Summary
AnAnimal Crossingfan in mourning over the recent loss of their beloved pet cat has added her as a villager to two different games, making for a heartwarming tribute. WhileAnimal Crossing: New HorizonsandNew Leafdon’t include the functionality to add in new non-human villagers, this player used some clever tools to give their cat a couple of chances at a virtual life.
Of all theAnimal Crossinggames,New Horizonshas by far the largest roster of different villagers that players can recruit and interact with on their islands, with nearly 500 unique animals to choose from. There are 26cat villagers inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, making them the largest group of villagers by species. They come with a broad range of appearances and personalities, like the helmet-clad racing enthusiast jock Kid Cat, snooty fashionista Monique, and smug business cat Raymond.
But even with all those options, none could replace Reddit user Friendlypoe’s cat, Cookie, so the player went to work with a couple ofAnimal Crossingmodder toolsto make Cookie an official villager in theirNew HorizonsandNew Leafvillages. Cookie sadly passed away on June 07, 2025, and the player has spent nearly two weeks since that time creating in-game tribute versions of the feline friend. Like her namesake, the in-game Cookie is a black-and-white tuxedo cat with one partially white ear and bright green eyes, as well as an adorable black heart-shaped nose. Modding the games was definitely a challenge, especially withNew Horizons, but the payoff of the virtual reunion definitely seems worth it for this player.
Animal Crossing Fan Reunites with Dearly Departed Cat Through Gaming
One small problem the player ran into was the inability to accurately enter Cookie’s name when programming her intoNew Horizons. Instead, the home programmer instead had to settle for the name Cooki. This problem may have been caused by a conflict in the coding because of the existingAnimal Crossingdog villagernamed Cookie, who made her original appearance in the franchise’s first game, the Japanese-exclusiveDōbutsu no Mori, orAnimal Forest. Cookie the dog is a recruitable village inNew Horizons, though she doesn’t appear inNew Leaf.
Even without her name being spelled perfectly in both games, or the inability to add her cozy-looking neck brace, these in-game models are still adorable tributes for this cat-loving gamer to have made for their old furry friend. This player always makes sure to give the in-game version of the cat a piece of perfectAnimal Crossingfruitwhenever she runs up asking for a snack, and if the real-life Cookie was treated just as well, she surely lived a happy life.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
WHERE TO PLAY
Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. you’re able to hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online** or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.
