Cats is a tool designed to shorten the steps needed to import and optimize models for VRChat. It supports various model formats including MMD, XNALara, Source Engine, VRM, and more.

Is this the official Cats plugin?

This is the Unofficial Cats Plugin, maintained by the community. The original official Cats plugin has been abandoned since 2022. This version continues active development with support for modern Blender versions.

For more information, see What is the status of Official Cats?

What Blender version do I need?

Cats 5.0.x requires Blender 5.0 or above. Older Blender versions are no longer supported. See Version Support for details.

We also only support the steam version and the blender.org version. Windows Store, Linux Package managers version of blender, snap store and the flatpack version are not supported.

Is Cats free?

Yes, Cats is completely free and open source under the MIT License.

Where can I download Cats?

Website: catsblenderplugin.xyz
GitHub: Releases Page

Installation Questions

How do I install Cats?

See the complete Installation guide. Quick version:

Download the ZIP file (don't extract)
Open Blender 5.0+
Edit > Preferences > Extensions
Install from Disk
Select the ZIP file
Enable the extension

Do I need to restart Blender after installation?

Yes, it's recommended to restart Blender after installing or updating Cats for best results.

Can I have multiple versions of Cats installed?

No, only install one version of Cats. Remove old versions before installing new ones.

Where are my settings saved?

Settings are stored in Blender's preferences folder. See Settings for exact locations.

Compatibility Questions

Does Cats work on Blender 4.x?

Cats 5.0.x only works on Blender 5.0+. For Blender 4.x, you would need an older version of Cats (which is now end-of-life and unsupported).

Can I open Blender 5.0 files in older Blender versions?

Not recommended. Files saved in Blender 5.0 may not open correctly in older versions, potentially causing data loss or crashes.

What model formats does Cats support?

Import formats:

MMD: .pmx, .pmd
XNALara: .xps, .mesh, .ascii
Source Engine: .smd, .qc, .vta, .dmx
VRM: .vrm
FBX: .fbx
Collada: .dae
ZIP archives containing models

Export formats:

FBX (for Unity/VRChat)
GLTF (for Resonite)

Feature Questions

Can I see Pose Mode?

Pose Mode appears in the Quick Access panel only when:

You have a model imported
The model has a valid armature

Import a model first, then Pose Mode options will appear.

Why can't I use the Atlas feature?

The Atlas/texture combining feature requires Shotariya Material Combiner (SMC) to be installed. The panel will show installation instructions if SMC isn't detected.

Why can't I use the Scaling feature?

The Scaling feature requires Immersive Scaler (v0.5.2+) to be installed. The panel will show installation instructions if Immersive Scaler isn't detected.

Should I use Fix MMD Model on my Booth avatar?

NO! Fix MMD Model should ONLY be used on fresh, unprocessed MMD/VRM files. Do NOT use it on:

Store-bought models (Booth, Gumroad, etc.)
Models already set up for Unity
Custom models you're creating

See MMD Options for details.

Workflow Questions

What order should I do things in?

Recommended workflow:

Import model
Fix MMD Model (if fresh MMD/VRM only)
Translate names to English
Apply transformations if needed
Scale to correct height
Combine materials / Create atlas
Set up eye tracking
Set up visemes
Optimize (bone merging, cleanup)
Export

Key: Material Combiner BEFORE eye tracking and visemes!

Why do my materials/shape keys break after Material Combiner?

Material Combiner should be used BEFORE setting up:

Eye tracking
Visemes
Other shape key configurations

If you run Material Combiner after these setups, shape keys can become misaligned. Always material combine first!

How do I prepare a model for VRChat?

Import using Cats
Fix MMD Model (if applicable only if it is a VRM or MMD model)
Translate to English
Scale to 160-180cm
Optimize materials and bones
Set up eye tracking (optional)
Set up visemes (optional)
Export FBX for Unity
Import to Unity and set up materials there

Troubleshooting Questions

Why doesn't Cats show up after installation?

Common causes:

Extension not enabled (check Preferences > Extensions)
Blender not restarted
Wrong Cats version for your Blender
Sidebar hidden (press N in 3D Viewport)

See Troubleshooting for detailed solutions.

Why is my model black/has no textures?

Common causes:

Wrong viewport shading mode (press Z, select Material Preview)
Textures not linked properly
After Material Combiner (set up materials in Unity instead)

See Troubleshooting for solutions.

Why does my avatar look too big/small in VRChat?

Check scale in Blender using Scaling panel
Recommended height: 160-180cm
Apply transformations before export
Verify Unity import scale is 1.0

What are these policy violation warnings?

These warnings appear in Blender 5.0 due to Cats using legacy methods for loading third-party addons like MMD Tools. These warnings are expected and safe to ignore - everything still works correctly.

Optimization Questions

How do I reduce my avatar's polygon count?

Use Remove Doubles in Optimization panel
Use Tuxedo Blender Plugin for decimation
Join meshes
Remove unnecessary mesh detail manually

How do I reduce draw calls?

Combine materials in Optimization
Create texture atlas (requires Material Combiner)
Join meshes
Reduce number of separate materials

How do I reduce bone count?

Use Bone Merging in the Optimization panel:

Start with merge ratio 0.5
Enable "Keep Merged Bones" for safety
Test before running cleanup operations
Remove zero weight bones after merging

What's the difference between combining materials and creating an atlas?

Combine Materials: Merges materials with same properties into one
Create Atlas: Combines multiple textures into one large texture
Atlas typically provides better performance improvement
Both reduce draw calls

Technical Questions

Does Cats work with Steam/Microsoft Store Blender?

While Cats may work, we recommend downloading Blender from blender.org instead:

Steam version: Some users report issues
Microsoft Store version: Known permission problems
Official download: Most reliable

Can I use Cats offline?

Yes, except for:

Translation feature (requires internet for Google Translate)
Update checker (requires internet to check for updates)
Everything else works offline

Does Cats collect any data?

No. Cats doesn't collect, transmit, or store any user data. The only network connections are:

Google Translate (when using translation feature)
GitHub (when checking for updates)

What's the difference between Cats and Avatar Toolkit?

Cats: Current tool, maintained, supports Blender 5.0
Avatar Toolkit: Upcoming tool by Team Neoneko
Cats is on life support until Avatar Toolkit is stable
Avatar Toolkit will eventually replace Cats

Update Questions

How do I update Cats?

Download new version from website or GitHub
Close Blender
Remove old Cats version (Preferences > Extensions)
Restart Blender
Install new version
Enable extension

See Settings for details.

How often should I update?

Update when:

New features you want are released
Bug fixes for issues you're experiencing
Major Blender updates
Security updates (announced on Discord)

Will updating break my existing projects?

Usually no, but:

Always backup projects before updating
Test on non-critical files first
Read release notes for breaking changes
Can revert to old version if needed

Original Cats Questions

What is the status of Official Cats?

The Official Cats Blender Plugin is abandoned. Timeline:

Last Release: June 27, 2021
Last Main Update: January 25, 2022
Current Status: 100% abandoned as of 2024

What happened:

Original developers (Absolute Quantum/Hotox) disappeared from the internet
No contact possible despite multiple attempts
Patreon was taking payments until Neoneko worked with Patreon safety team to remove it (took 6+ months)
No updates for 3+ years
No support or communication

Unofficial Cats:

Actively maintained by Team Neoneko
Supports latest Blender versions
Regular updates and bug fixes
Active community support

Should I use old tutorial videos?

Be cautious with old tutorials:

Many use outdated Official Cats
UI has changed significantly
Some advice is outdated or incorrect
Look for tutorials using Unofficial Cats and Blender 5.0+

Common bad advice in old tutorials:

Manually editing code (never necessary)
Removing "Testing" from code (breaks things)
Using incompatible Cats versions
Outdated workflows

How can I help spread awareness?

Comment on YouTube videos:
- Note if video uses outdated Cats
- Share link to Unofficial Cats
- Mention Blender 5.0 support
Update forum posts:
- Correct outdated information
- Link to current documentation
- Share success stories
Create content:
- Make updated tutorials
- Write guides
- Share on social media

Platform-Specific Questions

Does Cats work for platforms other than VRChat?

Yes! Cats works for:

VRChat - Primary target
ChilloutVR - Compatible workflow
Resonite - Has dedicated export option
Other VR platforms - Generally compatible
General 3D use - Optimization tools useful anywhere

Does Cats work with Quest avatars?

Yes, the optimization tools are especially useful for Quest:

Material combining and atlasing
Bone merging
Polygon reduction (with other tools)
All help meet Quest limitations

Can I use Cats for non-VR models?

Yes! Many features are useful for any 3D workflow:

Model importing
Armature merging
Material optimization
Translation tools
General mesh operations

Advanced Questions

Can I modify Cats?

Yes! Cats is open source (MIT License):

View source on GitHub
Modify for personal use
Contribute improvements
Fork for custom versions

How do I report bugs?

Check Troubleshooting first
Search GitHub issues for similar reports
If new bug, open GitHub issue with:
- Cats version
- Blender version
- Steps to reproduce
- Expected vs actual behavior
- Error messages/screenshots

How can I contribute?

Several ways to contribute:

Report bugs
Suggest features (discuss first)
Submit pull requests
Help with translations
Write documentation
Help others in Discord

See contributing guide on GitHub.

Where can I request features?

Join Discord to discuss idea
Check if feature is planned
Open GitHub issue if appropriate
Be specific about use case
Understand it may not be implemented

Getting Help

Where can I ask questions?

This Wiki:
Discord:
GitHub Issues:

What information should I include when asking for help?

Blender version (exact)
Cats version (exact)
What you're trying to do
What happens instead
Error messages (full text)
Screenshots if relevant
Steps to reproduce

My question isn't answered here

Check:

Relevant feature pages in this wiki
Troubleshooting page
Discord search (others may have asked)
GitHub issues (might be documented)
Ask in Discord if still unclear

Related Pages:

Installation - Setup guide
Troubleshooting - Problem solving
Version Support - Compatibility info
All feature pages for specific tools

Please do not report any issues for Blender version below 5.0