My Pets
Have you ever wanted a sprawling estate filled with a dozen dogs, a handful of cats, and a stable of horses, but found yourself hitting the frustrating 8-Sim household cap? The Sims 4 base game, even with expansion packs, limits your active household to eight members. For players who love both a bustling family and a menagerie, this is a constant source of pain. The My Pets mod is the ultimate solution, a clever "tool" that completely rewrites the rules of pet ownership. Instead of forcing your animals to occupy a precious household slot, it transforms them into what the game considers "NPC" pets, while still allowing you to interact with them almost as if they were full household members. This means you can have an unlimited number of pets, limited only by your PC's performance, without the saving issues and glitches that come from exceeding the hard cap.
Why You Need My Pets for The Sims 4
This isn't just a simple tweak; it's a game-changer for animal lovers. The original description highlights a common problem: "Even with MCC 8+ enabled i had saving Issues etc." The My Pets for The Sims 4 mod sidesteps these technical hurdles entirely. It requires the XML Injector Mod to function, and it works with either the Cats & Dogs expansion or the Horse Ranch expansion. If you have both, even better. The core mechanic is simple: you designate a separate household (like a "Dogsitter" home) to house your pets. Then, using the in-game phone, you can select which of those animals become your "My Pets." This allows you to maintain a massive collection of animals without them ever technically joining your active family.
How to Install My Pets
Wondering how to install this mod? It's straightforward. First, ensure you have the XML Injector Mod downloaded and placed in your Mods folder. Next, download My Pets from a reputable mod site and extract the files. Place the .package and .ts4script files into your Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods folder. Make sure "Script Mods" are enabled in your Game Options. Once you launch the game, you'll find the new "My Pets" option under the Phone > Household menu. For the best experience, the mod recommends adding the "My Pets" Lot Trait or Challenge to your residential lot to ensure your pets wander home autonomously.
For players looking for a more streamlined modding experience, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install for My Pets, automatically placing files in the correct directory and checking version compatibility with your current game patch. This is a fantastic way to avoid manual installation errors, especially if you are managing multiple mods.
Core Features and Interactions
Once your pets are designated, a world of interaction opens up. Clicking on your pet reveals a new "My Pets" pie menu where you can call them over, plan their outfits, check their needs (for cats and dogs), and monitor skill progress (for horses). The mod also adds contextual interactions to objects like pet bowls, pet beds, and bathtubs. If your pet gets sick, you can take them to the vet clinic. While you cannot choose the specific treatment (since they aren't in your household), the vet will cure them like any other NPC pet. A new interaction on the reception podium lets you pay for their visit directly, bypassing the household-payment system.
Horse Competitions with My Pets
One of the most impressive features is the custom Horse Competition system. The original UI is hard-coded for household horses, so this mod creates its own tunings. You can enter your "My Pet" horse into competitions by clicking on the Equestrian Center while riding, or by clicking on your horse from your home lot. Your Sim will ride into the rabbithole, and after about an in-game hour, you'll receive a skill loot and a fun boost. Winning medals is based on your horse's skills and your Sim's Equestrian skill. There is a 30-minute cooldown between competitions, and NPCs may occasionally interrupt the start, but a quick "trot here" command usually fixes that.
Known Limitations and Tips
It's important to understand the mod's quirks. You cannot use "Selectable Pets" with your My Pets, and when traveling, they appear under the Pets filter rather than the Household filter. Your "Dogsitter" may show up at the vet with your other pets, which is a charming workaround. Pets won't give birth while they are "My Pets," so you'll need to cancel the relationship, let them have the baby, and then re-add them. Also, always cancel all My Pets relationships before uninstalling the mod to avoid corrupted saves. The mod is fully localized in English, German, Chinese, Japanese, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, and Danish, making it accessible to a global audience.
When you use the foxygame.net launcher, its add-on catalog automatically notifies you of updates for My Pets, ensuring you always have the latest bug fixes and compatibility patches. This is a huge benefit, as script mods often break with new game updates, and the launcher helps manage that version compatibility seamlessly.
Final Thoughts on My Pets
In conclusion, My Pets is an essential mod for any Simmer who feels constrained by the household limit. It brilliantly solves a persistent technical issue while opening up new gameplay possibilities. Whether you want to run a doggy daycare, a cat sanctuary, or a competitive horse ranch, this mod lets you do it without sacrificing your human family members. It's a well-crafted, thoughtful tool that respects the game's limitations while pushing its boundaries. If you've ever dreamed of a truly full house, this is the mod you've been waiting for.