21349: Tuxedo Cat LEGO Ideas Set Review

It is said most people fall into one of two camps – dog people or cat people. As those who follow BricksFanz on social media will know, I’m a dog person. But there are many people out there who are of a more feline persuasion. Regardless of which side of the pet fence you are on, the latest LEGO® Ideas set offers yet another interesting build inspired by a fan design. Here’s a closer look at the LEGO Ideas Tuxedo Cat set.

Product Details

Set Name: Tuxedo Cat | Set Number: 21349 | Pieces: 1710 | Theme: Ideas

Number of Bags: Bags x 20 (paper) | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: N/A | Insiders QR: Yes

RRP: £89.99/$99.99/99.99€/169.99AUD/129.99CAD

Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from June 1st

The first thing you notice about the set is it’s box. It’s a new design which features a removable lid. At first, I wondered why, but then it clicked cats and boxes are a thing, so this style of packaging is perfectly suited should any sort of cat desire to sit in it. The box isn’t unique to this set, as this is the second set I’ve had in this sort of box. So no it hasn’t been solely created to become a plaything for cats. I personally like the box, it was easier to open, can be reused or easily flattened down and made the build process a lot easier. Although their use for smaller sets would make little sense, I hope similar sized sets make use of them in the future.

As with previous LEGO Ideas sets, the instructions offer a little extra detail beyond the building instructions. So there’s a brief introduction to the set’s original fan designer Damian Andres. There’s also a brief history of the cat plus word from the set designer, Chris McVeigh. You’ll notice that the set looks a little different to the original fan submission. The cat’s colouring has been changed to black and white, it’s also been given the moniker – Tuxedo Cat. This isn’t some sort of internet-famous cat nor is it a breed. Tuxedo cats are named due to their markings, making them appear to be wearing a black suit jacket and white shirt.

The set is built in sections that help create the cat’s necessary shape. The inner core of the cat is where the sets shine. It’s not stupendously complex but offers a unique level of build techniques to ensure the various sections connect seamlessly. The head is particularly impressive, I especially like the use of angular canopy elements for the ears and how they are nestled into the head. The head also sits on a turntable plate so it can be rotated. But apart from that, this a pretty static set.

Most of the build is focused on the body of the cat, but it’s finished off with a pair of front legs and a tail. Both of these are built separately to the body and are then clipped on to it. Once complete it really does look like a cat and is almost 1:1 in terms of size to an actual cat. You’ll also notice a few interesting, recently introduced new elements. These include a new flat tile which best described as a 2×2 tile with half a 2×2 round tile added to it. There are also new sloped piece which are 1×4. Plus a new cheese slope and of course, plenty of recoloured elements.

The set does feature a few customisation options including the ability to change the eyes. You can choose to use blue or yellow eyes, both of which are printed. There are also two different mouth options. So the Cat can be shown with its mouth closed or mid-meow. These are easy enough to change without taking the set apart.

It’s fair to say this set won’t be for everyone. This is purely to do with the subject matter. It will certainly appeal more towards cat lovers. It does seem it could go the way of the Black Panther bust or Seinfeld set. But that is not to say it’s a poor set, far from it. I have a fondness for the LEGO Ideas sets and I’m glad I got to review this one as it’s one I would not have purchased. You may not like cats, but this is a fantastic build, the use of parts and how they managed to capture the natural shape of a cat is quite impressive. The Tuxedo Cat set will be available from June 1st and you can pre-order it now.

Pre-order: UKIrelandUSCanadaMexicoGermanyFranceDenmarkAustraliaNew Zealand

These were provided to BricksFanz by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.

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