Meerkats

Meerkats are level 4 Summoning familiars that were added on 4 August 2010 with the Elite treasure trail update, whose helping functions link in with Treasure Trails.

They possess a scroll ability 'Fetch Casket' which allows them to dig for caskets which would otherwise trigger a god mage to attack the player.

By interacting with them, 3 options appear: "chat", "get sextant coordinate" and "dig".

The "Fetch Casket" ability is neccesary in order to avoid a god mage. The "Dig" option works exactly like a spade, and will dig where you are standing, this however, WILL trigger a god mage if the clue happens to include one.

One Summoning point is expended when summoning meerkats from a meerkat pouch. Afterwards, unlike other familiars, Summoning points are drained very slowly for having the meerkats summoned.

This pouch cannot be exchanged for shards from Bogrog.

Meerkats pouch
A Meerkats pouch is received as a reward from a Treasure Trail. Unlike other Summoning pouches, it cannot be made by players. When released, it was listed with a cost of 3,000 coins in the Grand Exchange. It can be obtained from completing a clue scroll of any level. It requires a Summoning level of 4 to summon.

Fetch Casket scroll


A Fetch Casket scroll is also a reward item, note you cannot make these by using a meerkat pouch on an obelisk. The scroll allows use of the special move of the Meerkat, Fetch Casket. When used, it makes the meerkats dig for a co-ordinate clue without making a Zamorak wizard, Saradomin wizard or Guthix wizard appear.

Trivia

 * They were the first (and at the time, only) Summoning familiars able to run. After the update on 15 March 2011, all familiars can run.
 * This is the only pouch that summons more than one familiar at once.
 * The only other item that can summon two followers are the squirrel ears, a reward from the 2010 Easter event.
 * When you do the Dig action with the meerkats, they dig under you; meaning you cannot move, until the move is finished.
 * If you look at the hole while the Meerkats do the digging animation, there is actually no hole, just the ground.
 * There is a glitch which occurs where players cannot use the find coordinates ability with their meerkat.
 * They cannot be used with the Duel Arena Level 3 Coordinate Clue: 02.46 North, 29.11 East, as you cannot enable both obstacles and summoning in a a duel.
 * Fetch Casket cannot be used with the Mort Myre Swamp Level 3 Coordinate Clue: 05.37 North, 31.15 East, because this is a summoning free area.
 * Due to a glitch, Fetch Casket cannot be used with the Rellekka Level 3 Coordinate Clue: 17.50 North, 08.30 East. This has now been fixed.