I'm thinking about buying Cats and Dogs. Would love to give my sims some pets, but:- I've heard that taking care of the pet is too much time consuming. I know it is in real life. But it is so much that it will interfere with other goals/lifestyle of our sims in a overwhelming way? - I've heard the best things about the new world, but also that it has way too much abandoned animals. Is it also overwhelming? Or it may not interfere/frustate the game itself? Also, is it true that it's extremely rainy? So that it will make it impossible to go for a walk with your dog?- any bugs at the moment that I should be aware of? What is yours, real simmers, intake on this?

Cats and Dogs is my favourite EP after Seasons, so I definitely recommend it if you like the idea of having pets in your game. The Create A Pet tool is very versatile and well done, and the pets themselves are very cute and full of character. I am glad they are not controllable either since this makes them feel more 'real' and also actually less burdensome for me. You can often tell what they want from their thought bubbles and asking them What's Wrong? anyway. I don't find pets too demanding/needy, but dogs are naturally more so since they like walks, play, and require some training. That's part of the fun though and you can largely decide how needy your pet is based on their traits e.g. a clever pet will learn quickly, a lazy pet won't need much exercise, etc. and a pet with the independent trait just wants food and a place to sleep, while an affectionate pet will follow your sims and want more cuddles/attention. I will often tailor the number and type of pets to a household just like in real life e.g. a busy household may prefer an independent cat, while a work from home sim may have more time to take the dog/s out. Beyond pets and the self-employed vet career option, C&Ds also comes with some really lovely CAS and build objects, and my favourite world so far, Brindleton Bay. BB is really beautiful with lots of open space and a seaside town feel to it. It does rain a lot due to the sort of area it is based on, but not all the time and I wouldn't let this put you off. My main household live there and are very happy. If it's just raining, my sim might decide it's okay for their dog to have a rest for the day or go out for a late evening walk, and if it's raining again the next day (but not a storm) then my sim might then suck it up and take their dog out for a short walk. They will feel a little uncomfortably wet, but this only lasts a few hours. All responsible dog owners should be prepared to brave the elements anyway (as a dog owner living in the UK, I've certainly had to). There are strays around and yes some of them are sick. It's kind of sad and I hope this changes, but it's not a huge deal for me. There isn't an overwhelming number in my game, or at least not where my sims frequent - just a few stray cats prowling around outside their home lot which is near a park with the Cat Hangout lot trait. You shouldn't get strays in any of the other residential worlds unless you choose one of the pet lot traits. I've read there are some in Selvadorada though, but my sims haven't been there so I can't confirm this. I'm not experiencing any major or game breaking C&Ds bugs right now. Sometimes my cats prompt my sims to pet them, which can be annoying when I'm trying to get them to do something else, but they have the Affectionate trait so it may be due to that. I just cancel it anyway so it's only a minor annoyance. I think there was an issue with training/scolding dogs for unwanted behaviours, but I'm not sure as I haven't experienced this myself. Anyway, I hope some of that helps? You might want to read more about it on the SimsVIP guides and other reviews if you haven't already, but if it sounds fun to you then I say go for it! C&Ds is a great EP. :)

@annaliese39 thank you very much for the so insightful reply! I also like the idea of non controllable pets. It may actually add some much needed real life feel in the game. Ohh and how I love the fact that we can choose traits for our pets. I have heard people saying that pet's traits are actually much more in depth than sim's traits.Hearing all about BB I'm really getting in the mood :smiley:I've read all more "famous" guides:simsvip, Carl's etc but it's always a good idea to hear from several players. Thank you!

To be honest, I don't think it's a very good EP. They put so much effort into making the pets customizable, but then you get them in-game and there's really not all that much to be done with them. Still, since it's the only way to get actual pets in the game and I really wanted a sim dog, I haven't had many regrets from buying it.Some people say they're too needy, the dogs in particular. But Annaliese has the right idea; they're as needy as the traits you give them. With the right combination of traits my sim's dog hardly ever bothers him for anything. The world is nice compared to the ones which have been released after it. It does rain a lot there. You can walk your dogs in the rain, your sim will just get wet. There are a lot of sick strays, but to me it's not a world-ending issue.

Thank you @Cupid! I'm looking more and more forward to have my pet and to see the new world. Also for the bb items that come with the EP. I'm also imagining my families in other worlds, like oasis spring with dogs! Thanks for the reply.

I love the pack. Cats are very much less needy than dogs in game as cats are in real life.My sim has 3 cats and the meowing can be annoying sometimes but nothing like a fussy baby in game. (other sims have one dog - and one dog is about all I can handle in game). All my sims love their pets and I don't find they take up any more time than any other activity in the game. the adoption function lets you adopt an adult pet which needs much less training and with the right traits too is an enjoyable way to start. I find the build items invaluable and Brindleton Bay is gorgeous and there is lots to explore especially on foot (designed for dog walking). I quite like the vet business and I have yet to crack the formula for a 5 star business although my sim is not exactly dedicated to her vet practice. I have yet to explore the dog agility training part and the more I play the more I think there is to do in this EP. I have never had a toddler and a pet before today and I am discovering a whole new set of interactions and animations I didn't know about.

Cats and Dogs: should i buy it? | EA Forums

13 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion

paigeisin5
New Spectator
6 years ago
Congrats on your choice! I'm happy we could give you the info you needed. Enjoy your new pets and Brindleton Bay. And the silly seagulls down on the wharf you can direct your pooch to chase. LOL It's quite amusing to see. There is also a fish store on the wharf where you can purchase salmon and tuna to use as fertilizer in your garden. I find it quite handy that it's close to where my Sims live. The wife in my newest family is also a gardener. Have fun!!
texxx78
6 years ago
"Paigeisin5;c-17057515" wrote:
Congrats on your choice! I'm happy we could give you the info you needed. Enjoy your new pets and Brindleton Bay. And the silly seagulls down on the wharf you can direct your pooch to chase. LOL It's quite amusing to see. There is also a fish store on the wharf where you can purchase salmon and tuna to use as fertilizer in your garden. I find it quite handy that it's close to where my Sims live. The wife in my newest family is also a gardner. Have fun!!

Thanks! I've already met the Seagulls :smiley: but didn't noticed the store yet. Will go there for sure. Yesterday I've used my dog's poo to fertilize the soil. Hahaha very nice!
paigeisin5
New Spectator
6 years ago
:D Sounds as if you are settling into Cats and Dogs quite nicely, telmarina! Look for a food stall. There are two on the wharf. One sells food and the other sells fresh fish.

Forum Discussion

Cats and Dogs: should i buy it?

13 Replies

About The Sims 4 General Discussion

Recent Discussions

Has for rent been fixed yet?

I have an add-on on another platform

The screenshot spammers thread, v2.0

JUST STANDING AROUND

Sims 4 gallery not working and crashing my game