So you picked the grass cat. Good choice. Honestly, Sprigatito is arguably the best starter in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet if you’re looking for raw speed and a move that literally never misses. But standing there with a tiny green kitten while Nemona is breathing down your neck with a much stronger team can feel a bit... well, underwhelming. You’re likely wondering exactly what level does Sprigatito evolve so you can finally stop babying it and start sweeping gyms.
The short answer is level 16. That is the magic number where your cute plant-cat becomes the awkward, bipedal teenager known as Floragato. But that’s only the beginning of the journey. To get to the real powerhouse—the magician cat Meowscarada—you’ve got a bit more grinding to do.
Let's break down the timing, the stats, and why you might actually want to press the "B" button and stop the evolution for a few levels.
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Sprigatito Evolution Level and Requirements
In the Paldea region, the starter evolution levels are pretty consistent across the board. Whether you picked the fire croc or the dancing duck, the milestones are identical.
Sprigatito evolves into Floragato at Level 16. There are no stones required. You don't need to walk a certain amount of steps or level up during the daytime. Just straight-up experience points. If you’re exploring the early areas of Paldea, you’ll probably hit this level right around the time you’re tackling your first Gym Leader or your first Titan Pokémon.
Floragato then evolves into Meowscarada at Level 36.
Once you hit 36, your cat gains the Dark typing, which is a massive double-edged sword. You get an immunity to Psychic moves, sure, but you also pick up a nasty 4x weakness to Bug-type moves. One U-turn from a Scyther and it’s game over. However, the trade-off is more than worth it for Meowscarada's signature move: Flower Trick.
Why You Might Want to Wait
Sometimes, evolving the second you hit level 16 isn't the smartest move. Pokémon in their unevolved forms often learn specific moves earlier than their evolved counterparts. While this isn't a huge issue for Sprigatito compared to some other species, some players like to hold off just to keep the "cute" factor or to make use of the Eviolite item.
The Eviolite boosts the Defense and Special Defense of a Pokémon that can still evolve by 50%. If you're doing a "challenge run," a level 35 Floragato holding an Eviolite is surprisingly tanky compared to a fresh Meowscarada.
The Power Spike: From Kitten to Magician
When Sprigatito evolves, it isn't just a cosmetic change. The jump in stats is what actually matters for your playthrough. Sprigatito starts with a base Speed of 65, which is decent for a starter. But by the time it reaches its final form, that Speed rockets up to 123.
In the world of Pokémon, 123 Speed is elite. You will be outspeeding almost everything the main story throws at you.
What changes at Level 36?
- Dual Typing: You become Grass/Dark.
- Signature Move: You get access to Flower Trick. This move has a base power of 70, never misses, and always lands a critical hit. It ignores the opponent's defensive stat boosts. It's essentially a "delete" button for bulky Water types like Dondozo.
- Ability Shift: If you were lucky enough to get a Sprigatito with its Hidden Ability, Protean, this is where it starts to get tricky. Protean used to be broken, but in Gen 9, it only triggers once per entry. Use it wisely.
How to Level Up Sprigatito Fast
If you’re stuck at level 14 and just want to see that evolution screen already, Paldea gives you plenty of ways to cheat the grind. You don't have to just run around in the grass fighting Lechonks.
- Tera Raid Battles: This is the big one. Even 1-star and 2-star raids drop Exp. Candies. A few "Small" or "Medium" candies will skip those awkward teenage levels in seconds.
- The "Let's Go" Feature: Use the R button to send Sprigatito out to auto-battle. It’s faster than traditional turn-based combat, though you get slightly less experience. It’s perfect for clearing out groups of Hoppip or Psyduck near Los Platos.
- Lucky Egg: You’ll get this from Jacq after defeating five Gym Leaders. If you’re lagging behind in levels mid-game, stick this on your Floragato immediately.
Common Misconceptions About the Evolution
I’ve seen people asking if they need a Leaf Stone. No. I've seen people asking if friendship levels matter for Sprigatito. They don't—at least not for the evolution itself. While high friendship gives you benefits in battle (like surviving with 1 HP or shaking off paralysis), it won't make your cat evolve any faster than level 16.
Another weird rumor is that the gender of the Sprigatito affects its evolution level. That’s total nonsense. Whether your starter is male or female (and remember, there’s only a 12.5% chance of getting a female starter), the levels remain 16 and 36.
Actionable Next Steps
If you just started your game, focus on reaching the first Pokémon Center in Los Platos. From there, head east or west and take on a few trainers. You’ll hit level 16 before you even reach the first "official" Gym. Once you have your Floragato, keep it in the front of your party to soak up that experience, but be wary of the Iono’s Bellibolt or any Fire-types—your cat is fast, but it’s still made of leaves.
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Start hoarding those Exp. Candies from raids now. You'll want them when you hit the level 30 slump so you can jump straight to level 36 and unlock Meowscarada before the late-game difficulty spike hits.