The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs is most appealing if you want cats or dogs to be part of your Sims’ everyday stories—or want to build and run a veterinary clinic. It adds customizable pets, relationships with them, veterinary gameplay, and the coastal world of Brindleton Bay. If pet-centered play is not something you want, its main features may not give you much reason to buy it. That recommendation is an inference from the published feature set, not a hands-on verdict.
What does Cats & Dogs add to The Sims 4?
The expansion’s core is cats and dogs. EA describes a Create A Pet tool for customizing their appearance, behavior, and outfits. Steam’s feature description adds examples such as choosing breeds, adjusting pet features, and building relationships through everyday interactions, play, and training. Pets have their own minds, so the feature set is about more than adding another object or household decoration.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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![The Sims 4 - Cats & Dogs - Origin PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41gjcpXnylL._SL160_.jpg)
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The Sims 4 - Cats & Dogs - Origin PC [Online Game Code] | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Sims 4 Plus Cats & Dogs Bundle - PlayStation 4 | $34.51 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs - PC | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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The Sims 4 Plus Cats and Dogs Bundle (PS4) | $45.15 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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The Sims 4 Seasons - PC | $12.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Veterinary gameplay provides a second major focus: Sims can diagnose and treat animal ailments and run a clinic. Steam describes setting clinic services and prices and hiring staff. Brindleton Bay supplies a coastal setting for Sims and pets, with outdoor activities to explore. These are the expansion’s advertised activities, not a guarantee about how they feel in play. EA’s Cats & Dogs page and the Steam listing describe the features.
Who should buy it?
A strong fit for pet-centered households
Choose Cats & Dogs if the stories you want to tell involve a cat or dog as part of the household: customizing a pet, building its relationship with Sims, or adding pet-care routines to everyday play. It is also the natural choice if the idea of operating a veterinary clinic is a major draw. This is a feature-based recommendation, rather than a claim from personal playtesting.
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- Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
- Create Cats and Dogs - Use the powerful Create A Pet tool to express your creativity as you customize your Sims' perfect cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens.
- Bond with Your Pets - Experience the companionship and fun that furry friends bring to your Sims' lives.
- Become a Vet and Run a Clinic - Build a veterinary clinic, hire a dedicated staff, and further your career as the town's most promising animal doctor.
- Explore Brindle ton Bay - Discover the coastal shores of Brindle ton Bay, a new world where your Sims and their pets can live and enjoy outdoor activities.
Less compelling if you do not want pets
If cats, dogs, and veterinary play do not interest you, the expansion’s central attractions may go unused. Brindleton Bay is part of the package, but the available descriptions center the purchase on pets and clinic play; they do not establish that the world alone is enough to make it worthwhile.
What do published reviews say?
Reception is not a single verdict. Metacritic’s displayed critic excerpts include praise for pet customization, the animals, Brindleton Bay, and the veterinary clinic, as well as cautions about price and whether the feature set meets expectations. Those excerpts represent individual reviews, not proof of universal agreement.
Rank #2
- Enjoy the power to create and control people in a virtual world where there are No rules
- Develop your Sims' relationships, pursue Career, and explore vibrant new worlds
- Create a variety of Cats, Dog, puppies, and kittens by personalizing their coats and giving them distinct personalities
- Please note that this item is not eligible for Release Date Delivery, so pre-orders may not arrive on the day of release. Available options can be found on the order confirmation page.
GamesRadar+’s guide, published July 6, 2026, includes Cats & Dogs among its recommended expansions and highlights customization, bonds, and clinic management. That is the outlet’s editorial recommendation, not a substitute for deciding whether those features match the way you play.
What should you check before buying?
Base-game ownership and storefront compatibility
The expansion requires The Sims 4. EA also lists all game updates as required and says internet access and an EA account may be required. EA notes that cross-pack play requires additional DLC. If buying through Steam, its listing says the Steam version requires The Sims 4 on Steam; check that the edition and platform you own match the product you are purchasing.
Rank #3
- Create Cats and Dogs Use the powerful Create A Pet tool to express your creativity as you customize your Sims' perfect cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens.
- Bond with Your Pets Experience the companionship and fun that furry friends bring to your Sims' lives.
- Become a Vet and Run a Clinic Build a veterinary clinic, hire a dedicated staff, and further your career as the town's most promising animal doctor.
- Explore Brindle ton Bay Discover the coastal shores of Brindle ton Bay, a new world where your Sims and their pets can live and enjoy outdoor activities.
Platform and system requirements
Metacritic lists PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. GamesRadar+’s July 6, 2026 guide lists PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X availability. These are outlet platform reports, not confirmation of current availability in every store or region, so verify the platform-specific listing before purchase.
For the Steam version, the listing’s displayed recommended Windows specifications include 4 GB RAM and 18 GB of available storage. These figures apply to that listing’s Windows specifications, not universally to console or EA app versions. Steam also states that its client supports Windows 10 and later from January 1, 2024.
Rank #4
- Includes The Sims 4 base game
- Cats and Dogs expansion pack
- operating system : playstation_4
Release date and price
EA gives November 9, 2017 as the release date, while Metacritic records November 10, 2017 as the initial release date. The sources differ by one day; treat each date as attributed rather than assuming they refer to the same release convention.
At the time represented by the Steam listing, its US storefront showed a 50% promotion: $19.99 against a listed $39.99 price. This is a time-sensitive storefront display, not a permanent price or a price for every region or platform. Check your local store for the current price and offer.
Best Value
- Experience impactful weather
- Revel in seasonal activities
- Grow your gardening Career
- Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Crude humor, sexual themes, violence
Should you choose the Pet Lovers Bundle?
EA’s Pet Lovers Bundle includes Cats & Dogs, Parenthood, and My First Pet Stuff, and requires The Sims 4. It is relevant only if you want the other two packs as well as the pet expansion. Compare the bundle’s current regional total with the price of buying only what you want, and confirm that the bundle and storefront match your platform. EA’s Pet Lovers Bundle page lists its contents.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
