Befriending and Adopting Strays

[MarianT]

If you go to Map View, you can see if there's a house with pets to adopt (the marker is orange).

[RunAmokSims]

@Pam

It gets more and more odd. I moved my Sim into a new home just in case there was some kind of glitch in the house she was living in. (The cat didn't follow but since he was never playable I really didn't expect him to.) She still can't check the computer for pets to adopt from neighbors. She's teleported out of her chair to another spot in the room.  The same thing happens when she checks the newspaper for pets to adopt from neighbors, teleported again.  She can read the paper for hot spots and other things, just not neighbor adoptions.

She's only able to adopt from the shelter over the phone.

I also think my Sims are getting extremely stupid. I find that when I give them a command to do something instead of leaving the room to go into the room they need to they will face the wall and get the "I can't get there" thought bubble. Absolutely nothing is in the way and I have to lead them to where they are going using the "go here" command.  I just had to lead her out of the bedroom into the hall and then into the room where her computer was.

I'm about ready to ditch this game and start a new one.

[Dellena]

You don't have to ditch the household you're playing yet.  From Edit Town, click on the house and select the option to copy to the bin.  Only copy the household and do not include the house.  Try starting a new game, move the household from the bin into a new house and see if you still have the same issue.  Also, have you tried using different computers?  As in different models.  Maybe only one model is the problem.

[RunAmokSims]

You don't have to ditch the household you're playing yet.  From Edit Town, click on the house and select the option to copy to the bin.  Only copy the household and do not include the house.  Try starting a new game, move the household from the bin into a new house and see if you still have the same issue.  Also, have you tried using different computers?  As in different models.  Maybe only one model is the problem.

I started a new game with the Sim that was having the problems. It wasn't a big sacrifice I didn't have a lot of time put into that last game yet. So far it looks like it might all be working right now. I was able to search the newspaper for neighbors with pets to adopt and did not get teleported.

Unfortunately Dellena I just have one computer to use for my game.  Normally I have a very glitch free game so it's unusual for me to have a problem.

[Dellena]

  I meant had you tried using different computer models in the game to adopt pets.   But I'm glad it's working now for you.  Sounds like something in the that game world was glitched.

[RunAmokSims]

  I meant had you tried using different computer models in the game to adopt pets.   But I'm glad it's working now for you.  Sounds like something in the that game world was glitched.

*smacks self on forehead*  Ok!  Yes I did that. I tried two different desktops and two different laptops for my Sim. I tried different rooms and then even different houses.  In the new game she can adopt from the computer, the newspaper and the phone. Both from neighbors and the shelter.

And Pam, no matter what I do I don't get an option to adopt what I call an actual stray. They will come to the house and stay and you can interact with them but it's like butlers and they are unplayable.

[Dellena]

I've been able to invite a stray to join the family before.  But you need to have a high enough reputation with them.  I was thinking, if you have problems with keeping them there long enough, maybe lure them into a fenced in area and lock the gate so they can't leave.

[Noodles]

Any new info about adopting strays?
I've only heard it's possible trough testing cheats and modding, but I want to adopt without cheating. I currently have a stray dog in my house (who I invited in and he stayed), who is BFF with my sim but I get no option for adopting... I only have two horses as pets.

[Seabody]

@Noodles
Do you have 8 Sims in your household, or seven Sims, one of whom is pregnant?

[Noodles]

@Noodles
Do you have 8 Sims in your household, or seven Sims, one of whom is pregnant?

2 sims, 2 horses - the horse is pregnant so it counts as 3 horses, I guess. But I should still have room for 3 pets and 6 sims.
The relationship bar doesn't seem to fill up entirely. There's a teeny tiny amount missing, but still, their BFF. I tried clicking the dog when it's on the ground, and while holding it, both inside and outside the house, but the option is still gone. He seems to enjoy his stay though; he doesn't leave, enjoys the food I give him and destroys my carpets. 

[Seabody]

2 sims, 2 horses - the horse is pregnant so it counts as 3 horses, I guess. But I should still have room for 3 pets and 6 sims.

Just so you know, it's a max of 8 Sims and 6 Pets, to a max of 10 creatures (Sims + Pets) per household. Meaning, if you had 6 Pets, you could have a max of only 4 Sims.
And, I'm sorry, but I can't help. I've never adopted strays (yet).

Edited to change "you could have a max of only 2 Sims" to "you could have a max of only 4 Sims".

[Noodles]

Just so you know, it's a max of 8 Sims and 6 Pets, to a max of 10 creatures (Sims + Pets) per household. Meaning, if you had 6 Pets, you could have a max of only 2 Sims.
And, I'm sorry, but I can't help. I've never adopted strays (yet).

Oh, that's good to know. Now that I think of it, it really would be a full circus with 8 sims and 6 pets all under one roof.

About the stray - I reloaded my game, but it didn't help, so I just asked the dog to leave. Maybe there's some restriction that it needs to visit set amount of times before it will be willing to move in or something (I doubt it but can't come up with any solution), this was his second visit on my lot.

Edit. Maybe I was right about the number of visits - when the dog came for the third time, I got the adopt option after inviting him in. Before that, no amount of interactions would bring the option up.

[Donnie313]

Hey Noodles, I think you're right. I FINALLY managed to befriend a stray dog that came around to my house several times. Eventually I was able to invite him inside, pick him up, I even had the option to bathe him and call him over as if he was one of my pets, but there was no "adopt stray" option. I searched multiple forums and message boards on the subject but could find no answers until I came across your suggestion to ask him to leave and wait for him to come back. Although I was reluctant at first (because it took me so long just to be able to get him to stay longer then a couple hours without running off.) I did ask him to leave. After a couple days he came back and once again I had my sim invite him in. This time there WAS an "adopt stray" option! He officially became a part of the family, I was able to name him and can now give him direct commands. I know it's a game and this is probably gonna sound corny but it made me really happy to be able to adopt him because I have a dog in real life who looks identical to him. So thank you for the tip, if I hadn't read your post, I may have never figured out how to go about adopting strays! 

[Pam]

Welcome to our Forum, Donnie!

I'm really so glad to hear you were able to adopt a stray.  This has baffled all of us since Pets came out.

@ Noodles:

Thank you for sharing the information.  Carl will probably want to add it to the Guide. 

[Lysita]

Well, this all seems very strange and nothing I ever encountered with pets. I once had a family adopt a stray dog on the very first visit, although I may have used cheats to raise the bar. At the moment I don't have pets installed, but I may have to try doing it the right way and see what happens. Perhaps it helps to have the related trait to whichever animal, although I'd figure Animal Lover would be good if you want to do more than one type of pet.