both of them.^[4] Kuei later revealed that he had allowed the component to be taken but kept one for himself that he handed over when it was needed.^[5] Cable hired The Cat again to accept a job working for Black Box to bring him a device that would eliminate the problems he had stemming from his cyberpathy.^[6] He then turned on Gareb in order to help Cable and destroyed Gareb's clone army.^[7]