Today is International Cat Day! It’s celebrated every August 8th and was created by the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2002 to raise awareness about cats’ physical and mental health. It was later transferred to International Cat Care, which shares free resources and, on this day, highlights feline-focused topics. On their website, you can donate to the campaign or learn how to better take care of your feline friends.
I’m not a cat-person, but I like animals more than I do most people. Since I haven’t read many cat-related books, I bring you some great indie video games featuring cats.
1. Stray, by BlueTwelve Studio
Opening with a popular title, here’s Stray, a 3D cyberpunk adventure game. Play as an orange cat being, well, a cat, and help them escape a perilous world populated by robots to reunite them with their feline family. Interact with the world to solve puzzles and meow to your heart’s desire.
2. Cat Quest, by The Gentlebros
A cute action RPG with dungeon-crawling elements and open world exploration. The story is a straight-up chosen-one trope, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s full of cat puns, and in the sequels you can even play it co-op. Slay (the BBEG) in your best and cutest armor.
3. Cato, by Team Woll
Taking the buttered cat paradox to an extra level, Cato is a puzzle platformer where you control the cat, the buttered toast, and the unstoppable combination of the two. The expressive animations and colorful industrial backgrounds make the pixel graphics pop. Boss battles, mini-games, hidden rooms, and a cosmetics catalogue will keep you entertained for a while.
4. Night in the Woods, by Infinite Fall
Follow Mae Borowski back to her hometown: one of her old friends has recently disappeared, her other friends have changed, and the town’s coal mines have closed. Suffice to say, it deals with mental health themes. It uses simple platformer mechanics in a gorgeous, clean 2D art style, but it’s ultimately an emotional, narrative game where your choices matter.
5. OneShot, by Future Cat
One of my favorite video games features Niko, a cat-like kid who wakes up in a mysterious world and is entrusted with a giant lightbulb. Sorry, I meant the world’s dead sun. It’s an atmospheric puzzle-adventure that constantly breaks the fourth wall. The beautiful pixel art is a plus, but its unique story and gameplay make me still think about it years after playing it.
Other games with cats worth mentioning: inbento, Calico, Timelie, Cat Isle, Easy Delivery Co., Feline Forensics and the Meowseum Mystery, Little Kitty, Big City, Cat Mail Co., Everdeep Aurora, and Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar.
So you don’t miss my regular book content, you can also check some listicles about books with cats:
- Ten SFF Books With Cat Companions – Books, Bones & Buffy
- Cozy Fantasies with Cats: Literary Escapes – alibrarymama
- 5 Magical Realism Books Featuring Cats – The Global Book Nook
What are your favorite books and video games featuring cats?
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