We are going catatonic over here over the doggone impending release of The Sims™ 4 Cats and Dogs*. Simmers this is not a drill! We’ve written deeply about several new features in The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs and you should go back and read them. Today, we can’t sit still long enough for depth.

It’s a lightning round, folks. Strap in.

 

Pet Costumes

This makes me smile so much. We wanted to create something entirely new for Create-a-Pet, and costumes filled that slot perfectly. They’re hilarious, charming, and incredibly reminiscent of so many photos on the Internet. We cannot wait to see what horrors you put your pets through in the name of adorableness.

Walking the Dog

I walk my dog 2-3 times per day. As a dog owner, it’s just a fact of my daily life. We made sure to create beautiful areas for an evening walk with your pooch in Brindleton Bay, the gorgeous new seaside town. Whether you’re discovering the romantic secrets of the lighthouse, chasing birds near the docks, or digging for rare and wondrous things at the graveyard, you’ll have a lot of fun when taking your four-legged friend for a poo.

Cats on everything

It was so important to us that dogs felt like dogs, and that cats felt like cats. If you’ve ever had a cat, you know that they use every surface in the house as their own. We invested in this technology so that you’ll see your cats jump on the fridge for a good look, the counter to avoid the dog (and they hate it), under the bed, on the bed, and everywhere in between. The world is a cat’s playground in The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs.

 

Being a Vet

I love owning a business in The Sims 4. It’s a feature we love to experiment with and we saw a huge opportunity for allowing players to play as veterinarians in this new expansion. The diagnosis is both hilarious and touching as your Sim tries to calm their pet patient to find a solution. Optimizing the perfect staff and layout to increase profits is always fun. And I dare you not to laugh the first time you see an interaction that says “Un-Neuter” on the Surgery Station. This is a great career, and dare I say, the best way to earn a Simoleon in The Sims 4.

Unique Pets

We spent months really trying to understand the soul of cats and dogs and what our game would become. As we shared stories of our beloved pets, it became clear to us that everyone’s pets were unique creatures that make each of us delighted or confounded in different ways. The Traits for Cats and Dogs are particularly strong in this expansion. They truly change every pet’s behavior. Beyond that, every pet has unique quirks that you have to discover yourself. We want every pet to help your Sims tell a new story.

All the breeds

The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs has so many unique breeds, each of which looks gorgeous and distinct. Our art team did their finest work here. We’re simply amazed at the number of pets. But, beyond standard breeds you’d expect, like Russian Blue or Akita, you can easily create lovely mixed breeds and cats with just a few clicks. It’s so easy to quickly craft the cat or dog you imagine.

Inside their heads

A difficult decision we had to make was whether we’d let you control your dogs and cats, like you could in The Sims 3, or not, like in The Sims 2. We took a step back and asked: why would we choose one or the other? When we thought about the key ideas of truly unique pets, cats and dogs that do things that cats and dogs do, and having your Sims grow closer to their pets as companions, we knew that making them uncontrolled was the right decision. And it is! You’ll have so much fun peering into those cute little eyes on behalf of your Sims and asking: “what the heck is Fluffy thinking?” What indeed.

 

So many objects

There are so many new ways to interact with your cats and dogs in game! Squeaky toys and balls and cat feathers and laser pointers and multiple cat condos, sure. But then you need scratching posts, pet beds, litter boxes, litter boxes with lasers, but we’re still not done. Create an epic obstacle course for your dog or watch how they perceive common household objects. There’s a lot to do in The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs!

Painting the Pet

We tried to make it dead simple to pick a breed, or craft a mixed breed, and be on your way. But, we also wanted to make it dead simple to add the perfect white spot to their neck (like on my dog Peaches!), or make their nose pinker, or lighten the grey on your Malamute. It’s so easy to create pixel perfect recreations of any dog or cat. We think you’re going to lose countless hours painting in The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs!

Cat on a Vacuum

I don’t want to understate this fact, so let’s just hit it straight on. Cats and dogs create messes, like hairballs and hair and pee and poo. You need an easier way to clean up that mess, right? Therefore, we made your Sims an automatic household cleaning robot. But, we’re Maxis. We didn’t stop there, oh no. Your cat can ride the vacuum. In a shark costume. I think I’ll just drop the mic right here.