Cats have long been an Internet staple and the source of many hilarious memes. From 'breading cats' to funny TikToks, it comes as no surprise that cats have now become a popular genre in video games, featuring as a 'tag' on Steam and other gaming platforms.

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Ever wanted to experience life as a cat? There are plenty of "pawsome" games, available and upcoming, allowing that fantasy to become a reality. Whether it be a life-sim game taking care of feline friends or a hack-and-slash RPG as a cat-adventurer, there is a cat game out there to suit every gamer.

8 Mushroom Cats

Screencap from Mushroom Cats with cat npcs

A short and sweet game, Mushroom Cats is a point-and-click, free-to-play game about cats that live on a magical giant toadstool, so players can live out their fairycore dreams.

All players must do is put hats on cats. That's it. That's the game. Makes players forget all about their troubles for six minutes of gameplay, coupled with the peaceful music and quirky art style. There is even a sequel available on Steam, called Mushroom Cats 2.

7 Cat Goes Fishing

Cat fishing in pond, Cat Goes Pishing

Just as the title entails, players are a cat who has decided to spend their day catching fish. Seems charming enough? Like Animal Crossing, Cat Goes Fishing focuses on progression. As players sell their fish, they can purchase new baits, stronger rods, and even silly hats with special traits and fishing bonuses.

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What starts off as a chilled game with a basic rod and bait then evolves into a heavy fishing grind with various new tools, bombs, boats, and extreme baits to be used in the bottomless depths of the ocean. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon game.

6 Catlateral Damage

pic0 CroppedCat in destroyed room, Catlateral Damage

If the world was flat, cats would have somehow still pushed everything off the edge. Players can live out their feline dreams in Catlateral Damage as a cat on a rampage. Using first-person perspectives to destroy everything that gets in the way, players can rack up points by causing as much chaos and destruction as possible.

Featuring over 20 playable cats, Catlateral Damage is a great sandbox game to vent some frustrations, and unwind, while simultaneously wrecking everything. It is even available as a VR game with motion-control support, allowing for a fully immersive catastrophic experience.

5 Copycat

Cat sat in the rain in Copycat poster

Ever wanted to see the world through a cat’s eyes? With Copycat, that is possible. It is a narrative-driven indie game that follows a cynical shelter kitty, Dawn. She dreads the day she will get readopted; however, her mind soon changes when she meets her new human companion, Olive.

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Playing as Dawn, players can experience life as a cat, climbing onto roofs and hunting birds, all while discovering the true meaning of home. Copycat is not yet available. However, the planned release date is sometime in 2022, so make sure to add it to Steam wishlists.

4 A Street Cat's Tale

Title screen for A Street Cat's Tale

After a kitten’s mother goes missing, it is down to the player to ensure the kitten’s survival and reunite it with its family. A Street Cat’s Tale features some cute pixel art, but don’t be fooled. This pixilated world is full of potential threats and is an emotional rollercoaster. Players will need to avoid cars, humans, and more to keep the small kitten alive.

There are also survival aspects, as the kitten's hunger and health bars are displayed on-screen, meaning players must place their faith in humanity to maintain a steady supply of food. There are several possible endings, some of which are dark, displaying the cruel reality of many stray cats on the street.

3 Cattails

Promo poster for Cattails

Cattails is an adorable 2D life-sim RPG in which players play as wild cats that must join one of three cat colonies. They can hunt for food, explore caves, and fight other trespassing cats. Like Stardew Valley, players can also romance and marry one of sixteen NPCs (Non-Playable-Cats) and raise their own family of kittens.

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Players can even start up their own cat colony and customize it to their liking, along with various in-depth customization options for their own cat characters. Overall, it is a very peaceful game that can be played at their own pace.

2 Cat Quest

Screenshot from open world Cat Quest

Exploring the land of Felingard, players journey through the open-world map of Cat Quest to find their catnapped sister and defeat the evil Drakoth.

Cat Quest is a quirky RPG that allows players to customize their catventurer, equipping robes for magic-users or swords and chain mail for those who like to fight up close. All weapons, armor, and spells can be mixed and matched to create the purrfect combinations. Lovers of Castle Crashers should adore this game.

1 Stray

Screenshot from Stray, with a cat and destroyed city

One of the most anticipated video games of 2022 is Stray. It is a third-person adventure game set in a dystopian neon cyberpunk city. Assuming the role of said stray cat, players get to experience the world through its eyes. It features a linear storyline, as the stray must navigate its way through city and underground environments, solving puzzles along the way.

In Stray, players will embark on a quest to reunite with their family. They befriend an adorable small flying drone called B-12, capable of translating robotic dialogue. It was released on Steam on 19 July for PC, PS4, and PS5.

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