From being buried in gold-covered coffins in ancient Egypt to expensive litter robots, nothing has changed much since cats came into our lives and declared themselves worthy of worship.
There’s just something magical about cats. It’s no wonder: they are long thought to have one foot into our physical world and another in the spiritual realm. They’re just totally nonchalant about it.
Countless myths and stories surround cats. However, they are often companions and not the main characters.
Well, look no further. From pixelated prowlers to cyberpunk, unapologetic strays, this list of 10 action-packed games proves that cats have always deserved the center stage.
Stray
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
With over 75,000 reviews on Steam, Stray has made a lasting mark on both gaming and pop culture.
A cat separated from its family is forced to navigate the ruins of a decaying cybercity once inhabited by humans. What follows is a mix of exploration, environmental storytelling, and companionship that balances a cat’s curiosity with melancholy.
Developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive (Lorelei and the Laser Eyes), Stray offers a 3D platforming experience wrapped in an atmospheric world that’s set in an eerily familiar yet distant future.
It’s an emotional visual adventure that has captivated both humans and cats alike.
If you haven’t seen the behind-the-scenes look at how real cats were used to bring the game to life, it’s truly worth it.
Copycat
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
This may come as no surprise: life is tough for any stray cat. And if their stories weren’t heartbreaking enough, Copycat captures the sorrow in a 3D platformer game form.
The concept of home sits at the heart of this story.
You play as a shelter cat adopted by Olive, a lonely older woman mourning the loss of her previous pet. For a time, everything feels hopeful, until Olive falls ill and a mysterious stray “copycat” appears, threatening to take your place.
There will be few moments of respite in this emotionally intense story that demands empathy beyond the norm. The life of a street cat isn’t always a happy one. That’s enough reason to think about being at least kind to them on your next outdoor walk.
CATO: Buttered Cat
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS5); Mobile (Android, IOS)
Cats are liquid. If you’ve ever had a feline friend, this will also make total sense: cats are buttered toast. Are you still there? The thought experiment really goes like this: cats land on their feet and buttered toast always lands buttered side to the floor. So if you attach buttered toast on the back of a cat… you get perpetual energy for a puzzle platformer!
Individually, cat and buttered toast, your options for movement are limited. But together, you become more powerful.
Explore different worlds while solving puzzles that will have you jump, fly, and squeeze through the quirky, colorful surroundings. While the platforming can be cozy, the puzzles will be more challenging.
Become a buttered cat, and leave physicists flabbergasted in the dust.
Kinnikuneko: Super Muscle Cat
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Kinniku Neko puts you in the paws, and biceps, of a super muscled cat surrounded by equally feisty friends in the classic anime format filled with superfluous, wacky energy.
You can switch between two forms: a hulking, bodybuilding cat-human hybrid who can punch through obstacles, and a small, four-legged tabby fluffboy who can slip through tighter spaces and across city rooftops.
This is a compact 2D platformer that mixes fast-paced action with exploration elements, encouraging you to replay levels to uncover secrets and collect hidden items.
Its humor is exaggerated, dramatic, and over-the-top. And part of the charm is the friendship that you forge through this cute, strange story.
Yes, even the smallest cat can make the biggest flex.
Inspector Waffles Early Days
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Even with just a few pixels, there’s no denying it. That’s a cat. And it’s not just any cat, but one with a good eye and a spiky tongue sharp enough to cut through lies.
As Waffles, you are only at the cusp of your work as a detective, and there’s much to learn and discover. This world is full of suspicious characters, shady alleyways, and many unanswered questions.
Each chapter brings a new case to unravel through classic point-and-click mechanics and mind-bending puzzles. You get to examine crime scenes and follow evidence. There will also be a cast of characters who may or may not be telling the truth. Some will be helpful, while others only lead you astray. But every clue counts.
Piece together a furry mystery so that when the time comes, a culprit will be picked from the chaos.
Nine Sols
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
This is the first combat-focused entry in this list. It’s one that might just appeal to those with an itch for cats destroying stuff, or at least pawing things slightly over the edge with no violence involved.
Nine Sols follows Yi, a feline-inspired warrior on a journey through a forsaken realm where Taoist mysticism meets sleek sci-fi in Metroidvania format. The world is rich with strange creatures and echoes of an ancient civilization. Each story is tied to an overarching story of vengeance and rebirth.
Combat here thrives on precision and patience. Every parry, strike, and perfectly timed dodge matters. There’s a rhythm to it that’s deliberate, while paired with fluid animation that makes the storytelling shine.
It’s myth, meditation, and destruction in one.
Crypt Custodian
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
The allegations that cats feel right at home in the underworld might just have some truth in it. In one of those instances, you come in as Pluto, who has just run out of all nine lives and has been sentenced to clean up in the afterlife’s grand palace. It’s not glamorous work, but the realm of spirits, beasts, and restless critters is far too intriguing to stay gloomy for long.
The palace itself is filled with secret paths and puzzles with metroidvania mechanics. You will also get to talk to other ghosts who are often eager enough to share stories from their past lives.
Along the way, you’ll uncover upgrades and learn new abilities. There are mysteries in this world that are meant to be discovered if you explore hard enough.
Gori: Cuddly Carnage
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Finally some carnage for our bloodthirsty companions. (Cats are carnivores, after all.)
As Gori, you get to tear through an army of deranged unicorns in a neon-drenched cyber apocalypse that’s as chaotic as it is colorful.
This entry is pure massacre, led by the likeliest culprit: an orange cat. In real life, you can almost see the familiar glint of mischief behind their vacant stare. If only they could string together two brain cells for more than a few seconds. Still adorable though, 10/10 would pet, even mid-slaughter.
This fast-paced hack and slash keeps momentum high thanks to your snarky hoverboard named F.R.A.N.K. Together with an AI companion, CH1-P, the three of you skate and shred your way through it all in style.
Cat Quest 3
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S); Mobile(IOS)
The beloved Cat Quest series returns for its third adventure, this time setting sail for an all-new world to explore and get lost in. This time, you’re charting your own course across the high seas aboard your very own ship.
In true Cat Quest fashion, every island hides a new quest. There’s treasure for the taking for the bravest souls. All sorts of adventures will be abound, complete with pirate battles, forests, and dungeons. There’s a great selection of goods to try out and dozens of side quests to keep you entertained for long.
It’s a lighthearted RPG that’s totally PG, for those who prefer their series more upbeat and packed with endless cat puns.
Umbraclaw
Available on PC(Windows, macOS); Consoles(Steam Deck, Switch 1/2, PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
“Find hope in death.”
When beloved housecat Kuon passes away, her soul awakens in the realm of the dead known as Soulplane. Determined to return home to her owner, she must traverse a perilous world filled with shifting landscapes and lingering spirits in this 2D platformer.
She is given the power to revive herself. Each death now becomes a rebirth. It’s a new chance to become stronger by absorbing the soul of another animal. But this also leads her further and further away from her cat core, blurring the line between survival and sacrifice.
At what distances will Kuon travel to go back to the life she once had? How much of herself will she have to lose to go back to the land of the living?
This we know for certain: returning to life will come with a cost that Kuon is ready to take on.
I’ve owned six cats at one point, all rescued. So believe me when I say: I get it. Cats are super weird. But they also have so much love to give if you have the patience to wait for it. It takes years for some to even sit on your lap. And you better not move an inch when that happens!
The point is that cats have always deserved to shine. Whether it’s feeding your local cats or diving into a cat-themed adventure, there’s no such thing as too much feline appreciation.
