CD: Cats - Pet Cats, Zombie Detection and Hunting for Project Zomboid

CD: Cats is an expansion for Companion Dogs that introduces domestic cats to Project Zomboid. These animals are more than decorative companions: they can detect nearby zombies, hunt small prey and help survivors search for resources at night.

Unlike dogs, cats are independent and difficult to train. They may ignore commands, wander away while hunting or become frightened by nearby threats.

Important: This addon requires Companion Dogs version 0.7.0 or newer.

What Makes Cats Different?

Cats specialize in awareness and hunting rather than combat.

Early Zombie Warnings

Cats can detect approaching zombies from farther away than any dog available in the base modification.

An untrained animal has a detection radius of 25 tiles, increasing to 38 tiles with maximum Scent skill.

Its quieter meow provides a warning without carrying as far as a dog's bark.

However, cats will not attack zombies or defend their owners. They have no Combat skill, Guard command or automatic protection behavior.

Hunting and Nighttime Exploration

These companions have a natural hunting instinct.

They may search for prey independently, including while the player sleeps, and leave their catches near the survivor.

• Inexperienced cats may bring worms or crickets.
• Better hunters can catch mice and rats.
• Rodents and rabbits are valid prey.
• Deer remain outside their hunting capabilities.
• Player-owned chickens and cows are not targeted.

Hunting can interrupt other commands because cats sometimes wander away on their own.

Cat's Eyes

A unique moodle called Cat's Eyes improves nighttime foraging when a fed, bonded cat is nearby.

Normally, complete darkness can reduce the foraging range to approximately 1.5 tiles.

With this ability active, the effective nighttime range reaches roughly 60% of daytime visibility.

This makes a well-cared-for companion particularly useful during nighttime exploration.

Eleven Cat Coat Variations

The addon introduces eleven appearances:

• Black
• White
• Orange
• Calico
• Tuxedo
• Brown tabby
• Grey tabby
• Orange tabby
• Barley
• Cow
• Tortoiseshell

Stray cats can appear around houses, stores, grocery shops, pet stores and diners, both indoors and outdoors.

To tame one, approach it using the Companion Dogs mechanics and provide food until it begins to trust you.

Cats have their own sandbox spawn multiplier, independent of stray dog frequency.

Training, Loyalty and Care

Cats inherit the relevant companion mechanics from the base modification, including:

• Follow and stay commands.
• Needs and loyalty.
• Skills and inherited traits.
• Breeding and kittens.
• Four learnable tricks.
• Name tags and kennel interactions.
• Saddlebags.

However, they are the least obedient companions in the mod, even compared with Huskies.

Their loyalty declines 1.5 times faster than a dog's when neglected. Frightened cats temporarily stop watching for danger and bringing home prey.

They cannot herd livestock or breed with dogs.

Current mortality rules: Cats can die from hunger, but not yet from illness or injuries. A future veterinary update is planned to introduce additional causes of death, disabled by default through sandbox settings.

Only one animal can follow the player at a time in the current version. Improvements to this limitation are planned.

Requirements and Compatibility

Installation

1. Install Companion Dogs.
2. Install CD: Cats.
3. Enable both modifications in the main-menu Mods list.
4. Fully restart Project Zomboid to load the cat models.

Strays can also spawn in areas explored before installation.