It goes without saying that a game where you play a cat is going to be objectively adorable. In Stray, you get loads of cuteness, from naps and cuddles to family reunions. The game is as charming as it is eerie.
Even in terrifying areas that have sunk deep into destruction, a cute cat is enough to break up the darkness. But the protagonist isn’t the only aspect of the game that’ll put a smile on your face. Don’t let the Companions’ cold exterior fool you, they’re just as loving as our cat friend. These are some of the cutest moments in the game.
This article contains minor plot spoilers.
8 Taking Naps Wherever You Want
One of the best parts of Stray is your ability to take naps in the most obscure of spaces. Whether you’re on a shelf, on a pillow in a fugitive’s apartment, or on a Companion’s lap, there is an abundance of spots to snuggle up and rest for a bit. The coziest of areas can be found in Clementine’s apartment. The way she decorates her space makes you forget you’re in this world, making you feel like you’re just another house cat relaxing by the window.
You’ll probably end up taking naps whenever the option becomes available, because why wouldn’t you? You’re a stray cat with plenty of time to sleep despite trying to escape a post-apocalyptic world.
7 Cuddles With A Cowboy
There’s nothing more validating in this game than a Companion giving you heart eyes. It reminds you that these Companions are more similar to humans than they appear.
You’re used to napping on a pillow, but it’s not every day that you get to cuddle up to a sleeping Companion cowboy. When you find him, he’s lounging on a couch. Once you jump onto him, he’s surprised to see you, but ultimately lays back and enjoys the nap with you. There aren't too many friendly robotic faces you can't befriend as a cat.
6 Purring With Grandma
Being able to rub and purr up against a Companion’s legs while they watch you in awe is just heartwarming. And doing this with Grandma just makes it even sweeter, especially since she likes to knit ponchos.
It’s a shame you have to give your sweater away to a Companion that gets cold and experiences flu-like symptoms, but the fact that sweet Grandma makes these sweaters for her community makes up for it all. Everyone speaks so highly of her, so it’s nice to form your own bond with her.
5 Doc And Seamus’ Reunion
For a community of robots, the emotions some of these characters emit are palpable. When you meet Seamus, he’s sad, assuming that his father is lost to the sewers. But after giving Seamus a bit of hope, when you find out Doc may be alive, you set off to find him and reunite this father and son duo.
Once you get Doc back into the Slums, the two share a moment of recognition and a big hug. The scene makes you wonder how many families have been separated in this grim world. This tender moment shows a glimmer of hope for the residents.
4 Cat + B-12 = BFFs
Once separated from your cat friends, you’re alone in a desolate city, with no life other than mutated bacteria trying to kill you. Finding B-12 changes the overall feel and motive of the game. It makes Stray much less lonely and highlights that friendships can be formed in the most unusual of circumstances.
The two share a mutualistic relationship which evolves into a heartfelt sense of kinship. B-12 and the cat look out for and help each other in different ways. When you can’t reach something, B-12 can, and vice versa. Sure, you make friends throughout the plot, but nothing tops the bond you share with B-12.
3 Spending Time With Friends
Perhaps the cutest moment in Stray takes place at the very beginning of the game. As a cat, you’re living outside the walls with your cat friends. The four cats will nap together, cuddle, sniff each other, and rub up against each other. Their bond is so clear, and watching them venture across their environment together shows how close the group is.
This relationship is what makes the beginning of Stray so tragic. You’re ripped from your friends, and you could only hope that they’re reunited again.
2 Paper Bag Head
There are a lot of silly little cat behaviors you can engage in during your playthrough. Hiding in boxes and knocking things over reminds you that you’re playing a cat, despite all the extreme things you have to go through.
The most humbling moments are when you find paper bags. You immediately stick your head in it, wearing a bag not as a hat, but as a mask. Because it’s a bag on your head, the cat can’t see anything, which leads to walking into things and moving in the wrong direction.
1 Traveling In A Bucket
You don’t get to experience too many forms of transportation in the game, which makes sense due to the state of the world. But climbing can be a tedious process, especially after spending so much time arriving at your high location.
This is why being able to travel via bucket is not only convenient but a truly delightful sight as well. Sure, the Companions probably didn’t set this bucket system up with cats in mind, but it’s definitely being used for a better purpose than whatever it was intended for.