Stray Fans Are Modding Their Own Beloved Cats Into The Game

***Mild Spoilers for the game!***

BlueTwelve’s Stray launched on PS4, PS5, and Steam just under a week ago, and it quickly become a massive hit with players and pets alike. Already, Stray has become the highest-rating game of 2022 on Steam, impressively surpassing even FromSoftware’s Elden Ring on the list.

A new perspective on cyberpunk games, Stray places its players in the role of a wayward cat attempting to find its way home. As players venture through neon-drenched cities and fleshy apocalyptic scenes, the game quickly transforms from “cozy cat game” to “skin-crawling survival horror.” Still, even with its chilling environments, players have fallen head-over-paws for the game’s fuzzy protagonist.

As the internet gushed over Stray’s cat, many fans happily noted the real-life similarities between the character and their pets. Some went even further, modding the game’s character to resemble their own beloved felines.

Stray Fans Modding Their Own Cats Into The Game

Stray’s orange cat is an incredibly cute protagonist, but many players were eager to see their own cats in-game. After all, how incredible would it be to play the game as your favorite cat?

One such modder, going by the name Narwhix, created a mod that would recolor the orange cat into a calico one. This skin was inspired by none other than their pet Sunny, a bright-eyed calico itself.

Playing as your cat adds another layer of personalization to the game, as well as creating a deeper connection to the character. Suddenly, Stray is not just about a stray; rather, it becomes a story about a beloved friend journeying back home through a harsh world.

Another modder, Whenbearsreign, created their own homage to their cat as well. Also creating a reskin of the protagonist, Whenbearsreign created a tuxedo cat skin based off of the real-life Maro.

Perhaps the sweetest example of this comes from modder uros76. Their mod, which creates a gray/silver-looking coat for the protagonist, was created in memory of their feline family friend. They share in a touching comment, “This color resembles our old cat which passed away a few years ago. It’s a memory for my son who was growing up with that cat.“

These are just a few of the many heartwarming Stray mods dedicated to real-life cats. Fans have created reskins for brown-and-white cats named Dio and all-black cats named Sushi; even fans of hairless cats and mustachioed cats will find mods for their games.

These mods are an absolutely adorable way to pay tribute to the lovable cats out there, leaving a bigger impression on players than the game could before. The realistic behaviors of the cat protagonist were already a major reason why people loved the game, and these mods just take it to the next level. Chances are, there’s a mod out there for a look-alike for your own cat too!

Stray is available to play on PS4, PS5, and Steam.