The Best Pets In Stardew Valley

With the latest release of Stardew Valley, there are now many different animals that you can adopt and raise on your farm. At the start of the game, you will always have the choice between a cat or a dog as your starter pet, but you can now adopt even more animals later in the game.

split image showing pigs and truffles, next to image of chickens outside of coop

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Once you reach maximum friendship with your starter animal, you can speak with Marnie and adopt even more friendly critters to join your family. If you are curious about which pets are the best for your playthrough, then check out every animal you can adopt below.

Each pet on your farm requires a pet bowl to eat and drink out of, or they will become severely upset. Before adopting a second animal, you should use the Carpenter’s Bench to create another pet bowl at the cost of 5,000 gold and 25 hardwood.

4 Turtles

An image from Stardew Valley that showcases the two Turtle Pets. The turtles come in two colors, green and purple.

Turtles are the newest addition to the pet list in Stardew Valley, only come in two different versions, and they can not be selected at the start of the game, so you will have to max out your friendship before you can purchase a turtle for your farm. Turtles move slower than the other pets you can adopt, and will occasionally hide within their shell if they feel threatened or spooked.

Currently, there is a massive price discrepancy between the costs of the two turtles available in Marnie’s shop; while the green-shelled turtle only costs 60,000 gold, the purple-shelled turtle will set you back by 500,000 gold. Sadly, the only difference between these two pets is their colors, so only purchase the purple turtle if you truly enjoy the visual appearance of this shelled pet.

3 Cats

When you first start a new game in Stardew Valley, you will be able to choose one of five different cats that you can adopt for free. The only difference between these animals is their visual appearance, and you can select between an orange, gray, tan, white, or black depending on which breed is your favorite.

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However, whichever cat you choose will not immediately spawn at your farm; instead, you need to reach 1,000 gold at the start of the game, then the following morning Marnie will stop by your farm and give you the option to adopt your selected cat. To keep your cat happy, remember to fill up their pet bowl every morning with water and pet them to make sure they feel loved, so if your cat is happy for several days, they may occasionally give you a gift whenever they are pet.

2 Dogs

The dogs are the other animal that you can adopt completely for free at the start of the game and are delivered to your farm once you earn 1,000 gold. There are currently five different dog breeds that you can choose from: the classic tan dog, a Great Dane, a Beagle, a Border Collie, and a Labrador.

After you reach maximum friendship with your starter pet, you can always head back to Marnie’s shop and adopt another cat or dog for just 40,000 gold, so long as each pet has their dog bowl. Sadly, the dog’s breed does not influence how they act, but just like cats, every dog will bring you gifts if they feel loved and are kept well-fed.

1 Horse

Several Stardew Valley players riding their horses through some snow

While all the other pets in Stardew Valley merely sit around your farm and occasionally give you a gift, the horse serves a functional purpose, as it is not only a pet, but also a mount, meaning you can ride the horse around the entire map to reach areas faster. To unlock the horse, you must construct the stable with Robin, which costs 10,000 gold, 100 hardwood, and five iron bars, so once the construction is complete, you will automatically obtain your horse and can begin riding them around the map.

Furthermore, unlike the other animals in the game, your horse requires no upkeep, so you don’t have to worry about keeping it fed and happy, and the horse will even teleport back to the stable at night if you leave it elsewhere. While you are dismounted, you can add a hat to your horse, adding some extra personality and customization to your mount.