Empath

Empath causes your cat to take 1 damage whenever it deals damage to another unit. Every attack, spell, or ability that deals damage to any target also hurts the Empath cat for 1 HP. This creates a consistent self-damage mechanic that punishes offensive actions, making the cat's own aggression a threat to its survival.

Empath is heritable and can pass from parent to kitten through breeding. It can also be acquired through events or applied with a Disorder Syringe from the Organ Grinder. The 1 self-damage per damage instance means multi-hit attacks cause multiple points of self-damage. In fights where the cat attacks frequently, the cumulative self-damage can be significant.

Strategically, Empath is best managed with lifesteal from The Hunger, which heals on basic attacks to offset the self-damage. High-Constitution cats can absorb the 1 damage per hit more easily. The disorder is worse on cats with fast multi-hit attacks since each hit triggers a self-damage instance. Support or caster cats that deal damage less frequently suffer less from Empath. If the self-damage is manageable through healing, Empath is a mild nuisance; without healing support, it slowly kills your cat through its own attacks.