Comprehensive Guide: How to Age Up Pets in The Sims 4

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Understanding Pet Aging in The Sims 4

The Sims 4, especially with the
Cats & Dogs
expansion, introduces pets as a cherished part of Sim families. Players can adopt or create puppies and kittens, watching them progress through life stages. However, sometimes players wish to accelerate this process to unlock new interactions or simply for narrative reasons. This guide details every verified method for aging up pets in The Sims 4, including official game mechanics, in-game items, cheats, and tips for troubleshooting pet aging issues.

Automatic Pet Aging: How It Works

By default, pets in The Sims 4 will age up automatically. Just like Sims, pets have a natural lifespan that is influenced by your game’s aging settings. If you have auto-aging enabled, your pets will progress from kitten or puppy to adult, and eventually to elder, without any intervention. The duration of each life stage depends on your selected lifespan:

• Short lifespan: Puppies/kittens may age up in 1 day or less.
• Normal lifespan: Young pets typically age up after 2-3 days.
• Long lifespan: The process can take 4-6 days or longer.

If you have disabled auto-aging for pets in the game settings, pets will not age up on their own and require manual intervention. You can check or adjust this option in the ‘Gameplay’ tab within Game Options [2] .

Manual Aging: The Age-Up Treat

The primary, in-game method to age up a pet is by using the Age Up Treat . This treat instantly advances your pet to the next life stage. Here’s how you can obtain and use it:

Purchasing the Age Up Treat

You can purchase the Age Up Treat at any vet clinic. Look for the vending machine in the clinic’s lobby and select the Age Up Treat, typically priced at 150 Simoleons [1] . After buying the treat, open your Sim’s inventory, select the treat, and choose the pet you want to age up. The pet will eat the treat and immediately transition to the next life stage.

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Crafting the Age Up Treat

If you own or work at a vet clinic, your Sim can craft the treat using the
Dr. Magi-Heal’s Medicine Craft-o-Matic
. This crafting table can be purchased in Build/Buy mode for 1,200 Simoleons. To craft an Age Up Treat, your Sim must reach level 6 in the Veterinary skill:

• Use the crafting table and select “Do Lab Work” to raise your Veterinary skill.
• Once at level 6, select “Craft Treats” and choose “Age Up Treat.”
• Each treat costs 25 Simoleons to craft [3] .

Feeding the treat to your pet will trigger the aging process immediately.

Using Cheats to Age Up Pets

For players comfortable using cheats, The Sims 4 provides a flexible way to age up pets quickly. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+C to open the cheat console.
2. Type testingcheats true and press Enter to enable cheats.
3. Type cas.fulleditmode and press Enter. This allows full editing of Sims and pets.
4. Shift-click on the pet you want to age up and select “Modify in CAS.”
5. In Create-A-Sim (CAS), select the desired life stage (e.g., from puppy to adult) and confirm your changes [1] .

This method is especially useful if you want precise control over your pet’s age or wish to reverse aging. You can also use the Age Down Treat, which is available at the same vending machines and can be crafted as well.

Troubleshooting: When Pets Won’t Age Up

Occasionally, players encounter issues where pets do not age up as expected. This can be due to game settings or glitches. Consider the following troubleshooting steps:

• Check your game’s aging settings. If auto-aging is disabled, pets will not age up without intervention [2] .
• Verify the life span setting (Short, Normal, Long) as this directly affects the aging process.
• If a pet’s age bar appears stuck, try saving, quitting, and reloading the game.
• If issues persist, using the Age Up Treat or CAS cheats can provide a manual workaround.

For persistent problems, consult the official Sims forums or EA’s help resources for updates or patches.

Alternative Approaches and Best Practices

While the Age Up Treat and cheats are the most direct solutions, some players prefer to maintain the natural aging process for realism. If you want your pets to age up organically, ensure auto-aging is enabled. If you want to avoid unwanted aging, you can disable auto-aging or use the Age Down Treat to reverse a pet’s life stage.

For those managing a large Sim household, consider the impact of pet aging on your gameplay. Puppies and kittens require more attention and have limited interactions compared to adults, so timing their aging can improve your household’s dynamics.

Players interested in modding should exercise caution and only use mods from reputable sources, as unofficial downloads can cause gameplay issues or violate game terms of service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do pets age at the same rate as Sims? No, pets have their own distinct life stages and durations, influenced by your game’s settings [2] .

Can I age down my pet if I change my mind? Yes, the Age Down Treat and CAS cheats allow you to revert your pet to a younger life stage [1] .

Where can I get more help or report bugs? You can visit the official EA Sims 4 forums and community pages to ask questions or report technical problems.

Summary and Key Takeaways

Aging up pets in The Sims 4 is a flexible process, offering both natural progression and manual controls. The Age Up Treat, available at vet clinics or through crafting, provides a straightforward solution. For advanced users, cheats allow for direct editing of pet life stages. Always verify your game settings before troubleshooting aging issues, and seek official support for persistent bugs. By understanding these mechanics, you can ensure your Sims’ furry friends grow up in sync with your gameplay preferences.

References

• [1] Game Rant (2022). The Sims 4: How to Age Up Pets
• [2] EA Forums (2021). Puppy not aging up
• [3] YouTube (2021). How to AGE UP PETS in The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs