Claw Your Way to Victory: 20 Essential Beginner Tips for Mewgenics

Mewgenics is a turn-based roguelite tactics game where you breed quirky cats, assign them classes via collars, and lead parties of four into procedurally generated adventures full of grid-based battles, random events, and grotesque bosses. Developed by Edmund McMillen of The Binding of Isaac fame, it blends deep genetic manipulation, house management, and tactical combat in a world obsessed with poop, mutations, and feline survival. Released on Steam on February 10, 2026, the game promises over 200 hours of replayability through emergent synergies and endless experimentation.

Whether you're wiping out your first party in the Alley biome or optimizing bloodlines for late-game bosses, these tips will help you land on your paws. We've compiled the best advice from expert guides to get you started strong.

1. Tweak the UI and Use Tactical View Right Away

The game's chaotic, hand-drawn art can obscure key details. Before your first run, head to settings: shrink status bars and tooltips, and dial down film grain or noise for clarity. In combat, middle-click (or Y/triangle on controller) for tactical view, which simplifies the grid into green cats, red enemies, and gray obstacles, making positioning a breeze.

2. Clean Up the Poop - Every Time

Poop isn't just gross; it tanks house Comfort and Health stats, leading to fights, injuries, and deaths. Click every turd in the furniture menu between runs. It's a simple habit that keeps your colony thriving.

3. Always Pack a Cleric

Healing is scarce - no fountains or shops mid-run. Equip a Cleric collar for a party healer whose basic attack restores HP and who can learn revives. Pair with a tank to sustain longer fights.

4. Prioritize House Stats Wisely

Furniture from Baby Jack (unlocked post-Caves) boosts key metrics:

Stat	Icon	Effect
Comfort	💤	More breeding, fewer fights
Stimulation	🧶	Better trait inheritance
Health	⚕️	Heals injuries/diseases
Mutation	🧬	Chance for powerful mutations
Appeal	🏠	Attracts better strays

Focus Appeal first for quality strays, then Comfort and Stimulation. Clean poop to maintain Health without furniture.

5. Donate Excess Cats for Upgrades

Overcrowding spikes food costs and drama. Donate retirees to Frank (rooms/storage), injured to Baby Jack (furniture), kittens to Tink (breeding intel), and mutants to Dr. Beanies (quests). Cull weaklings early - keep only those with 6+ base stats.

6. Backstab for 25% Extra Damage

Position behind enemies for bonus damage (and crits with some builds). Never expose your back - enemies exploit it too. Face your direction before ending turns.

7. Kill Birds on Sight

Random birds (chickens, pigeons) drop items and All-Stats-Up buffs. They flee fast, so prioritize despite low HP.

8. Check Turn Order and Hover Everything

Top-right turn order dictates threats - eliminate high-speed foes first. Hover enemies for behaviors (e.g., enrage on ally death) and tiles for pickups (food heals, catnip mana).