How to Get Pets on The Sims 4: A Complete Guide

The Sims 4 features pets, but they are not available in the base game. Players need specific expansion packs to welcome a furry friend into their Sim’s life. The primary way to get cats and dogs is through The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs expansion pack. However, there are also other DLC and stuff packs that add special pet animals to the game. This guide will break down the different ways to acquire them.

Before Getting Down to the Question of How to Get Pets on The Sims 4…

Wonder how to get pets on The Sims 4? Before adopting a cat or dog, it is wise to prepare the household. For the basic stuff, players usually need to add:

• a bowl
• a poop box
• other decorations and toys, depending on the animals the Sims plan to raise.

Don’t worry. The animal adoption service will not check if the Sim has the pet items properly set up. Some furniture for other special animals from packs that are not Cats and Dogs allows players to click and purchase these animals directly.

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Method 1: Creating a Pet in Create-A-Sim

This method offers the most control. Players can design a pet from scratch in Create-A-Sim.

1. Simply go to Manage Worlds screen.
2. Select the household you want to add a pet to.
3. Choose Manage Household.
4. Enter Create-A-Sim.
5. Select the “Add a Sim” option to open the drop-down menu.
6. Add a pet to the family.

This opens a detailed customization tool where players can choose the breed, fur patterns, body shape, and voice.

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Method 2: Adopting a Pet

For a more spontaneous addition, adoption is the way to go. This is done through a Sim’s phone or computer.

Adoption Steps:

1. Use a Phone or Computer: Click on either device.
2. Select the “Call Adoption Agency” Option: It is typically found under the “Home” menu.
3. Choose a Pet: A window will appear showing a selection of adoptable cats and dogs with details like their breed, age, and traits.
4. Pay the Adoption Fee: The adoption fee is 200 Simoleons per animal.
5. Meet and Finalize: After the payment, a social worker will bring the pet to the Sim’s home. The Sim can interact with the new arrival and then officially confirm the adoption.

A recent update has resulted in adoption failure and the Sim getting stuck in the game. If the player encounters this bug, the player can try to reset the Sim and directly add the pet to the family using Cheats.

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Method 3: Befriending Strays

If a Sim goes to Brindleton Bay (which comes with the Cats & Dogs pack), stray pets will wander the neighborhood. These strays can be adopted if the Sim builds a strong enough friendship with them. Don’t worry if you cannot become friends with the strays in one go. The same stray will reappear again and again near your household.

Befriending and Adopting Strays:

1. Find a Stray: Look for animals with a “Stray” tag on their nameplate.
2. Build a Relationship: Interact positively with the animal, offering food and pets to build the friendship bar.
3. Adopt: Once the Sim has become friends with the stray, the option to “Adopt” will be available.

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Method 4: Other Packs & Special Pet Animals

Many packs provide opportunities to raise special animals in addition to the cats and dogs from Cats and Dogs pack.

• My First Pet stuff pack offers a different type of pet. It introduces small pets like hamsters, rats, pygmy hedgehogs, and miniature bubalus. To get one, a player must place their special habitats in their Sim’s home, and the pet will be automatically added to the habitat.
• Cottage Living pack adds chicken coops and animal sheds to the lot. The Sim can purchase and raise cows, llamas, and chickens by clicking on the coop and the shed.
• Horse Ranch pack has horses, mini-goats, and mini-sheep. These animals can be acquired by using the “Call Ranch Animal Exchange” button in the Home menu of the Sim’s phone.

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Final Ideas on How to Get a Pet in The Sims 4

Whether the goal is a custom-designed perfect companion or a rescued stray, The Sims 4 provides a way to enjoy the joys of pet ownership virtually. Pets from Cats and Dogs are nice additions to have and can complete the player’s immersion experience. But comparatively, the animals from Horse Ranching pack and Cottage Living pack provide more diversity in interactions, in the way that The Sims can not only socialize with them, but also obtain farm products from them. From this perspective, farm animals are adding even more fun to the game!

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