Pyre on Galaxy's Handbook

The Galaxy's Handbook (compiled by Mekkan Torn)
Chapter Twenty-Two: Cato Neimoidia
Section Four: Flora and Fauna
Tips for Slaying Cato Dragons
by Darth Pyre, Neimoidian Master Sith

Note to Readers: Do not attempt to slay a Cato dragon without aid. Even if I did it, that doesn't mean you can do it too.
Cato dragons are formidable. Their entire bodies are covered by a thick layer of greenish-blue scales which blend into the plants of Cato Neimoidia. This gives them both protection and camouflage. Cato dragons are considerably thinner than the Krayt dragons of Tatooine and the lyleks of Ryloth—they are long and slender, with snakelike necks, limbs and tails. From the tips of their tails to the tips of their noses, male Cato dragons are roughly five to six metres long, and females are four to five metres long. Unlike other dragons, they do not possess the shards that protrude from the spine. Instead, a tough ridge runs up the centre of their back and along their neck and tail. Cato dragons have reasonably long, thin talons that, though they appear weak and possibly flexible, are as tough as a moon's bones and can cut through wood as easily as a lightsaber cuts through the same. Except that the talons don't set the wood on fire. Speaking of fire, Cato dragons spit a clear saliva that causes intense pain to the skin if the saliva comes in contact with skin. Three horns protrude from the forehead of a Cato dragon that are in appearance quite similar to the creature's talons. These horns are one of the most distinguishing features of the Cato dragon.

Cato dragons live in rocky dens, preferably moist ones, often disguised by a heavy cover of vines and other plants. They prefer moist caves because their scales require moist to stay hard and flexible. Dry scales are brittle. Though Cato dragons are wingless, they are incredibly fast on their feet and are skilled climbers, using their claws to scale rock and trees with ease. Cato dragons are territorial and solitary creatures, but they are gregarious during the breeding season, which is in early and mid-spring.

Cato dragons are omnivorous predators, eating both freshly killed prey and fruit. They are known to have a weakness for the Roran honeynut and will go to great lengths to reap the fruit. Cato dragons only eat birds when they are desperate, because the feathers and small bones get caught in their mouths and throats. Cato dragons have been found dead from bird bones piercing their throats.

So I've just described the Cato dragon for you. Why would I want to do that? Well, as an adventurer and a native of Cato Neimoidia, I have news for you. Cato dragons are indeed formidable, but they are not invincible. I should know. I've fought them before. And I've survived, indicated by the mere fact that I'm writing this article.

Behavioural Weaknesses
Cato dragons have a definite form of behaviour, and there are specific weaknesses that can be exploited because of this behaviour. I've discovered several, and I've listed them below.

1. Cato dragons tend to spit first and stab second. They prefer to immobilise their prey by causing them intense pain from the saliva. Then they watch their prey for a few seconds before lowering their heads and lunging to impale the immobilised prey with their horns.
a. One behavioural weakness here is that Cato dragons never spit twice before lunging, even if they miss. They cannot. It takes time to recharge a spit wad, especially one the size and power of that of the Cato dragon. So dodge the spit and you've got a dragon that is about to lunge.
b. Another behavioural weakness is that Cato dragons lower their heads before they lunge. Their lunge is incredibly swift, but they rely on their memory to tell them where their prey is. They cannot see their prey after they lower their heads to lunge. Move aside as soon as the dragon lowers its head, and you've got a dragon that will miss.

2. Cato dragons rely on their horns to fight. They do not use their claws. These are solely used for climbing trees and for ripping fruit shells and the bodies of dead or fallen prey apart. Stay on your feet at all costs and keep moving after the dragon lunges. The dragon always relies on its horns to take down standing prey. This makes it vulnerable in the few seconds after it has landed, because it will not move for a few seconds after it has lunged unless it believes it is out of danger.

3. Cato dragons are lazy when full. If a Cato dragon has stuffed itself on prey, it will not rouse even when prodded physically. Obviously, this is a behavioural weakness. Coming upon a sated Cato dragon is the easiest way to defeat them. However, there is a catch—Cato dragons are not often satisfied, and their dens are hard to find.

4. Cato dragons have territories that they protect violently. Cato dragons are highly territorial and protect their territories above all else. Intruders are attacked viciously with no code of combat.
The behavioural weakness here is that Cato dragons will abandon everything—prey, enemies, etcetera—to hunt down an intruder in their territory. When they smell another Cato dragon, they go literally mad searching for it. Bring along a vial of dragon saliva and tip it on the ground, and the Cato dragon will completely ignore you, even if you walk up to it, as it goes mad over the smell of the other Cato dragon.

5. Cato dragons are less formidable in breeding season. While territorial battles and conflicts go on between Cato dragons in all other times, in spring the Cato dragons are occupied with searching out mates and fighting each other. This means that they generally ignore intruders into their territory until they have found a mate. The behavioural weakness here is that Cato dragons do not take notice of intruders. This makes them vulnerable to attack. I have come close enough to touch a Cato dragon when it was fully aware of me during breeding season before the Cato dragon reacted—and its reaction was only a hiss.

Anatomical Weaknesses
For all their formidability, Cato dragons have several definite weaknesses in their anatomy. I'll go through these below.

1. The underside of the neck where it connects to the head. This is the equivalent of the throat in humanoids and has much the same effect when slashed. The scales are thinner here. Get in a good slash, and the Cato dragon is as good as dead.

2. The body just behind the front legs. These places are the equivalent of the armpits in humanoids. A thrust inwards, directed towards the front of the body, should penetrate a vital organ such as the heart or the lungs. A thrust into one of these places with a metal blade, regardless of the thrust's direction, should cause the dragon to bleed to death quickly.

3. The inside of the mouth. This place is not covered with scales, and since Cato dragons have wide mouths, they are vulnerable here to a thrust through the mouth and into the throat or the brain.

Other Weaknesses
Cato dragons have several other weaknesses. I have listed the ones I have found below.

1. The scales of Cato dragons can be pierced by lightsabers. Though Cato dragons are very resilient and their scales are generally impervious to metal tips, lightsabers are able to burn through the scales to the flesh below.

2. Cato dragons crave Roran honeynuts. Provide a Cato dragon with a stash of Roran honeynuts and it will abandon all else to devour the delicacy. I have heard of inhabitants of Cato Neimoidia who have been able to tame young Cato dragons by feeding them honeynuts. Older dragons, however, cannot be tamed in this way, being set in their wild ways.

Having said this, I will repeat my original warning. Do not attempt to slay a Cato dragon without aid. Even if I did it, that doesn't mean you can do it too. These are merely helpful tips for slaying Cato dragons when the dragons have taken up territories dangerously close to settlements and threaten the inhabitants. I hope you find them useful.

~Darth Pyre, Neimoidian Master Sith