Pets have always been a huge part of The Sims franchise but with The Sims 4, the focus was switched from adding a broader range of animals to adding just two. The Cats & Dogs expansion does exactly what it promises in its name, giving players cats and dogs in their game.
However, despite appearances, it does have other features. As well as the expected furniture and clothing additions, there's also a new career and a brand new world. Here we discuss the main features of the pack in detail, enabling you to decide if Cats & Dogs is worth the cost for you.
10 There Are Customizable Breeds of Cats & Dogs
Cats and Dogs can be created in create-a-sim and there is a wide range of breeds available as a base. Each different breed has a look and personality traits that are commonly found in that breed. You can also create raccoons.
Once the breed is selected your pet can be customized in both looks, size, and personality. There's even a color wheel for fur, leading to all kinds of interesting animals appearing in the gallery.
9 Your Pets Have Personality
Pets in this expansion cannot be controlled but that doesn't mean they don't have personality. Just like with sims, their traits determine behavior and just as in real life their needs have to be met.
Meeting needs can be a guessing game but this makes the experience of pet ownership more grounded in reality. Pets may also run away, sometimes this is due to neglect but occasionally it's just random.
8 You Can Add Clothing And Accessories To Your Animals
There is a range of clothing and accessories available for your animals. This includes essentials like food bowls, toys, litter boxes, and beds. It also includes colors and clothing. You can choose which items you want to use.
The choices also include a few pet owner staples like a lead on a hanger and items that show your love for your four-legged friend.
7 Cats & Dogs Can Be Trained
Cat training is limited to stopping bad behaviors. They can be (eventually) trained to use litter boxes, not eat human food, not jump on counters, etc. Aside from this cats mostly do their own thing, just like in real life.
Dogs can also be trained but their training is different. While behavioral training is a thing dogs can be taught to sit, shake, play dead, or roll. There is also a specific set of items to teach dogs to jump through hoops, etc.
All pet training helps build up pet trainer skills and the higher the skill the easier it is to train future pets.
6 You Can Send Your Animals To Forage For Collectibles
Animals can be sent out to forage for collectibles. Cats will go out prowling without much input but dogs will need a little more direction. Both can dig up mounds of dirt in Brindleton Bay that can yield collectibles.
Cats are especially prone to bringing home feathers and these form a brand new collection. Cats with the prowling trait will be best at this task.
5 You Can Adopt Stray Animals
There are new lot traits that enable larger than usual amounts of dogs or cats to hang out at a specific lot. Many of these will be strays from the surrounding area.
Sims can befriend stray animals and once a relationship is built up between them they can then adopt them. Animals want food and affection and offering these to a stray is a quick way to their heart.
4 Sick Animals Can Go To The New Vet Clinic
Your pets can get sick and a visit to the new vet clinic is needed. Clinics can be built and run by sims and any sim with a pet can visit them. This means players can experience both sides of the process.
Clinics are active and combine elements of the active doctor career with the star rating system you see in restaurants. A clinic will have a rating and animals will need to be diagnosed and treated in good time to boost it.
3 Brindleton Bay Is Beautiful
The new world of Brindleton Bay is beautiful. It contains a range of rustic country homes, a museum, vet clinics, and lots of places to walk. It is perfectly set up for animal lovers and even has a local cat hangout.
You'll be able to take your dogs on walks on the beach and let your cats freely explore the surrounding area, bringing home treasures for your sim.
2 You'll See Cute And Casual Clothing
The clothing in Cats & Dogs has a slightly bohemian and country look to it in places. It's casual and also cute, with a mainly neutral and pastel color palette. There are also some casual dog walking looks.
Kids are treated to some cute animal themed tops and there are also some accessories, hairstyles, and other such items to fit the rural animal lover life you can create.
1 Build And Buy Offers Countryside Staples
The build and buy items are equally rustic. As well as the obvious pet items, including pet beds, training items, accessories, and more, there are also some rustic pieces. There's a cute pet-themed bedroom set for kids and a number of versatile windows and doors.
Overall the items very much fit the world but many can be used elsewhere. The decorative items, in particular, match well with different storage solutions from other packs.