My theory is that at least one member of the Splatoon team is a transspecies meltcat and has subtly influenced the game's characters and lore towards meltcat-like concepts. Evidence:

- Inklings and Octolings can turn between a semisolid ("kid form") and quasi-liquid ("squid/swim form" where they can melt into the ink they shoot) state. They appear to be made of (liquid) ink and have no bones (although the latter is justified by real life squids not having bones either). Meltcats can switch between liquid and semisolid state too.
- Octarians (the species that Octolings are a part of) can split off body parts into dedicated, specialized shapes like Octotroopers or Octocopters. Meltcats can do the same and likely have a eusocial society where they specialize their body to their job/task.
- Cats are the only mammals in the Splatoon world (outside of Splatoon 3 story spoilers). Splatoon is set in a hypothetical Earth 10,000 years after a third world war exterminating humanity and all other mammals. The only surviving mammal is a cat who (according to in-game lore) survived in some kind of cryo capsule. He's named Judd, and he's the referee for the multiplayer battles. Splatoon 2 introduced an additional smaller Judd called Lil' Judd and implies the cryo capsule creates new Judd clones on a regular basis.
- Splatoon 3's single player campaign introduces Fuzzy Ooze, which is basically ink with fur. There's also Fuzzy Octarians who are either made of fuzzy ooze or infected with it. Remember that Inkling/Octarian ink appears to be the substance their bodies are made of, similar to meltcat slime.