Why does Puar like Yamcha?

[Kid Buu]

Puar is a cat, Yamcha is a wolf, seems incompatible no?

Is there any backstory on their origin, outside of Puar being in that school with Oolong?

[Gyt Kaliba]

As far as I know, nothing is actually stated anywhere, but if I had to make an educated guess...probably sometime after Puar graduated from the transformation kindergarten, he/she ventured out into the world and ended up getting into some kind of trouble in a very familiar desert, and Yamcha stepped in to save the poor little cat. Given how slightly more mischievous (to say the least) Puar seemed in their first appearance, maybe Puar was already trying to con people on his/her own and got in over his/her head that way.

[Mr. Piccolo]

Well, Yamcha was pretty strong and if I recall correctly Oolong bullied Puar when they were in shapeshifting school so maybe Puar initially saw Yamcha as a person who could protect him from bullies. I am sure that Puar’s shapeshifting abilities also proved useful to Yamcha during his career as a bandit. They both had something to provide the other and they probably just became friends as time went on.

EDIT: Gyt Kaliba basically made this point first. I agree with him.

[Luso Saiyan]

It's all an assumption on my part, but since they have such a strong friendship my guess is that Yamcha probably saved/protected Puar's life at some point.

[dbgtFO]

As far as I know, nothing is actually stated anywhere, but if I had to make an educated guess...probably sometime after Puar graduated from the transformation kindergarten, he/she ventured out into the world and ended up getting into some kind of trouble in a very familiar desert, and Yamcha stepped in to save the poor little cat. Given how slightly more mischievous (to say the least) Puar seemed in their first appearance, maybe Puar was already trying to con people on his/her own and got in over his/her head that way.

Puar is a male.
Otherwise a good theory, I could see it happen like that.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Thanks, I thought he was supposed to be a male, but it's always hard for me to remember sometimes. There's just times that the character comes off much more female.

[KentalSSJ6]

Must..resist..Cat Loves Food joke...

[Tyro]

As far as I know, nothing is actually stated anywhere, but if I had to make an educated guess...probably sometime after Puar graduated from the transformation kindergarten, he/she ventured out into the world and ended up getting into some kind of trouble in a very familiar desert, and Yamcha stepped in to save the poor little cat. Given how slightly more mischievous (to say the least) Puar seemed in their first appearance, maybe Puar was already trying to con people on his/her own and got in over his/her head that way.

Puar is a boy but he is not a cat. Check out this question from Toriyama's AMA from volume 6:

Question #2
Nobukatsu Sekigawa (Kanagawa Prefecture):
I like Pu’er. I told my brother that Pu’er is a cat and he told me that Pu’er is a mouse. Who is right?

Akira Toriyama:
Actually, Pu’er is neither a cat nor a mouse, but I draw him a little bit like a cat.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Wait, what?

I know I was using the term 'cat', but I was under the impression he was at least a 'cat human', in the same way that Oolong is a 'pig human'. But he's not even a cat in that vein?

[Valerius Dover]

I think Puar's gender is something that's different between the original and dub. She is referred to as female on at least two occasions. (By Bulma in the Emperor Pilaf Saga and Master Roshi in the Vegeta Saga). Don't know about Kai, though.

[Kid Buu]

I don't think Puar actually has a gender, like the Nameks.

[Hitiro]

I would assume it is very much like Namekians where they same very male orientated but actually don't have a sex. I just think Puar follows Yamcha because Yamcha helped him out too.