Pet

With The Sims: Unleashed or The Sims 2 Pets, Sims can own a variety of pets.

The Sims: Unleashed
In The Sims: Unleashed, Sims get the long-awaited ability to add pets to their families. They can either own a cat or a dog, both of which are available only in the same small size. Players can add custom skins for pets, and custom meshes allow players to add new breeds. However, since Unleashed did not modify Create a Sim, players cannot create pets when creating a family.

Although guinea pigs and fish could be obtained before Unleashed was released, it was that expansion pack which really increased the number of pets Sims could buy. As well as many small pets, Sims could purchase cats and dogs as well, choosing from many different breeds. Adopting a pet can help Sims at home, especially if they live alone. Dogs can bring the newspaper in every morning if trained, while cats can chase away rabbits and gophers from a vegetable patch.

Like human Sims, pets have different motives that will need fulfilling, and each have different personalities. For example, a lazy cat isn't about to do a great deal of wandering around, and an aggressive dog might not like Sims pampering it all day. Pets don't necessarily need to be bought, though; if there are stray cats or dogs wandering around the neighborhood, and if a Sim makes friends with one, it can be adopted absolutely free, although this can take time.

Cats and dogs each have three skills they can learn. Both cats and dogs can learn Tricks and Obedience. Cats can learn Hunting, while dogs can learn the Housebroken skill.

Cats and dogs have two life stages, kitten or puppy and adult. Adult cats and dogs, like human Sims in The Sims, are ageless and have indefinite life spans.

Cats and dogs can be told to move by using the Go Here interaction, but cannot be told to use objects. A pet's actions cannot be canceled, but pets with at least three points in the Obedience skill can also be told to stop what they're doing.

Players with The Sims: House Party or a compilation which includes it should note that dogs and cats cannot use the Anti-Heisenberg Teleporter or objects based on it.

House Breaking
It takes time, but a pet needs to learn what it can and can't do. In the case of dogs, the first step is to teach them not to relieve itself in the house. Wait until the dog has to go (toilet thought bubble), step outside the house and call him. The dog should come to the Sim and relieve himself outdoors. When this happens, praise the dog and give him a treat, so he knows he did well. If the dog 'goes' in the house, scold him. The proper use of 'Praise' and 'Scold' over time will teach a pet where to relieve his bladder, as well as keeping him out of certain rooms. Fortunately, cats will automatically 'go' in the litter box as long as there is one. Fun note: dogs will often help "water" the plants in a vegetable garden. It can't be controlled by the player, but they'll tag along after a Sim while they're weeding and spontaneously make with the watering.

Breeding
To have more little bundles of fur running around the house, consider breeding pets. Just like Sim babies, puppies and kittens are items. A neglected puppy or kitten will be taken away by Animal Control. It will take three Sim days for the kitten or puppy to mature, and once it does the player will be given the option to keep it or sell it.

Pet Shows
To participate in a pet show, take a pet to an Old Town lot and enter the competition. If there's a Judging Station in a lot, a Pet Judge will come up to the player's Sim and ask if they want to enter the competition. Pets are judged according to their skills and their mood at the time, so make sure the pet's needs are taken care of before leaving the house. There are various trophies and ribbons that can be won, which can be taken home and placed on the Pet Award Cabinet.

The Sims 2: Pets
In The Sims 2: Pets, Sims can have small pets (womrats, birds and fish), as well as dogs and cats. Pets added a Create a Pet feature to Create a Sim, so the player can create pets, and can set their personality, as well as their fur color and style. They have their own motives, learned behaviors, and Sims can teach them certain commands. A pet will have its own icon, and can be selected. The player can see the selected pet's action queue, but the icons will be gray and the player cannot cancel any of the actions or control the pet unless cheats are used.

Pets have three life stages, kitten or puppy, Adult and Elder. Kittens and puppies are mobile, but must be carried up and down stairs. They cannot have jobs or learn commands, but they can learn behaviors. They cannot get on furniture or Sim beds, but can be praised for not doing those things, and can therefore be taught not to do them.

Like Sims, pets have eight motives that contribute to their overall mood. The Environment motive is replaced with Scratch (cats) and Chew (dogs). Puppies and kittens do not have the Chew or Scratch motives.

Sims can buy pet collars from the Collar Connection Display, but the player must choose whether the collar will be for a large dog, a small dog, or a cat. To put a collar on a pet, the player will need to select a Sim that has a collar for that type of pet in his or her inventory, click on a mirror, and choose the option to change the pet's appearance. Both the Sim and the pet will go to the mirror, and the player will be able to select any appropriate collar that the Sim has in inventory. The action will fail if the pet cannot get to the mirror, so the player may need to buy a full-length mirror and place it in an open area, so both the Sim and the pet will be able to get to the mirror. Of course, the mirror can be sold for its full price once the collar is on the pet.

Pets can be adopted by befriending a stray or by using the phone. There are pet stores in the Lots and Houses bin that can be placed in any neighborhood. These stores allow Sims to adopt adult cats and dogs, but not kittens and puppies.

Breeding
If there is both a male and female pet of the same species on a Sim's lot and there is a pet house available, a Sim has the option to command a pet to try for puppies/kittens with another pet. If successful, the two pets will go into a pet house and woohoo. Pets can produce a litter of up to 4 puppies or kittens. Players also have the options of keeping a pet's offspring, or selling them.

Cat and Dog Breeds
Complete list of pre-made breeds in The Sims 2: Pets.







Differences between Unleashed and Pets
There are a few differences between pets in Unleashed and in Pets that players used to Unleashed should be aware of.


 * In Unleashed, cats and dogs can sleep even if there's a source of noise, such as a turned-on television or stereo, in the same room. This is not the case in Pets. In Pets, noises that awaken human Sims will also awaken pets. So in Unleashed, the player could let Sims watch television or play piano while a cat or dog was sleeping nearby, but in Pets, that will keep the pet from getting sleep.


 * In Pets, having a cat will not cause mice to appear, as it does in Unleashed.


 * In Unleashed, there is an object, the Squeak-EE-Clean Pet Tub, which is made for bathing dogs. In Pets, dogs are bathed in ordinary bathtubs (though dog-only wash tubs are available as custom content).


 * In Pets, puppies and kittens can be viewed and can learn behaviors.


 * In Pets, cats and dogs are able to have jobs. In Unleashed, cats and dogs can't get jobs.

The Sims 3
At present, pets are not available in The Sims 3. However, Sims can keep some kinds of small pets in aquariums or terrariums.

There are hints of pets appearing in the future, though. In Create A Pattern there is an animal category for stickers. There is also an easter egg inside Bridgeport's theatre; a poster featuring a Dalmatian and a cat.