The Pet Companion System arrived with Where Winds Meet Version 1.8 “Companions Make Home,” and it brings three cats into the Jianghu on day one: Maverick, Scar, and Pudding. You don’t buy them or pull for them. You earn them by clearing a single localized side quest that ends in a short cat chase, and the whole system stays free to claim through normal play.
Quick answer: Travel to the Thousand-Buddha Boundary Stone in the northern part of the central region, start the side quest there, follow the blue flames up the mountain to the Cat’s Shrine, pick one of the cats, then catch up to it within 60 seconds to unlock the Pet Companion System.
Where the cat companion quest starts
The unlock is tied to learning “Mind Communication with All Beasts,” a piece of knowledge you only get by finishing a dedicated side quest. That quest sits north of the central region at the Thousand-Buddha Boundary Stone. The objective tests your vertical climbing, so come ready to scramble up cliffs and rough mountain terrain.
Steps to unlock your cat companion
How to confirm the unlock worked
Once your chosen cat agrees to become your pet, the Pet Companion System opens for your account. A new Pet tab appears in the menu, where you can browse your companions and check their bond level, outfits, and poses. If the cat never commits, the usual cause is missing the 60-second window during the final chase. Run the trial again and close the gap faster.
Cat companions available in Version 1.8
Three felines lead the launch roster, with a goose joining shortly after. The full Companion System is planned to hold seven free pets in total, four cats and three geese, with the remaining animals arriving in later updates.
| Companion | Type | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Maverick | Cat | Day one |
| Scar | Cat | Day one |
| Pudding | Cat | Day one |
| Goldie | Goose | Week two |
Each animal has its own personality, so their reactions to you and the world differ. Cats hunch up, shiver, or duck under your umbrella in heavy rain, while a goose grows happier in the wet and harvests resources faster.
Raise the bond to unlock more companion rewards
The care loop runs on Tamagotchi-style mechanics. You manage Happiness, Hygiene, and Physical Health, feeding your cat regularly and bathing it whenever it picks up dirt on the road. A happy, well-kept cat obeys your commands and gathers crafting materials as you travel. A moody one simply ignores you.
Daily interactions raise your Friendship Level, which is free and unlocks new content at set tiers.
| Friendship Level | Unlock |
|---|---|
| Level 2 | Situational idles, including the “Monkey Dance” and “Play Dead” commands |
| Level 4 | Settlement actions that let your pet perform routines in your Homestead |
| Level 6 | Custom companion outfits sized to your pet’s model |
| Level 8 | The account-wide “Cute Master” player title |
Bond progress also feeds a logbook that records milestones with your pet, plus poses, emotes, and photo-mode snapshots. Everstone Studio has confirmed a dedicated pet battle and beast combat system is in development for a future update, so building bond now keeps your roster ready for it. For the moment, clear the Cat’s Shrine trial, pick the cat you like best, and start the daily care routine to fill out the rest of the system.
