AC Black Flag Resynced: getting all the Jackdaw's pets (monkey, cat)

Alexandre Jollier July 8, 2026 at 2:40 PM

In brief

AC Black Flag Resynced offers four companions to decorate your Jackdaw: two cats (Soot and Tom the Golden) and two monkeys (Albert and the Dark Animus). Soot is easy to catch on Great Inagua, Albert requires a bit of infiltration in Havana, the Dark Animus is bought with data fragments, and Tom the Golden remains exclusive to the Deluxe edition.

The Jackdaw's pets become accessible from the middle of act 1 in AC Black Flag Resynced, but acquiring some of them takes a bit of work - or a trip to the cash register. Four animals await you in total: two cats and two monkeys. Once equipped from your inventory (last slot), the chosen animal appears at your side near the Jackdaw's helm. It's purely cosmetic, but genuinely charming.

Soot the Cat - Great Inagua

The first cat unlocks on your home island of Great Inagua, accessible after sequence 4. Once the hideout is open, look for the local event Cat Delivery System on your map - it's marked with a dedicated icon.

Head to coordinates 819,441 and climb up to the rooftops. Soot the Cat is waiting quietly there. Pet it to unlock it for good. No combat, no mission required to get it: it's literally just going to fetch a cat on a roof.

Albert the Monkey - Havana

Albert can be found in Havana, via the local event Monkey Business, at coordinates 225,568. Head to the docks in the southeast, then infiltrate a Spanish ship moored there.

On board, sailors are mistreating the poor animal. Take them out - stealth or brute force, it's up to you - and the monkey is yours. A bit more action than for Soot, but it's still a relatively short quest.

Dark Animus Pet - Animus Menu

This one isn't found in the open world. The Dark Animus Pet is obtained directly from the Animus Projects menu, in the Eye in the Dark section - it's the project's first reward.

Price: 600 data fragments. The currency is earned by completing the Anomaly side missions visible on the world map. It requires a bit of grinding, but these missions are short and scattered all over the Caribbean.

Golden Tom - Deluxe Edition only

The second cat, Golden Tom, is of legendary rarity and cannot be obtained in-game. It's included in the Master Assassin Naval Pack, exclusively reserved for buyers of the Deluxe Edition of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The pack also contains a ship's wheel and a figurehead.

If you own the standard version, Golden Tom is out of reach without paying extra. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth the additional cost - it's only a cosmetic, even if it's one of the most stylish of the bunch.

Note

Pets also come with cosmetic skins to customize their appearance aboard the Jackdaw - a welcome extra layer of customization. Once your companion is selected in the inventory, it stays visible while sailing until you change it.

Which companion appeals to you most for your Jackdaw?

Frequently asked questions

From what point can I start looking for the companions?

From the middle of Act 1, once Sequence 4 is cleared and your Great Inagua hideout is unlocked. Soot becomes accessible then, with the others following gradually.

Do the companions do anything useful or is it just cosmetic?

Purely cosmetic. Once equipped from the inventory, the companion appears aboard the Jackdaw near the helm — it's just for style, nothing more. But honestly, it's a nice touch.

Do you really have to pay for Tom the Golden, or is there a free way to get it?

No, Tom the Golden only exists in the Master Assassin Naval Pack included with the Deluxe edition. If you have the standard version, it's out of reach without paying extra.

How do I farm the 600 data fragments for the Dark Animus?

By completing the Anomaly side missions visible on the Caribbean world map. They're short and scattered everywhere — not exhausting, but you'll need to knock out a few of them.

Key takeaways

Soot the Cat is picked up effortlessly on a rooftop in Great Inagua — it's literally just petting a cat.
Albert the Monkey requires a brief stealth or direct infiltration of a Spanish ship in Havana.
The Dark Animus Familiar costs 600 data fragments via the Eye in the Dark project in the Animus menu.
Tom the Golden remains locked behind the Deluxe edition — there's no way to get it in the standard game.