Want to make cats sit on your shoulder in Crimson Desert? It is one of the most charming things you can do in the game — and it is completely possible once you have the right item. This guide covers exactly how it works, where to get the item you need, and how to trigger the shoulder-riding animation step by step.
TL;DR — Cats on Your Shoulder in Crimson Desert
- You need the Sigil of Bonding — a pet accessory added in Patch 1.04
- Buy it from Lacey, a wandering secret merchant in Pororin Village for just 8 Silver Coins
- To access Pororin, complete the Unreachable Village faction quest first
- Equip the Sigil in your cat’s pet accessory slot in the Inventory → Pets tab
- Crouch near your cat and wait — it will climb up onto your shoulder on its own
- Your cat stays on your shoulder through sprinting, rolling, and combat
- This only works for cats — dogs and birds use different items
- The shoulder-riding mechanic started as an accidental bug that Pearl Abyss kept because players loved it
What Is the Sigil of Bonding?
The Sigil of Bonding is a pet accessory introduced in Patch 1.04. It sits in a new dedicated pet accessory slot that the same update added to every pet’s equipment panel. When equipped to a cat, it keeps the animal perched on your character’s shoulder for an extended duration — even while you move, sprint, roll, and fight.
Interestingly, the shoulder-riding behaviour was not originally intended. It started as an accidental bug shortly after launch — cats would occasionally climb onto your back while you were crouching nearby. Players loved it so much that Pearl Abyss kept it and formalised it as an opt-in feature tied to the Sigil of Bonding in the April 2026 update.
If you do not have a cat pet yet, see our guide on how to get a pet in Crimson Desert before continuing. You can also check out our guide on how to get the Abyss Heuklang if you want a particularly special cat for your shoulder.
How to Unlock Pororin Village
Lacey, the merchant who sells the Sigil of Bonding, is located in Pororin Village. Pororin is a hidden settlement in the Pororin Forest area of Hernand, and you cannot simply walk in. The first time you approach the village without permission, you will be tranquilised and turned away.
To unlock access, you need to complete the Unreachable Village faction quest. Here is how:
- Find the NPC Arkin, located near the outskirts of the central highlands
- Accept the Unreachable Village faction quest from her
- Retrieve the relic she asks for — this involves a combat encounter, so make sure your gear is in good shape
- Return the relic to Arkin to receive passage into Pororin Village
Some sources note that being tranquilised three times while approaching the village can also trigger the related Trembling Woods faction quest, which similarly unlocks access. Either way, once you are inside, you can visit freely from then on.
For help with the quest, see our full Unreachable Village quest guide.
Where to Find Lacey in Pororin Village
Once you are inside Pororin, you need to find Lacey — a wandering secret merchant who sells the Sigil of Bonding. Lacey does not stand behind a stall or stay in one fixed spot. She roams the village on a patrol loop, which makes her easy to miss if you only check obvious merchant areas.
What Does Lacey Look Like?
Lacey is a Shai NPC wearing a light green hood and carrying a large backpack. She is smaller than most NPCs, and her green outfit blends into the environment a little, so look carefully.
Note: There is a separate secret vendor in Pororin — an older man with a backpack — who does not sell the Sigil. If the NPC you approach has no pet items, keep moving.
Where Does Lacey Patrol?
Lacey roams between two zones within Pororin:
- Florindale — the northern subsidiary village of Pororin, where she is most commonly found
- Petalton Workshop area — the other zone she passes through on her loop
The fastest way to find her is to fast travel into Pororin and jog the perimeter road that connects these two areas. Keep scanning NPC silhouettes for the pale green hood and backpack. If you cannot find her immediately, wait a few in-game minutes and try again — she may be at the other end of her patrol.
How to Buy the Sigil of Bonding
When you find Lacey, interact with her to open her Secret Shop. Select the Sigil of Bonding and purchase it for 8 Silver Coins. This is very cheap — you should have no trouble affording it at any point in the game.
Lacey stocks up to three copies per restock cycle. If you want more than three — for example, to equip multiple cats — wait roughly seven in-game days for her stock to refresh, then return and buy again. You can speed up the wait by sleeping at a bed or resting at a campfire.
How to Equip the Sigil of Bonding
Once you have the Sigil of Bonding, you need to equip it to your cat through the Pets menu:
- Open your Inventory (Options / Start on controller, or I on keyboard)
- Press R2 (PlayStation) or RT (Xbox) to navigate to the Pets tab
- Select the cat you want to put the Sigil on
- Find the new pet accessory slot on the cat’s equipment panel — this slot was added in Patch 1.04
- Equip the Sigil of Bonding into the accessory slot
Make sure the cat is set as your active summoned pet before heading back into the world.
How to Make Your Cat Sit on Your Shoulder
With the Sigil of Bonding equipped and your cat summoned, here is how to trigger the shoulder animation:
- Summon your cat as your active pet if you have not already
- Find a clear, flat piece of ground near your cat
- Crouch next to your cat and hold the position
- Wait patiently — the cat will eventually climb up onto your back and settle on your shoulder on its own
You cannot press a button to trigger this instantly. It is a passive idle animation that plays automatically when the conditions are right. The Sigil of Bonding ensures the cat stays on your shoulder for a much longer duration than the unmodified accidental behaviour ever allowed.
Once the cat is on your shoulder, you can:
- Sprint without it falling off
- Roll and dodge without it falling off
- Fight and attack without it falling off
- Your cat will still pick up loot from defeated enemies as normal — the shoulder-riding does not disable its looting behaviour
To remove the cat from your shoulder, unsummon your pet or unequip the Sigil of Bonding.
Does the Sigil of Bonding Work on Dogs and Birds?
No. The Sigil of Bonding is cats only. Dogs and birds each have their own separate accessories for similar bonding effects:
- Birds use the Sotdae of Bond, a different item obtained through the bird-taming system in Pororin
- Dogs — the accessory slot exists in their equipment panel, but as of the current patch there is no dog-specific bonding item available yet. Pearl Abyss may add one in a future update.
If you equip the Sigil to a non-cat species, the shoulder-riding animation will not trigger.
Tips for Finding and Using the Sigil of Bonding
- Complete the Unreachable Village quest first — there is no way into Pororin without it
- Fast travel directly into Pororin to spawn near Lacey’s most common patrol start point
- Look for the pale green hood and large backpack — she is easy to walk past if you are not looking carefully
- At only 8 Silver Coins, buy multiple copies while you are there if you have more than one cat
- Unsummon any bird pets before crouching — birds and dogs will not interfere with the animation, but having your cat as the active pet is essential
- Try crouching on flat, clear ground — the animation seems to trigger more reliably away from obstacles
- Patch 1.04 also increased your pet’s loot-gathering speed, so the cat on your shoulder is still useful in combat
What Cats Work Best on Your Shoulder?
Any tamed cat works with the Sigil of Bonding. That said, the Loafy Cat (also called the Fat Cat) near the Naz River fishing dock is widely regarded by the community as the best choice for the shoulder animation — purely because of how it looks when perched up there. The Abyss Heuklang, the rare black cat found at the Axiom Archive in the Abyss, is another popular choice thanks to its striking appearance.
All cat breeds function identically once tamed, so the choice is entirely cosmetic. If you are chasing a specific look, see our guides on how to get the Abyss Heuklang and all legendary animal locations for more companion options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Patch 1.04 to get the Sigil of Bonding?
Yes. The Sigil of Bonding and the pet accessory slot it uses were both added in Patch 1.04. If you have not updated your game, neither Lacey’s shop item nor the accessory slot will be available.
Can I buy multiple Sigils of Bonding?
Yes. Lacey stocks up to three copies per cycle. Wait approximately seven in-game days for her stock to refresh if you need more.
Does the cat still pick up loot while on my shoulder?
Yes. The shoulder animation does not disable your cat’s looting behaviour. It still automatically picks up items from defeated enemies as normal — in fact, Patch 1.04 also improved pet loot-gathering speed.
Can I rename my cat before putting it on my shoulder?
Yes — also added in Patch 1.04. See our guide on how to change pet names in Crimson Desert for the full steps.
Is the Sigil of Bonding permanent?
It stays equipped until you manually remove it. You can unequip it at any time through the Pets tab in your Inventory, and the cat will return to following you on the ground as normal.
More Crimson Desert Pet Guides
- How to get a pet in Crimson Desert
- How to get the Abyss Heuklang pet
- How to change pet names in Crimson Desert
- How to breed animals in Crimson Desert
- How to find legendary creatures in Crimson Desert
- Every unlockable mount and vehicle
- Unreachable Village quest guide
- Patrigio secret shop merchant location
For everything else, visit the Crimson Desert guide hub.
Crimson Desert is available on PC via the official site, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, and Xbox.
