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[lastofthelight]

We all denigrate the Catsplosian, but has it occured to anyone that this is what actually happens in real life? This is why people spay and neuter cats. Because you really can end up with colonies of dozens of cats even in the smallest suburban towns. I happen to know that the small town where I live  has at least half a hundred strays, even though I don't hardly ever see any cats on the street...because thats not how colonies of cats work.

In any case, they are clearly an invasive species that breeds and breeds and breeds and breeds until...people do drastic things like spay or neuter them.

So. Catsplosian: Bug...or ....Dwarf Fortress going SKYNET ARMOK on us?

[tombthedwarf]

yes it has in fact occurred to people; what  I object to is the fact that there is no population stabilization mechanism (aka starvation and disease) to limit the number of cats that can survive in an environment. because when you get these cat clusters (mmm nuget-y cat clusters) it is only in an environment that can support the population ( a smooth rock face does not constitute a suitable environment).

[Kogan Loloklam]

Real life colonies are generally self-regulating, as predator populations increase on them or food supplies dwindle so that they starve. This is not true in a Dwarf Fortress. The Catsplosion that occurs is due to the fact that there aren't enough predators and that they have quantum stomachs. Increase predation (via dwarves or dragon invasion) and you'll get your cat problem under control.

[Nukeitall]

Early engineers were spurred on to develop modern drawbridge construction to crush the cat swarms.

True story.

(not)

[Deathworks]

Hi!

yes it has in fact occurred to people; what  I object to is the fact that there is no population stabilization mechanism (aka starvation and disease) to limit the number of cats that can survive in an environment. because when you get these cat clusters (mmm nuget-y cat clusters) it is only in an environment that can support the population ( a smooth rock face does not constitute a suitable environment).

I am one of those who don't kill their cats (I sometimes caged unnamed kittens and sell them to the merchants, thus giving them away as cat owners would do if they have too many kittens in real life). I have noted that there are actually some game mechanisms in the later game that reduce the cat population: The natural enemy for a cat in dwarf fortress is your average goblin as your cats are the first to discover goblin ambushers with all their roaming and playing all over the map. And being despicable brutes, the goblins go out of their way to murder the poor felines.

Deathworks (heading off to create more weapon traps to defend cats' paradise)

[thvaz]

I butcher the cats in my fortress mercilessly, and as cat's meat is disgusting, I throw them in the refuse pile. They are more annoying now that vermin bodies don't rot.

[zwei]

Frankly it is not even problem.

Framerate issues aside, castplosion is great purely from game mechanic POW:

* Cats form natural meatshield for cat-loving dwarves.
* Huge renewable resource: Butchering kittens, of course.
* Population is hard capped in game. Catsplosion eventually ends up when your cat population goes over 'max cats" counter where they no longer breed (however, it hets hilarious when you get under cap by natural deaths and every signle female cat immediatelly gets pregnant).
* They hunt vermin. Annoying that you have to dispose of remains, but positive overall.

---

As far as RL goes, cats there have food supply limiting them (there are more, but this one is most lacking in game to simulate animal population). In RL, you would top at about one cat per region square.

[Box]

Frankly it is not even problem.

Framerate issues aside, castplosion is great purely from game mechanic POW:

* Cats form natural meatshield for cat-loving dwarves.

I'd like to point out that that is not such a great point, seeing as how a couple pet deaths can lead to a tantrum spiral. 

Fun, sure, but completely counter-intuitive.

Of course, if you mod cat damage upwards a little bit (or a lot), make them a little more resilient, and make them trainable, it'd be amazing to draft one single dwarf as your guard that "likes cats for their aloofness".


The human siege, 600 strong, descends upon a mere outpost of the dwarves they've hated for centuries.  Army after army is sent, none return. The largest force to ever leave any single civilization's settlement arrives, and prepares their assault a couple thousand dwarven yards from the limestone gates of Hammerwets.  A scout returns and relays the message to the commander.

"Their only resistance appears to be a single wrestling recruit stationed outside the gate."

"Are you sure?  Any reports of commotion inside the fortress?  Usually a small post as this will still be cutting down tress outside for their beds.  It's odd."

"No way to tell for sure, captain.  The corpses of our squads sent before appear to be missing.  No bones, no bodies, not even a single leather thong is left.  It's likely they were intercepted before they reached this area by goblins and picked clean or enslaved.  It is a terrible thought, but this is definitely the outpost that robbed our caravans blind and somehow overpowered the guards.  The blood still stains the depot.  I noticed an odd engraving next to the doors and even odder sounds coming from within but I had to return before investigating further"

"Well then, prepare the assault.  Perhaps the merchant guards eliminated most of the military forces.  Nothing shall stop the fall of this despicable scar on the land, especially not any single dwarf and his odd sounds or engravings."


The army descends upon the mountain and the lone dwarf outside.  As they near the fortress, stopping mere feet from the dwarf, barely intimidated. the dwarf appears to spend a few moments slightly cracking open the front doors of the fortress.  The captain holds his men from outright slaughtering him.  Archers hold their bowstrings taut, arrows nocked.


A rumbling is heard.  Then, a practical earthquake.  A consistent high pitched sound seems to come from inside the walls of the mountain.  The men ready their weapons, and the dwarf takes a few steps to the side.


Suddenly, CATS.  THOUSANDS OF THEM.  Not enough crossbow bolts to kill a quarter of them, the archers turn to flee as the entire front line in instantly eviscerated by a giant flowing sea of orange and brown tabby cats.  Fur flies and flesh, leather, and steel flies even more as fuzzy creatures invade every hole in a knight's armor they can find.  Terror grasps the fleeing marksmen and bowman as the extremely agile mountainkittens  start to reach the humans running for their lives.  12 cats tackle one, 14 another.  Blood stains the grassy fields on Mountainwet.

The dwarf cleans the blood from the "Beware of Kittens" engraving on the wall next to the main gates, and heads back in for a drink.

[njero]

...

...

...

Aaaaaaannd off to the raws I go.

[Kholint]

Increase predation (via dwarves or dragon invasion) and you'll get your cat problem under control.

Swallowed the spider to catch the fly...

[Zruku]

I'd be fine with cats if the damn things didn't always adopt someone so I couldn't get rid of it.