Parasites

Parasites are a non-contagious infestation that attaches to a cat and causes persistent stat penalties over time. Unlike Sick or Plague, Parasites are not caused by poor room conditions but are instead contracted through specific encounters, environmental exposure, or inherited through breeding. Once a cat has Parasites, the stat drain compounds the longer it goes untreated, gradually turning a strong fighter into a liability.

The stat penalties from Parasites affect multiple attributes simultaneously, making infested cats noticeably weaker across the board rather than suffering in just one area. This broad debuff makes Parasites particularly damaging to specialist cats that rely on hitting specific stat thresholds for their abilities or class bonuses. A parasite-ridden cat might drop below a critical STR or DEX breakpoint, rendering key abilities ineffective at the worst possible moment.

The primary cure for Parasites is Dr. Beanies, an NPC who accepts cats afflicted with parasites, mutations, birth defects, and disorders. Dr. Beanies can handle up to five cats at once, so it is worth batching your infested cats together rather than sending them one at a time. For players who have not yet unlocked or leveled Dr. Beanies, Parasites can be a persistent nuisance that forces difficult decisions about whether to keep using a weakened cat or bench it indefinitely. Leveling Dr. Beanies early is one of the best quality-of-life investments you can make for long-term cattery management.