So you build yourself a beautiful sea front home in picturesque Brindleton Bay, your Sim steps out onto their balcony looks out at the view and thinks yikes, what on earth is wrong with that cat? Or that cat? Or that dog? Sick and whimpering animals wandering around in need of a forever home. Was the person that designed this once attacked by a furry friend?I wish that there was an on/off option for strays in the game. It spoils Brindleton Bay for me. I know they're just pixels but it's like the fluffy version of Saving Private Ryan on that beach!I adopt as many as I can and build rescue kennels but it's pretty grim. They even turn up in the jungle if you have Jungle Adventure. They're more difficult to adopt there too as they often don't stop when you try to speak to them or don't stop for long. There's always one that my Sim gets so close to adopting before it wanders off crying it's little eyes out. I'm like "come back, I'll build you a mansion, come back!"So please, for the love of all that is furry, give us an off switch! (I repeat, yes I do know they are just pixels but I was like this watching The Fox and the Hound as well!)There's probably mods for this but on console we're stuck with these things.

@jpkarlsen Hey there, I'm aware of that. My issue is actually living in Brindleton Bay around the beach, the docks, the area around the vet's office and trips to the jungle are all spoiled by suffering strays. I've had the pack nearly 2 years and actually avoid living in Brindleton Bay because of strays. It's a real shame because I really love the town. I don't use any of the lot traits linked to Cats and Dogs. The beach area is so lovely but it's spoiled in my personal opinion. If I build homes there, I make them big enough to fill with adopted strays but there are bugs around pet care at the moment which make that frustrating.It seems like it could be a simple thing to add to game options.

The culprit that strays get sicks are the bushes in Brindleton Bay. If they explore these bushes they can get bite, and if they get bite, they have a tendence to get sick from. The game cleans dirty pets if they leave the area since a while, I saw it often in my vanilla game that a dirty dog was magical clean after a while.And... its unproductive to adopt strays, the game will just create more strays. If you let the strays, be and just befriend you can without problem cure pets with wellness-treats. Not ever Cat and Dog need a home, some Cats and Dogs prefer the streets, because you have animals that have different personalities.And I agree with jpkarlsen, there don’t many strays. The game stops generate strays if you have enough. I have since a while always the same strays and don’t get any new strays. I have a couple Vets living in Brindleton Bay. They take care of sicks strays if I play them and are almost befriended with ever stray in game. (Vanilla)I know you asked for a toggle, but I don’t really think we get these. Hell, we don’t get any toggles for supernatural, which are a highly request is from realistic player. (And would fix the problem that occults get nerfed because of this gameplay style)And yes, it gives mods to remove strays complete and replace it with Cats/Dogs from households. Maybe eventually console player would get simple mods? I think this would be nice addition for them to tweak her playstyle even more or get bug fixing without the need to wait for the team (it is not so as would the team make any big bug fixing in the last 1 year, critical bugs, sure but not bugs which are simple annoying as the rocket or chefs which stand outsite – sorry)

I have a lot of strays in my game at the beach at any one time as many as 8, which I think is a lot. In the jungle and vet/food stall area 4 or 5. At the docks around 6. Too many to adopt.With the houses around the beach I created a shelter on the large lot up on the right hand side as strays were walking past late at night whining and trudging along sadly, perhaps 2 or 3 each night. So I built a ranch with stables and a vet's office. My Sim adopted 10 dogs off the beach and street outside her house in about 1 real time week, I sent 3 to live with other households. More dogs wander in to sleep because I later added an area for them. The same happens at the houses up above the vet area and the houses around the docks where pets wander sadly past at night.As someone who had 3 pet bereavements a couple of years ago all in the space of a year I'd hesitated to get the pack but then decided to get it for the new world as it's the type of town I really love but I found myself desperately trying to rescue every stray and then just having to avoid the town. Personally I'm very distressed by suffering animals and have rescued strays and abused pets IRL and got them help. My own little tabby now was very sick when I got him from a farm and sometimes you want a video game to be an escape from that horrible experience. It can trigger a bad memory of such things.It's all about personal experiences and tastes I suppose. I just think this is a feature that is unpleasant and more than a bit upsetting. They spawn with such low needs. The wellness treats don't always work either, which I reported a couple of months ago.2 friends who got the game at Christmas and have rescue cats won't buy the pack because of the strays due to personal experiences.

@simsplayer818 If your lot does not have the dog/cat lover trait there wont be many strays except on the island.

@simsplayer818 If you're not on console and not averse to mods, LittleMsSam has a mod that reduces or eliminates sick and starving strays. I think Bienchen has one as well. (I'm not sure which one I have in my game, but I totally agree with you!)Edit: I just reread and you're on console. Sorry! I do totally agree with you.Also, my condolences on the pet bereavements. Last year was a hard year for me, too; I lost three beloved cats in a short period of time. This is probably why I feed my Sim pets age-down treats whenever they hit the elder stage!I hope things get better for your furry friends!

Sims 4 needs to make strays optional

12 Replies

jpkarlsen
Hero (Retired)
4 years ago
@simsplayer818
If your lot does not have the dog/cat lover trait there wont be many strays except on the island.
simsplayer818
Hero
4 years ago
@jpkarlsen Hey there, I'm aware of that. My issue is actually living in Brindleton Bay around the beach, the docks, the area around the vet's office and trips to the jungle are all spoiled by suffering strays. I've had the pack nearly 2 years and actually avoid living in Brindleton Bay because of strays. It's a real shame because I really love the town. I don't use any of the lot traits linked to Cats and Dogs. The beach area is so lovely but it's spoiled in my personal opinion. If I build homes there, I make them big enough to fill with adopted strays but there are bugs around pet care at the moment which make that frustrating.
It seems like it could be a simple thing to add to game options.
daikoyu
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
The culprit that strays get sicks are the bushes in Brindleton Bay. If they explore these bushes they can get bite, and if they get bite, they have a tendence to get sick from. The game cleans dirty pets if they leave the area since a while, I saw it often in my vanilla game that a dirty dog was magical clean after a while.
And... its unproductive to adopt strays, the game will just create more strays. If you let the strays, be and just befriend you can without problem cure pets with wellness-treats. Not ever Cat and Dog need a home, some Cats and Dogs prefer the streets, because you have animals that have different personalities.
And I agree with jpkarlsen, there don’t many strays. The game stops generate strays if you have enough. I have since a while always the same strays and don’t get any new strays. I have a couple Vets living in Brindleton Bay. They take care of sicks strays if I play them and are almost befriended with ever stray in game. (Vanilla)
I know you asked for a toggle, but I don’t really think we get these. Hell, we don’t get any toggles for supernatural, which are a highly request is from realistic player. (And would fix the problem that occults get nerfed because of this gameplay style)
And yes, it gives mods to remove strays complete and replace it with Cats/Dogs from households. Maybe eventually console player would get simple mods? I think this would be nice addition for them to tweak her playstyle even more or get bug fixing without the need to wait for the team (it is not so as would the team make any big bug fixing in the last 1 year, critical bugs, sure but not bugs which are simple annoying as the rocket or chefs which stand outsite – sorry)
simsplayer818
Hero
4 years ago
I have a lot of strays in my game at the beach at any one time as many as 8, which I think is a lot. In the jungle and vet/food stall area 4 or 5. At the docks around 6. Too many to adopt.
With the houses around the beach I created a shelter on the large lot up on the right hand side as strays were walking past late at night whining and trudging along sadly, perhaps 2 or 3 each night. So I built a ranch with stables and a vet's office. My Sim adopted 10 dogs off the beach and street outside her house in about 1 real time week, I sent 3 to live with other households. More dogs wander in to sleep because I later added an area for them. The same happens at the houses up above the vet area and the houses around the docks where pets wander sadly past at night.
As someone who had 3 pet bereavements a couple of years ago all in the space of a year I'd hesitated to get the pack but then decided to get it for the new world as it's the type of town I really love but I found myself desperately trying to rescue every stray and then just having to avoid the town. Personally I'm very distressed by suffering animals and have rescued strays and abused pets IRL and got them help. My own little tabby now was very sick when I got him from a farm and sometimes you want a video game to be an escape from that horrible experience. It can trigger a bad memory of such things.
It's all about personal experiences and tastes I suppose. I just think this is a feature that is unpleasant and more than a bit upsetting. They spawn with such low needs. The wellness treats don't always work either, which I reported a couple of months ago.
2 friends who got the game at Christmas and have rescue cats won't buy the pack because of the strays due to personal experiences.
xochiquetzl_xkvn
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@simsplayer818
If you're not on console and not averse to mods, LittleMsSam has a mod that reduces or eliminates sick and starving strays. I think Bienchen has one as well. (I'm not sure which one I have in my game, but I totally agree with you!)
Edit: I just reread and you're on console. Sorry! I do totally agree with you.
Also, my condolences on the pet bereavements. Last year was a hard year for me, too; I lost three beloved cats in a short period of time. This is probably why I feed my Sim pets age-down treats whenever they hit the elder stage!
I hope things get better for your furry friends!
simsplayer818
Hero
4 years ago
@xochiquetzl_xkvn Thanks, I'm all about pets and wildlife. I can't bear to see an animal suffer even if it's not real! I literally just saved a baby snail from my wheelie bin.
I'd really like to build a house in Brindleton Bay and just not have to see a sad and sick homeless animal with stars spinning round it's little head.
So I'm putting it out there and hoping it's something they'll ponder for the future so I can enjoy the town more as it's one of my favourite worlds apart from this one thing.
Layla_catt
3 years ago
I think they made a pretty good suggestion, instead of adopting the strays and having them all be replaced by the game anyways, just give the strays wellness treats and they'll be okay! And like they mentioned, it's not always a bad thing to be a stray. Sure it's not the best scenerio for most, but many stray animals are taken care of by a community! The vets will fix them and people will feed them at parks and other places! Maybe that'll make it a bit easier for you to play? I hope so at least
sleepsinbloom
Rising Adventurer
3 years ago
I'm sorry for bumping this after a year, but I can honestly say that I also I have this problem. I bought the Cats & Dogs expansion pack today after some thoughts about how it could liven up my saves. I was excited at first, but after finally getting everything set to go in and started plays, it became a little too distressing to see the game generate so both healthy and sick strays that I ended up having to abandon the save and disabling the expansion pack manually. I understand that the pack has been out for years and there are options like wellness treats, as well as modding out sickness in strays, but I personally won't be able to continue with this pack if I have to resort to modding out features.
I give thanks to the developers who worked on the pack in the past, but I do hope there is some consideration for an option like this to be introduced some day.
simsplayer818
Hero
3 years ago
@sleepsinbloom the strays will only be in Brindleton Bay and in the jungle if you have Jungle Adventure, they bother me more in the jungle. They look so sad and sick, that's the worst part for me. It's time to put the controller down and interrupt my sleeping tabby cat's afternoon nap for a reassuring hug!
So to make peace with it I add pet rescues. I've got one in the Gallery called Brindleton Bay Kennels for dogs and it's owned by a Sim with the vet skill. She has a small vet's office and stocked the animal treats vending machine with Wellness treats bought at the Vet Clinic because it takes a while to craft them. There are converted stables full of beds and food, a play area which strays seem to love and it's a dog hangout. She's adopted 7 dogs to keep but has adopted others and rehomed them with family and friends using Split Household. I don't play it for long with the Dog Hangout trait, it just helps me to know it's there. So creating a lot like that may make the pack more playable or bearable for you. I only go to the beach when my Sims want a pet, in fact it's how most of them get their pets.
I'm doing my cat rescue today and adding it to the gallery tomorrow, it's at the docks where there are a lot of stray cats.
I'm noticing a few less strays lately, it's been worse before. The wellness treats still don't always work either, which I've reported, it's hit and miss.
So a couple of pet rescues help me, in fact the whole house is open to them so I tell myself they do all have a home. The dogs are taken care of by Amelie and the cats are loved by Kaya.
sleepsinbloom
Rising Adventurer
3 years ago
@simsplayer818 Yeah, I noticed the strays will populate only those worlds, but those two worlds just happen to be a couple of my favorites unfortunately. I still have my number 1's San Myshuno and Mt. Komorebi though, so it's not all gloomy.
I also decided to do the same and created a vet clinic with additional functions for strays to give myself peace of mind whenever I decide to restart in Brindleton Bay. It came out okay, but unlike yours (I'll have to check it when I have free time!), I haven't gotten to the kennels yet and needs more TLC before it's ready to be considered for gallery. Anyway, I feel little bit better about the situation now that I have some ideas about making it less personally sad. Thank you for your suggestions though!