The World: 

Shortly after WWII, The United States started investing in more military research along with a myriad of psychological and physical tests, inspired by the progress and discoveries brought to the country by defecting German scientists. In 1951, A groundbreaking new research facility was founded. Hidden away in the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwestern United States, Docker's Lab was built. Named for the founding scientist, the facility was huge and secluded, it was also completely secret. An entire town was built around it, housing the scientists and their families and keeping the town, now known as Docker's Run, nearly self-sufficient. As time went on, more and more scientists and staff were recruited and the town grew bigger to compensate. By 2007, the town now had its own farmland, shopping mall, grocery stores, airport, and even arcade. Many supplies were now supplemented from the outside world by air and boat, utilizing a small port on a river nearby for stealthy deliveries. It was, for all appearances, a fully functional city.

Initially, Docker's Lab focused on weapon and energy research, using mice and rats for any tests needing living subjects. During the Cold War, however, a focus was turned more towards genetic and physical augmentation through chemical and technological means. With this new research came a need for bigger and more advanced test subjects. After much internal debate among staff, cats were chosen as the perfect primary subjects for early testing. Stray cats were abundant around the world and often unwanted. No one batted an eye when they went missing and getting multivarious breeds and genetic traits from cats taken from all over the country proved incredibly easy. Soon, an entire floor of the laboratory was dedicated to housing and experimenting on these subjects. 

It wasn’t long before the system was nearly perfected, utilizing the space on one floor to its full potential. In the West Wing, cats were brought in that were acquired outside of Docker's Run. Strays and misfortuned house cats were brought in for various tests. These test subjects were often not treated with much care, as they were considered disposable and easily replaced. They were the perfect subjects for medical testing, the testing of physical technologies, and even aesthetic flairs intended for marketing to the general public. Some of them, however, did eventually get moved to the other side of the lab for breeding. In the East Wing, carefully curated bloodlines were bred and spliced with the DNA of other creatures, with varying success. The successful litters were cherished and treated with great care and reverence by staff, as they were seen as the hard work of years showing results.

Testing and breeding went on for many years in secrecy until, in 2007, there was an accident. An unknown source caused a large explosion, early in the afternoon. Having been near the center of the lab, the explosion caused great damage to the facility and surrounding woodland. Within a matter of hours, the entire building was evacuated of all staff and, in less than a day, the entire town was empty. The animals were left behind. Lab cats, house cats, dogs, lab rats, all abandoned. Now, those left behind have to learn how to survive.

This is where our story begins..