The Sims 2: Pets/Pet Ages

Pets are just like Sims. As time goes on, they age, the only exception being that they cannot use Birthday Cakes. If you have the Aspiration Reward Kibble of Life, you will be able to let your pets have a few more days in their age period. You can do this by selecting the Kibble of Life pet bowl, and using the action Call to Eat... and choosing which pet you would like to have a longer life. Even pets who haven't learnt to eat pet food can be called, although the Kibble of Life can only be used five times.

From the Create-A-Pet menu, you can choose to make an Adult or Elder pet. When pets are born, they are puppies or kittens, but you can only get then by breeding your pets or adopting one from the pet adoption centre.

Puppies and Kittens

 * Time until Birthday: 4 Days

Your Sims can interact with puppies, although much like Adult and Elder pets, you cannot control them. Your Sims can praise or scold puppies for doing things, but you cannot teach them commands or command them to do anything. You also can't scold or praise them for being on Sim beds, as they are too small to get onto the bed, but you can praise them for being in the pet bed.

Puppies and Kittens (much like Toddlers) don't have all the needs of their Parents. Puppies don't have to Chew, and Kittens won't go crazy if they have nothing to Scratch. They also don't have a hygiene need, as they are to small to get in the bath. However, they do have to eat, sleep, interact with other Sims and pets, go to the toilet and be comfortable.

Puppies and Kittens (like Toddlers) cannot go up or down stairs, so if they arrive in the garden and their pet things are upstairs, make sure to bring them to their room; otherwise you'll lose them to the adoption centre.

Adults

 * Time until Birthday:Small dogs and cats: 25 days. Large dogs: 21 days

Elders

 * Time until Birthday:5-10 days (selected at random)