Stray launched on PC alongside PlayStation consoles just a few weeks ago. Which means there are already countless mods out there waiting for you to install them. To narrow down your choices, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites for you.
Of course, first things first: you need to know how to install Stray mods. Fortunately, it’s a fairly simple process. Once you get the hang of it, the world of Stray mods is your oyster. Or something more appropriate for a cat, like a juicy dead mouse.
There’s a lot to explore, from getting your own cat into the game or trading it for Spyro, to playing splitscreen multiplayer. Some Stray mods are downright creepy, so of course we’ve included them.
Before you start working, you might want to double-check where you’ll find the location of the Stray save file on your computer. Once you’re ready, dive into the list of mods below and enjoy the benefits of playing Stray on PC. If you’re on a PS4 or PS5, you might miss out on the mods, but there’s a PS Plus trick that will let you play Stray for free, which you should take advantage of if you can.
Stray mods: the best community mods
CJ from GTA: San Andreas
Yes, you read that right. You can turn the cat from Stray into CJ from GTA: San Andreas. Why you want to do this is your reasons and your reasons alone. I don’t think any of us need – or want – to dig any deeper. But it is possible, thanks to Sirgalahad172 at Nexus Mods.
The Stray CJ mod page (opens in new tab) states that this is “intended as a joke, as cj should be modified in any game that exists.” And we applaud someone who takes that responsibility, no matter how horrifying the outcome. Still waiting for this Stray Thomas the Tank Engine mod…
Selection of waste
There are a bunch of mods that allow you to swap Stray’s ginger protagonist for a cat of a different color or breed. Pick out the trash (opens in new tab) is one of them, and currently includes hand-painted alternative textures for black, white, bridle, gray, ghost tabby and tuxedo cats as well as a brown Siamese.
Of course, you can browse through page tweaks for individual features, but creator SpaceD0lphin says (opens in new tab) Their complete mod is for your convenience. The page says they’ll be adding more variations in the future, and people in the comments are taking the opportunity to make specific requests based on their own cats. So if you’re struggling to find one that perfectly captures your friend’s likeness, you can always ask too.
Garfield
Stray’s Cat Transforms into the Lasagna-Loving Sarcasm That Blasts Garfield Courtesy Chris Rubino (opens in new tab) on Nexus Mods.
This iteration of the mod is called the “animated version”. Chris says (opens in new tab) they are working on a high resolution “movie version” but it will be very GPU intensive. While we wait, Garfield fans will be ecstatic to discover that the character’s “adult voice” has been added. but comes with a warning to avoid if you have small children.
What could be so outrageous – other than his attitude and non-stop pithy comments? Chris lists “funny adult talk” and fart sounds, to name a few. His “lazy meow” signature is another optional plug-in you can choose to try if you want to commit to the track.
Happy puppy
Like cats, but are you more of a dog? Chris Rubino comes to the rescue with yet another mod, just for you. Compiled ‘happy puppy’ (opens in new tab), the mod trades Stray’s cat for (what I’m pretty sure is) a French Bulldog. And I have to say, he looks incredibly adorable in his little backpack.
ONE pinned post (opens in new tab) indicates that Chris has not been able to switch the meows for barks. But they’re probably too busy moderating the comment section dedicated to people with cats and dogs going to war. Because this is the internet after all.
If French Bulldogs aren’t your cup of tea, there is one Disney’s Bolt mod (opens in new tab) which turns the cat into Boult’s title. It hasn’t been slapped yet, so enjoy it while you can.
Decipher Stray’s language
There are some people out there who might like the idea of decoding Stray’s Android language now that the code is largely cracked. But others would prefer to skip the fuss and have the translations magically appear in-game. And that’s exactly what it is Latin alphabet way (opens in new tab) claims it does.
“This mod replaces the game’s seemingly illegible characters with Latin characters,” the description reads. A poster (opens in new tab) doesn’t seem to have been successful, while the other seems to have had a fairly smooth experience.
Apparently, the mod will only swap the font on chapter titles and the like. But you can translate in-game items like graffiti etc. using the original font file, as mod creator awberry points out (opens in new tab).
First person POV
This Stray first person POV mod (opens in new tab) by Jessica Natalia does exactly what it says on the tin. And it even gets an entire trailer to give you a taster before you download it. It will make the game more immersive, that’s for sure.
Of course it can be a bit jarring, operating at cat level, as well as the change in POV. Especially when it comes to platforming gameplay. But as Stray developer BlueTwelve revealed, “all jumps will work and you can’t fall in the game.” Otherwise, where’s the fun in playing as a cat?
PC gamers are spoiled for choice when it comes to Stray mods, but there are a few we haven’t included that are worth highlighting. This Jason mod (opens in new tab) replaces meows with the infamous “Jason!” by Heavy Rain. A Sean mod has yet to appear, but it’s only a matter of time.
The Minecraft pig mod (opens in new tab) receives an honorable mention. And if you prefer your cat to be natural, the invisible backpack and drone mod removes all kinds of gear. They’re still there, they’re just gone.
Stray’s cat also appears outside of its own game. This Stray Doom mod turns Doomguy into a butt-kicking cat, for example.
