Pets are one of the most immersive and rewarding systems in Heartopia. Cats and dogs are not just cosmetic companions — they are living systems with traits, progression, stamina, emotions, training mechanics, and daily routines.
How to Unlock Cats & Dogs in Heartopia
Pets are not available at the start of the game. They are part of Heartopia’s long-term progression system.
- 🔓 Pets unlock at DG Level 12
However, reaching DG Level 12 alone is not enough. You must unlock all other hobby systems first:
- 🐦 Bird Watching
- 🐞 Bug Catching
- 🎣 Fishing
- 🌱 Gardening
- 🍳 Cooking
Only after unlocking all these hobbies will the pet system become available.
Choosing Between Cats or Dogs First
Heartopia gives players full freedom in choosing their first pet path.
If you start the pet quest and do not select a cat, you can:
- Talk to Ms. Joan again
- Start the Dog Caring hobby directly
This means:
- You are not forced to own a cat first
- You can start with dogs only
- You can unlock both systems independently
This design allows players to roleplay their preferred lifestyle — cat-focused, dog-focused, or both.
Pet Progression & Capacity Limits
Pets are unlocked gradually through leveling your Cat Caring and Dog Caring hobbies.
Maximum Pet Capacity
- 🐱 Maximum Cats: 5
- 🐶 Maximum Dogs: 3
Unlock Levels
Cat Unlock Levels:
- Level 1
- Level 3
- Level 5
- Level 7
- Level 9
Dog Unlock Levels:
- Level 1
- Level 4
- Level 8
Each level milestone unlocks the ability to adopt additional pets, meaning progression directly expands your pet family.
Heartopia Pet Store System
Pets are adopted through the in-game pet store system managed by Ms. Joan.
Daily Reset System
- 🕕 Store resets every day at 6AM server time
- 🎲 Pets refresh daily
- 🎯 Traits, appearances, and personalities are randomized
At the start:
- 3 cats per day
- 3 dogs per day
As you level up your caring hobbies, this increases to:
- Up to 5 pets per day in the store
Important detail:
The pet store is unique for every player. Two players will never see the same pets, traits, or appearances on the same day.
Randomized Traits & Appearances System
Every pet in Heartopia is generated using a random system:
- 🎨 Physical appearance
- 🐕 Breed type
- 🐈 Color pattern
- 🧠 Personality traits
This means:
- No “perfect meta pet” exists
- Pets are unique per player
- Trait hunting becomes part of gameplay
- Store refreshing becomes a long-term strategy
Pet Boarding System Explained
As your pet collection grows, Heartopia introduces the boarding system.
How Boarding Works
- 🏠 Boarding is unlocked later in progression
- 📍 Accessed via the blue shelf near Ms. Joan’s desk
- 💰 Cost: 20,000 gold per pet
- ❤️ Required closeness: 3,000 points
Boarding Rules
- You can board up to 5 cats at a time
- You can board dogs using the same system
- Boarded pets are safely stored, not deleted
Example system logic:
You can own 5 cats → board 1 → adopt another cat → still keep the boarded one. To retrieve a boarded pet, you must board another pet first.
This creates a controlled storage system rather than deletion.
Pet Appearances & Breeds
Heartopia pets come in a wide range of visual styles:
- Different fur colors
- Multiple coat patterns
- Breed variations
- Size differences
- Face structure differences
Each pet is visually unique due to the random generation system.
Dog Appearance
Cat Appearance
Why Pet Choice Matters
Unlike many games, pets in Heartopia are:
- Permanent
- Not disposable
- Not rerollable
- Not replaceable without boarding
This makes pet selection a long-term decision system, not a cosmetic one.
You are encouraged to treat pets like real companions — choosing based on personality compatibility, playstyle, and daily routine rather than only appearance.
🐾How the Trait System Works
Personality traits are the most important aspect of pets in Heartopia. While appearance makes your pet adorable, traits define how they behave, how fast they level up, how much interaction they tolerate, and how enjoyable they are to live with long-term.
Each pet in Heartopia is generated with two personality traits:
- Primary Trait – has the strongest impact
- Secondary Trait – weaker, may activate later
According to community testing, the first trait matters the most and heavily influences the pet’s overall personality. The second trait appears to have a smaller or delayed effect and becomes more noticeable later in progression.
This makes the first trait the most important factor when adopting a pet.
Core Personality Traits Explained
Naughty
- Destroys furniture occasionally
- Furniture repairs are fast and easy
- Can feel playful, quirky, and silly
Despite sounding negative, Naughty pets are often misunderstood. Many players enjoy the chaos since repairs take only a quick tap. Others may find it frustrating over time.
Lone Wolf
- Dislikes frequent interaction
- Prefers independence
- Dogs wander during walks
Lone Wolf dogs tend to stray far from the player while walking. If they go too far, a teleport timer activates, sending them home. These pets are best suited for players who want low-maintenance companions.
Clingy
- Seeks frequent interaction
- Spends more time near the player
- Cats may climb onto your head
Clingy pets are ideal for active players who enjoy petting, interaction, and fast progression. Clingy cats are also the best trait for going out, as they are more likely to cooperate.
Sociable
- Enjoys being pet
- Likes interacting with people
- May wander toward the front yard or street
Sociable pets feel lively and friendly but may roam looking for interaction with NPCs or players. Some users report them wandering more than expected.
Unsociable
- Dislikes frequent petting
- Harder to level up
- Low interaction tolerance
Unsociable pets suit players who spend most of their time fishing, foraging, or away from home. They are not ideal for players who enjoy constant interaction.
🐶Dog Personality
Your dog will bark more than others.
Your dog may destroy furniture and will follow you around at home more often.
Your dog will want to play more and will be very active.
Your dog won’t lean one way or another.
Your dog won’t make much noise.
Your dog is a picky eater.
Your dog’s food meter will decrease at a slower rate and they won’t be very active.
Your dog will want more interaction.
Your dog is more likely to get into trouble.
Your dog prefers to be alone.
Your dog won’t want much interaction.
🐯Cat Personality
Your cat will meow more than others.
Your cat may destroy furniture and will follow you around at home more often.
Your cat will want to play more and will be very active.
Your cat won’t lean one way or another.
Your cat is more likely to get into trouble or misbehave.
Your cat won’t make much noise.
Your cat is a picky eater.
Your cat’s hunger meter will decrease at a slower rate.
Your cat’s energy meter will decrease at a faster rate and they won’t be very active.
Your cat will want more interaction.
Your cat won’t need much interaction.
Trait Impact on Leveling Difficulty
Traits directly influence how easy or difficult it is to level up your pets and caring hobbies.
Harder to Level Traits
- Lone Wolf
- Unsociable
- Slow
- Indifferent
- Sluggish
These traits reduce interaction opportunities, which means fewer chances to gain closeness points.
Easier to Level Traits
- Clingy
- Sociable
- Energetic
These pets tolerate more interaction and generate more opportunities to gain closeness, making progression smoother and faster.
Best Traits by Playstyle
Active Daily Players
- Best Traits: Clingy, Sociable, Energetic
- Fast leveling
- High interaction
- More rewarding emotionally
Casual or Low-Login Players
- Best Traits: Lone Wolf, Unsociable
- Low maintenance
- Less penalty for inactivity
Roleplay & Immersion Players
- Trait choice depends on personality preference
- Naughty pets add humor
- Clingy pets feel emotionally connected
Why Trait Choice Is Permanent
Once adopted:
- Pets cannot be deleted
- Traits cannot be changed
- Personalities are permanent
This makes trait selection a long-term commitment. Heartopia encourages players to treat pets like real companions rather than disposable assets.
Common Trait Misconceptions
- Naughty is not a bad trait
- Independent traits are not useless
- Harder traits are viable for casual play
There is no universally “best” pet — only the best pet for your playstyle.
🐾Pet Leveling & Closeness Points
Leveling pets in Heartopia is a slow, relationship-based system. Progress depends on stamina, mood, personality traits, and how often you interact with your pets. Understanding these systems will dramatically improve your efficiency and reduce frustration.
Pets level up through closeness points, which also increase your Cat Caring or Dog Caring hobby levels.
You gain closeness points by:
- Petting
- Feeding
- Washing
- Training
Each pet has internal mood and stamina bars that control how often you can interact with them.
Understanding Pet Mood Messages
One important system is the comfort warning message:
“Kitty/Doggy seems comfortable?”
After this message appears:
- You still gain +2 points per interaction
- Risk of anger increases
- Some traits tolerate this better than others
Traits like Unsociable or Lone Wolf are more likely to get angry if pushed too far.
Stamina System Explained
Stamina controls training, going out, and some interactions.
- Pets lose stamina when interacting
- Stamina recovers over time
- Cats recover stamina slower than dogs
Training stamina requirements:
- 🐶 Dogs: 40 stamina
- 🐱 Cats: 30 stamina
Training Mini-Game Guide
Training is a reaction-based mini-game where your pet calls out a button that you must press quickly.
Training Results
- Perfect! – +4 points (cats only)
- Great! – +2 points
- Good – minor progress
- Wrong – no progress
Important differences:
- Only cats can achieve “Perfect!”
- Dogs cap at “Great!” or “Good!”
Training Tips
- Focus on speed when training cats
- Accuracy matters more for dogs
- Do not train when stamina is low
Walking Dogs Explained
Dogs can go on walks almost immediately after completing the Dog Caring tutorial.
- Dogs follow you while walking
- If they go 20 meters away, a teleport timer starts
- If not recovered, the dog teleports home
Traits that affect walking behavior:
- Lone Wolf dogs wander more
- Unsociable dogs stray more easily
Some vehicles allow dogs to sit in the seat next to you, making travel easier.
Going Out With Cats
Cats unlock going out much later than dogs and require a specific condition.
- The cat must climb onto your head
- The cat may refuse
- Clingy cats succeed most often
This system is intentionally difficult and encourages long-term bonding with your cat.
Efficiency Tips for Faster Progress
- Interact when stamina is high
- Avoid over-petting unsociable pets
- Train cats whenever possible
- Log in after daily reset for maximum interactions
Consistency is more important than speed — Heartopia rewards daily care rather than grinding.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-petting after comfort warning
- Ignoring stamina levels
- Adopting pets without checking traits
- Expecting fast leveling
🐾Pet Feeding System Explained
Feeding, clothing, and long-term care complete the pet experience in Heartopia. While these systems seem cosmetic at first, they directly affect progression, stamina management, and daily efficiency.
Feeding is one of the most important daily interactions for pets.
- Every pet has a randomized favorite food
- Favorite foods grant extra closeness points
- Traits may affect food acceptance
Pets may sometimes refuse food, especially those with picky or sensitive traits.
Finding Your Pet’s Favorite Food
To discover a pet’s favorite food:
- Feed them a variety of foods
- Observe bonus reactions
- Check the Pets app on your Watch once discovered
🐱 Cats can eat fish, so feeding multiple fish types is an effective strategy.
Hairball Currency Explained
Hairballs are a special pet-exclusive currency.
- 🎁 Gifted by pets every 24 hours
- ⏰ Resets at 6AM server time
- 💰 Used mainly for pet clothes
Hairballs are automatically generated as long as you own pets, rewarding consistent ownership rather than grinding.
Pet Clothes & Accessories
Pet clothes are purely cosmetic but add charm and personality.
- Purchased with Hairballs
- Refresh every 24 hours
- Random selection per player
Clothing does not affect stats, but many players use it to personalize pets or match their home aesthetic.
Energy Treats & Stamina Recovery
Energy treats unlock at Cat/Dog Caring Level 4.
- Restore ~70% stamina
- Cat treats only work on cats
- Dog treats only work on dogs
Energy treats are best saved for:
- Training sessions
- Long walking sessions
- Daily efficiency optimization
Known Pet Bugs & Fixes
Cat Spawning in the Floor
- Cats may sometimes clip into the floor
- This is a known visual bug
Fix: Enter Build Mode and exit immediately. The cat will reposition correctly.
Cats vs Dogs: Key Differences
- Cats get hungry less often
- Cats regain stamina slower
- Dogs are easier to take outside
- Cats require higher affection to go out
These differences are intentional and align with real-life pet behavior.
Advanced Pet Management Tips
- Choose traits that match your login frequency
- Use boarding to manage long-term collections
- Do not rush leveling — consistency matters
- Check the store daily for better trait rolls
- Save energy treats for high-value interactions
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Pets are permanent. You can only board them.
No. Clothes are cosmetic only.
No. The best pet depends entirely on your playstyle.
No. Traits are permanent once adopted.
Heartopia’s pet system rewards patience, consistency, and emotional investment. Treat your pets well, choose wisely, and enjoy the companionship they bring to your virtual life.
