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Overview
Starsand Island has 12 named animals that players can interact with across the island. Nine of them are wild pets that can be adopted by raising their affection to Level 3, two are available for purchase from Woof & Wow Pets (run by Stella on the north side of Starsand Town, open 8 AM to 10 PM), and one, Booboo the panda, cannot be adopted but offers unique rewards for befriending her.
Affection System
Every pet has 5 affection levels (displayed as hearts). Adoption unlocks at Level 3, and levels 4 and 5 open up new interactions after adoption. Players can feed each pet up to 3 times per in-game week. Loved foods grant 15 Affection Points per feeding, while liked foods grant 10. Disliked foods give nothing and waste the feeding slot.
Daily interactions beyond feeding also build affection: greeting, petting, and playing. As affection rises, new options unlock in sequence: greeting, feeding, petting, playing with a toy, and eventually having the pet perform a trick.
Adoption Methods
There are three paths to adopting a pet:
Wild taming: Find a named animal roaming the island, visit daily, feed it, and raise affection to Level 3. You need a Pet House blueprint (buy from Stella's shop) to finalize adoption.
Shop purchase: Buy Scrappy (puppy) or Nana (white cat) from Woof & Wow Pets for 7,500 Coins each. Both come with a free Pet House blueprint.
Stray rescue: 404 the stray kitten is adopted through the "Light Up the Night!" quest (see below) rather than the standard affection grind.
All Pets
404 (Stray Cat)
Location: Moonlit Forest area, encountered during the "Light Up the Night!" quest.
Adoption: After meeting Stella and visiting the Exploration Club, players learn to use a slingshot and open the Mystic Forest gate. Craft a fishing rod, catch a fish by your cabin's river, and bring it to the homeless kitten. Stella then asks about adoption. Say yes, and she gives a Bamboo Cat Ear Pet Bed recipe (1 Bamboo Strip + 3 Flannel). Craft the bed and bring it to Woof & Wow Pets to finalize.
Favorite foods: Fowl, Basic Cat Food, Pumpkinseed, Moorish Idol (loved). Sheep Cheese Block (liked).
Mellowhen (Capybara)
Location: Hopeland near the player's farm. Also wanders the surrounding area.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3 through daily visits and feeding.
Favorite foods: Sugarcane, Pasture Grass, Basic Herbivore Pet Food, Celeste Berry, Dragon Fruit (loved).
Mellowhen is one of the most popular pets in the game. As a herbivore, stick to plant-based foods.
Octa (Pink Fox)
Location: Grassy patches near the Exploration Guild and the Flower Corridor.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Yellowtail Damselfish, Sheep Cheese Block, Basic Carnivore Pet Food, fish, and meat (loved).
Bobo (Shiba Inu)
Location: Near Marlo's Morning Delights in Starsand Town.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Celeste Berry, Basic Carnivore Pet Food, meat (loved).
Note: Some players have reported a bug where Bobo cannot be interacted with. This may be resolved in a future patch.
Crescent (Orange Cat)
Location: Wanders around Starsand Town and the central park area.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Bighead Carp, Sheep Cheese Block, Basic Carnivore Pet Food, fish, and meat (loved).
Meow Alum (Siamese Cat)
Location: Starsand Town plaza, near Aureleaf.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Yellowtail Damselfish, Royal Twig Catfish, Sheep Cheese Block, Basic Carnivore Pet Food, Fowl, Basic Cat Food, Pumpkinseed (loved).
Sheriff (Black-and-White Cat)
Location: Beach area in Half-Moon Bay.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Sheep Cheese Block, Basic Carnivore Pet Food, fish, and meat (loved). Cicada (liked).
Sheriff is the only pet found on the beach.
Zippy (Squirrel)
Location: Hopeland near the player's home. Wanders widely and can be tricky to pin down.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Sunveil Shroom, Pasture Grass, Basic Herbivore Pet Food, Celeste Berry, Dragon Fruit (loved).
Like Mellowhen, Zippy is a herbivore. Use the Residents tab on the in-game map to track Zippy's current location.
Scrappy (Dog, Town)
Location: Wanders around the center of Starsand Town.
Adoption: Raise affection to Level 3.
Favorite foods: Sheep Cheese Block, Basic Carnivore Pet Food, meat (loved). Mussel (liked).
This is the wild version of Scrappy found in town. A separate puppy named Scrappy is also available from the shop (see below).
Scrappy (Puppy, Shop)
Location: Available at Woof & Wow Pets shop.
Adoption: Purchase for 7,500 Coins from Stella. No affection grinding required. Comes with a free Pet House blueprint.
Favorite foods: Basic Carnivore Pet Food, meat (loved).
Nana (White Cat)
Location: Available at Woof & Wow Pets shop.
Adoption: Purchase for 7,500 Coins from Stella. No affection grinding required. Comes with a free Pet House blueprint.
Favorite foods: Basic Carnivore Pet Food, fish, and meat (loved).
Booboo (Panda)
Location: Panda House, east of Cloudrest Lake.
Adoption: Booboo cannot be adopted. She stays at her home permanently. However, you can raise her affection to maximum through feeding.
Feeding: Booboo eats only Fresh Bamboo Shoots. The feeding progression requires increasing amounts: 15 shoots for the first session, then 25, 25, 30, and 35 for a total of 130 Fresh Bamboo Shoots across five feedings.
Rewards: Each completed feeding awards a treasure chest containing bamboo-themed crafting recipes. After maxing out friendship, you can pet and play with Booboo at her home.
Fresh Bamboo Shoots spawn in the grass on the eastern side of Cloudrest Lake and around the Panda House.
Pet Housing
Every adopted pet needs a Pet House before the adoption can be finalized. Pet House blueprints can be bought from Stella's shop, and both shop pets (Scrappy and Nana) include a free blueprint with purchase. 404's quest gives a special Bamboo Cat Ear Pet Bed recipe instead. After placing the Pet House, use the Pet Settling menu to manage your companion's status.
Companions and Following
Once adopted, any pet can follow you around the island as a companion. Use the pet management menu to choose which animal accompanies you. Pets will ride in vehicles alongside you and follow you into most areas, though some restricted zones like deep Moonlit Forest encounters may limit pet access.
Tracking Pets
Open the in-game map and switch to the Residents tab to see a list of all animals on the island. Tap any name to view their info card and press the Track button to set a waypoint directly to their current location. This is especially helpful for pets like Zippy and Mellowhen that wander widely.
Pet Food Types
Two basic pet foods cover most diets:
Basic Herbivore Pet Food: For Mellowhen (capybara) and Zippy (squirrel).
Basic Carnivore Pet Food / Basic Cat Food: For all cats, dogs, and Octa (pink fox).
Individual pets also respond well to specific fish, crops, and cooked items. Check each pet's entry above for their preferred foods.