OSRS Kitten Following Time Save Guide
In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), raising a kitten into a cat is a rewarding yet time-consuming task for players who enjoy the pet system. One common question is whether having a kitten follow you saves time compared to other methods, and how to optimize the process. This guide dives into the mechanics of kitten growth, explores whether letting your kitten follow you is efficient, and provides practical tips to streamline the experience while keeping your furry companion happy. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned adventurer, understanding these details can make your journey in Gielinor more enjoyable.
Before discussing time-saving strategies, it’s essential to understand how kittens grow in OSRS. After completing the Gertrude’s Cat quest, players receive a kitten, which evolves into a cat and eventually an overgrown cat. The growth process depends on interaction time and care, but the game’s mechanics can feel opaque without a clear breakdown.
How Kitten Growth Is Measured
Kitten growth is tied to a hidden “attention” meter, which fills as you spend time with the kitten outside your inventory. This meter doesn’t rely on real-world time alone but on active engagement, such as having the kitten follow you or interacting with it. After roughly 2–5 hours of attention, the kitten becomes a cat, and a similar duration transforms it into an overgrown cat, depending on how well you care for it.
Factors Affecting Growth Speed
Several factors influence how quickly your kitten grows:
- Following Time: The kitten must be out of your inventory and following you to accumulate attention.
- Feeding: Regular feeding with specific fish (e.g., raw sardines, seasoned sardines) keeps the kitten content, slightly boosting growth.
- Interaction: Actions like stroking or playing with toys (e.g., ball of yarn) marginally increase attention.
- Neglect Risks: Ignoring warnings about hunger or attention can cause the kitten to run away, resetting progress.
Does Kitten Following Save Time?
The core question is whether letting your kitten follow you is the most time-efficient way to raise it. Since growth hinges on attention, having the kitten trail behind you seems intuitive, but is it truly optimal? Let’s explore the pros and cons.
Benefits of Kitten Following
Having your kitten follow you is the primary method to accumulate attention, and it integrates seamlessly with regular gameplay. Here’s why it’s appealing:
- Passive Progress: You can train skills, complete quests, or explore while the kitten gains attention automatically.
- Minimal Disruption: Unlike active interactions, following requires no extra clicks once the kitten is out.
- Multi-Tasking: It aligns with activities like fishing or woodcutting, letting you progress in multiple goals.
Drawbacks of Kitten Following
Despite its convenience, kitten following has limitations that can hinder efficiency:
- Slow Base Growth: The attention meter fills gradually, often taking 3–5 hours for a kitten to become a cat without optimization.
- Inventory Management: Carrying food and toys occupies slots, which can be problematic during combat or skilling.
- Area Restrictions: Kittens can’t follow through certain doors, gates, or teleports, requiring you to pick them up, which pauses progress.
Time-Saving Strategies for Kitten Growth
While kitten following is necessary, you can optimize the process to save time. By combining smart planning with specific activities, you can reduce the hours needed and avoid frustration.
Choose the Right Activities
Not all activities are equal when raising a kitten. Focus on tasks that allow uninterrupted following:
- Fishing Spots: Locations like Catherby are ideal, as you can catch fish (e.g., sardines) to feed your kitten while it follows.
- Woodcutting or Mining: These skills involve stationary skilling, ensuring your kitten stays nearby without needing to navigate obstacles.
- Avoid Combat: Fighting risks your kitten getting stuck or requiring pickups, slowing attention gain.
Optimize Feeding for Efficiency
Feeding your kitten strategically can shave off time and prevent runaways. Here’s a quick guide:
| Food Item | Notes | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Sardines | Kittens love these; easy to fish in bulk. | Catherby, Draynor |
| Seasoned Sardines | Use doogle leaves for a happiness boost. | Behind Gertrude’s house |
| Bucket of Milk | Simple drink option; less efficient than fish. | Farm shops, dairy cows |
Tip: Stock up on raw sardines and doogle leaves to make seasoned sardines on the go, maximizing happiness and slightly speeding growth.
Use Toys Sparingly
Toys like balls of yarn or clockwork mice entertain your kitten, but their impact on growth is minimal. Use them only when you receive an attention warning to save inventory space and time. A single interaction every 15–20 minutes is usually enough to keep the kitten satisfied.
Common Mistakes That Waste Time
Raising a kitten sounds straightforward, but small errors can add hours to the process or even cost you your pet. Avoiding these pitfalls is key to efficiency.
Ignoring Kitten Warnings
Your kitten gives three warnings before running away due to hunger or neglect. Missing these can undo hours of progress. Always keep an eye on the chatbox, especially during long skilling sessions, and respond promptly with food or interaction.
Keeping Kitten in Inventory
A common newbie mistake is leaving the kitten in your inventory, assuming it grows passively. This halts all progress. Always drop your kitten to follow you unless navigating areas where it can’t pass, like gates or ladders.
Overcomplicating Interactions
Some players obsess over stroking or playing with the kitten every few minutes, thinking it drastically speeds growth. In reality, these actions offer diminishing returns. Focus on consistent following and feeding instead of micromanaging.
Maximizing Rewards After Growth
Once your kitten becomes a cat, the effort pays off with practical benefits. Understanding these rewards can motivate you to optimize the process and make the time investment worthwhile.
Turning Cats Into Wily Cats
A fully grown cat can be trained into a wily or lazy cat at the Ardougne rat pits, boosting its hunting ability to a 70% success rate against rats (compared to a kitten’s 15%). Wily cats are excellent for passive rat-catching, saving time if you need death runes or other rat-related drops.
Storing Cats in Menagerie
Players with a player-owned house (POH) can store cats in a menagerie, allowing them to get another kitten from Gertrude. This is ideal for collectors aiming to own all cat colors or breeds without restarting from scratch.
Trading Cats for Death Runes
Grown cats can be traded to civilians in West Ardougne for 200 death runes, a decent profit for minimal effort. This option is perfect for players who don’t want to keep their cat long-term but still want a reward.
Raising a kitten in OSRS requires patience, but letting it follow you is indeed the most time-efficient method when paired with smart strategies. By choosing compatible activities like fishing, feeding efficiently with sardines, and avoiding common mistakes, you can cut down the 3–5-hour growth period significantly. The key is to integrate kitten care into your daily gameplay without letting it dominate your time. With a grown cat, you’ll unlock rewards like wily cats or death runes, making the journey worthwhile. So, grab your kitten, head to Catherby, and start raising your purr-fect companion today!