Animal
A Sim with a dog
Animals and pets are featured throughout The Sims series.
The Sims
The Sims: Hot Date
The first animal introduced in the franchise was Claire the Bear, a bear who was introduced in The Sims: Hot Date. She occasionally wanders onto the lot being played, and although she means no harm, she often roots around in the trashcan, and looks for food in it, waking up all the Sims in the house. She is also interactive with other objects in the lot, as if the wooden bear statue is outside the house when she appears, she will wave at it. and if there is a bear skin rug Claire will start crying. Also if a Sim leaves partly-filled honey jars after harvesting the beehive, she may come and try to get the honey - and may be driven off by angry bees.
The Sims: Unleashed
Pets were firstly introduced in The Sims: Unleashed and can be bought from pet stores, also, stray pets may appear occasionally on the lot being played, and can be adopted if a Sim builds a high relationship with them.
Also, with the new gardening system in Unleashed, came new wild critters. When a Sim has a vegetable patch with crops in it, especially carrots, then the lot is likely to be visited by rabbits and gophers, which can quickly destroy the garden. The only way of getting rid of them is by buying a cat or a scarecrow to scare them off.
Raccoons can also appear, but they aren't as troublesome. Like Claire the bear, raccoons like to paw around in the trashcan, waking the Sims in the dead of night. Sims can shoo raccoons or call Animal Control to humanely remove them before they get into the garbage. Another possible solution (If a family owns a dog), is getting the dog chase El Bandito away. The skunk is another visitor, and although it doesn't wake up Sims, it can spray them if they go to pet it, which will put their hygiene down to zero. Pets can get sprayed as well if they go to investigate it. The skunk will leave after a few days, but Sims can phone Animal Control and they will humanely remove the skunk from the property for §30.
The Sims: Makin' Magic
In The Sims: Makin' Magic, there is a spell named Toadification that temporarily turns a Sim into a toad. However it's rather dangerous, since it's stated that since the mayor's wife was caught kissing one, toads were run out of SimCity and are declared illegal (even though it's not in some areas, don't let people catch the Sim casting the spell). Besides the toad, if one of the spells backfires, there is a chance that the Sim will be swarmed by snakes and freak out. However, toads and snakes do not appear unless summoned or created by magic. Also, Sims should be extra careful using this spell if they have Dragons, since they enjoy eating toads, and that will cause the Sim transformed to die.
Dragons are also types of pets available in The Sims: Makin' Magic. Dragon eggs cost 49 MagiCoins, and are available from Vicki Vampiress in Magic Town, where dragon treats and toys can also be bought. There are three colors of the dragons, red, gold and purple, and named Burnie, Pyritie, and Torch respectively. The color of a dragon depends on how the Sim interacts with it. Dragons eat flowers around the lot, especially yellow daffodils. They may also eat spoiled food and trash piles. Toads are a special Dragon delicacy, so when Sims have a Dragon, they should be extra careful using the Toadification spell if they want to see their neighbors again.
The Sims 2
In The Sims 2, flies and cockroaches are pests. Flies signify rotten food and although harmless by themselves can swarm in great numbers and kill Sims with death by flies. Cockroaches only appear if there is a great mess in the vicinity. Sims will autonomously try to squash cockroaches, earning a bad memory, triggering the cockroach fear, and the Sim might get sick. Sims can spray cockroaches to get rid of them, but the best thing to do is to call the exterminator.
Fish can be obtained by Sims through the aquarium. There are not many interactions with fish; just 'Stock', then 'Feed', 'Clean Tank', and 'Watch'.
In the neighborhood view, there are also certain birds and ducks that players can place as decorations.
The Sims 2: Pets
Cats and dogs arrived as the main feature in The Sims 2: Pets and are the most versatile animals. They can be created in CAS just like a Sim and can be assigned a personality. They also have a motive panel, memories, can learn commands and behaviors. (For example, a cat sitting on a kitchen counter can be praised or scolded by a Sim, which will affect the likelihood of the action being repeated.) However, they are not directly controllable, although if a pet is taught a certain command, a Sim can later command them to do an activity related to that command. For example, a pet that knows the Come command can be told to go inside/outside.
Players can also buy womrats (guinea pigs), parrots, and fish. However, they are not members of the family like dogs and cats are, and they have very limited customization.
Skunk can also be found in Pets. They can be petted, watched or shooed, although the skunk will spray Sims if they try the first two. A skunk may also spray pets.
The Sims 2: Seasons
In Seasons, penguins made an appearance, and can sometimes appear on the lot, mostly in winter, or if there are fish on the lot. A Sim can either 'Pet' or 'Shoo' a penguin, but the penguin will do other things on the lot, such as slide in the snow, eat fish on the ground and talk to snowmen.
Also in Seasons, Sims have the ability to catch butterflies in the daytime and fireflies at night. Once they are caught, the only interaction that is possible with them is 'Release'. Sims also can catch fish and can gain talent badges for fishing.
The Sims 2: Freetime
In FreeTime, part of the Nature hobby allows Sims to catch a variety of species of spiders, beetles and butterflies. Bugs caught can be viewed in the Sim's bug collection. Sometimes, while a Sim is catching bugs, he or she may be chased by bees.
The Sims 2: Apartment Life
In Apartment Life another small pet, a toy dog, is added. Players can buy an indoor dog pen to get one. The interactions are about the same as a womrat's or parrot's.
The Sims 3
In The Sims 3 base game, fish and insects are include, and Sims can collect and keep as small pets. Also, bears can maul Sims that enter the mausoleum.
Another small addition is the birds that sometimes might fly across the sky in "V" shapes. The birds are mainly for show, the player cannot do anything with them.
The Sims 3: Late Night
Pigeons were included in The Sims 3: Late Night and can be sometimes seen in Bridgeport.
The Sims 3: Pets
Animals are featured in the expansion pack, The Sims 3: Pets, as well as a new pet, horses. Not only are there horses but a new collection of cats, dogs, lizards, turtles, snakes and birds. There are also NPC animals such as deer, skunks, and raccoons. Horses, cats and dogs are fully controllable, just as Sims.
A unicorn is also one of the additions in Pets. The unicorn is indeed magical, and can create or put out fires. In order to add one to an active family, the player will need to befriend the unicorn. Unicorns only come out during the night, and leave in early hours of the morning.
The Sims 4
There are fish, frogs, space creatures and insects that Sims can collect and keep as pets in The Sims 4.
A bear can maul Sims that travel through the Sylvan tree or the bramble patch.
Several critters, such as chipmunks and woodpeckers, can be seen in Granite Falls. The player cannot interact with them, however.
There are pigeons in the city part of Windenburg.
Sheep can be seen in the distant meadows of Countryside in Windenburg.