Overview
Zois can get sick from weather exposure, contagion, and seasonal allergies. Illness causes visible symptoms (coughing, sneezing), mood penalties, and reduced effectiveness at work and school. If left untreated, illness can progress into an infection and become fatal. Treatment is handled through First Aid Kits placed in the home or, for a permanent solution, the Immunity Donut from the Meow Store. Extreme weather can also cause death from hypothermia or heatstroke independent of the illness system.
Causes of Illness
Cause | Details |
|---|---|
Cold weather | Wearing light clothing during winter or in cold conditions. Dowon's four seasons make this a recurring risk. |
Rain exposure | Standing outside during rain without an umbrella. The v0.6.0 update increased the time before catching a cold in rain from 1 hour to 6 in-game hours. |
Contagion | Illness spreads within households. If one Zoi gets sick, other household members are likely to catch it quickly. |
Pollen allergies | Seasonal. Triggers the "itchy nose from pollen" Uncomfortable emotion. Separate from cold/flu. |
Bliss Bay and Cahaya stay warm year-round, making cold-weather illness rare there. Dowon has four distinct seasons and is where most weather-related illness occurs.
Symptoms
A sick Zoi shows several visible and gameplay effects:
Sneezing and coughing animations. Nearby Zois react with visible disgust.
The Uncomfortable or Miserable emotion replaces the normal mood state.
Reduced Energy regeneration.
Slower skill learning rates.
Reduced social interaction effectiveness.
Treatment
First Aid Kit
The First Aid Kit costs 100 Meow and is purchased through Build Mode under Furniture > Props (or search "First Aid Kit"). Place it in the home, then click it as the sick Zoi. Two medicine options are available:
Medicine | Treats |
|---|---|
Take Cold Medicine | Colds and flu from weather, rain, and contagion. |
Take Allergy Medicine | Pollen allergies. |
First Aid Kits contain unlimited medicine and never run out. The Zoi will "sparkle and light up" to indicate recovery has begun. A short rest period completes the healing. Most premade houses and apartments already have a First Aid Kit placed in them, so check before buying a new one.
Immunity Donut
The Immunity Donut (sometimes called the Vaccine Donut) is available in the Meow Store for 100 Meow Coins. Access it through the Zoi's portrait card in the lower right corner, then click the "Meow-Shop" button. The Immunity Donut grants permanent immunity to both colds and allergies for the rest of that Zoi's life. It is a one-time consumable per Zoi.
Death from Illness
If a Zoi's illness is left untreated for an extended period, it can worsen into an infection and become fatal. This is one of the death types in the game. Rest and relaxation alone do not cure illness; only the First Aid Kit or Immunity Donut work as treatments.
Weather-Related Deaths
Separate from the cold/flu illness system, extreme temperatures can directly kill Zois through hypothermia or heatstroke.
Heatstroke
When the temperature reaches approximately 30°C (86°F), Zois automatically switch to their Summer outfit. Heat wave disasters can raise the temperature even higher. Zois wearing heavy clothing (such as winter outfits) in extreme heat overheat faster.
A warning message appears when Zois are dressed in heavy clothing during life-threatening heat.
After approximately 30 minutes of in-game time in extreme heat, the Zoi becomes Afraid.
If the Zoi remains in the heat without relief, death from heatstroke follows.
Heatstroke can occur indoors during heat wave events if the home lacks cooling.
Hypothermia
When the temperature drops to approximately 0°C (32°F) or below, Zois risk freezing. Wearing winter clothing helps, but prolonged exposure to extreme cold without warm shelter can be fatal. Dowon's winter season is the primary risk period.
Other Health Conditions
Motion Sickness
Motion sickness (vertigo) is a separate health condition from colds and allergies. Affected Zois display a "Dizzy" indicator. This condition can be triggered through the cheat console with the addIllness MotionSickness command.
Food Poisoning
Zois can get food poisoning from consuming spoiled food or from eating a Poison Doughnut purchased from the Meow Store. Food poisoning can be fatal if untreated. Zois who die from food poisoning may make nearby Zois feel sick as ghosts.
Umbrellas
Umbrellas can be obtained from an umbrella stand placed in the home through Build Mode. Once a Zoi picks up an umbrella from the stand, they will automatically use it when it rains, preventing the cold-catching mechanic from triggering. This is the simplest way to avoid rain-related illness in Dowon's rainy seasons.
Children and Illness
Child Zois cannot die from illness, hypothermia, heatstroke, or starvation. When a child's needs reach critical levels or they face a lethal condition, they are removed by Child Protection Services instead of dying. This protection applies to all child life stages and is removed when the Zoi ages up to Teenager.
Illness Cheats
Two cheat commands affect illness. Access the cheat console with Ctrl + Shift + C (after enabling cheats through the Psycat's Advice menu):
Cheat Command | Effect |
|---|---|
addIllness Disease_Cold | Gives the selected Zoi a common cold (displays "Cough! Cough!"). |
addIllness Disease_Sneezing | Gives the selected Zoi allergies (displays "My Nose Is Itchy"). |
addIllness MotionSickness | Gives the selected Zoi vertigo (displays "Dizzy"). |
cureIllness | Instantly removes all active illnesses from the selected Zoi. |
immortalZoi true | Prevents all deaths including from disease, hypothermia, and heatstroke. |
Hospitals
There are no fully functional hospitals in the current Early Access version. When a Zoi is sick, the game may display a message referencing the "Dowon Medical Station," but this location does not exist on the map. All illness treatment is done at home through the First Aid Kit. The 2026 Roadmap mentions expanded healthcare systems as a planned addition.
Prevention
Dress Zois appropriately for the weather. Warm clothing in winter, light clothing in summer.
Check the weather forecast on the smartphone before heading out.
In Dowon, rotate wardrobes with the seasons. The four-season climate makes temperature management an ongoing concern.
Keep a First Aid Kit at home at all times. They cost only 100 Meow and have unlimited uses.
If one household member gets sick, treat them immediately to prevent contagion spreading to everyone else.
During heat waves, move Zois indoors and ensure they are wearing light clothing. Heatstroke can kill.
During extreme cold, keep Zois indoors with warm clothing. Hypothermia is fatal with extended exposure.
For a permanent solution, spend 100 Meow Coins on the Immunity Donut from the Meow Store. This prevents colds and allergies for life (but does not prevent hypothermia or heatstroke).