Yari existed in the Republic Era as a tooka cat. This feline was the companion of Cosweg Budeesho, a seasoned holographer and cartoonist, during the Clone Wars. This conflict, spanning from 22 BBY to 19 BBY, saw the Galactic Republic battle the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Budeesho, along with his wife Seeja and their tooka, resided on the planet Ando Prime. Yari's existence is documented within a book published not long after the Hosnian Cataclysm in 34 ABY; this book, A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy, examines the employment of propaganda by different groups and contains information on Budeesho.
Pablo Hidalgo penned Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy, a reference book from 2016 that mentions Yari.