Sam is the first hireable NPC in Animal Hospital — a calico cat in a yellow hazmat suit who cleans slime, removes Hiders and puts out fires. Here's what he costs, when he shows up and whether he's worth the $250.
July 25, 2026 — The Hazmat Team Arrives update
Calico cat — white face with orange and black patches, light-blue eyes, yellow hazmat suit, blue gloves
Hireable hazmat cleanup employee — cleans slime, removes Hiders, puts out fires
$250 per Slime Shift; stays for 3 shifts, then leaves until the next Slime Shift
Sam appears during Slime Shifts, a new event type introduced alongside him in the July 25 update. Slime Shifts can start spawning from around Shift 10 onward — that's when Slimebert starts showing up, leaving slime trails across the hospital.
For $250 you hire Sam for the current Slime Shift, and he stays on for three consecutive shifts. During that time he handles three specific hazards automatically:
When his three shifts are up, Sam leaves and doesn't come back until the next Slime Shift begins. He is not available outside of Slime Shifts.
At $250, Sam is not cheap — but Slime Shifts pile on three hazard types simultaneously. Without Sam, you need to juggle Slimebert (who resists tasers and guns), Hiders popping off walls, and fires breaking out — all while treating patients.
The value depends on your shift. Early Slime Shifts (around Shift 10) are manageable solo if you have a Firefighter class for fire immunity and a fire extinguisher for Slimebert. Later shifts with more concurrent hazards are where Sam earns his keep — he handles the cleanup while you handle the patients and the sanity drain.
Sam arrived in the same July 25, 2026 update that added Slimebert, the Firefighter class, and the Slime Shift mechanic. The update title — "The Hazmat Team Arrives" — is a direct reference to Sam's hazmat suit and cleanup role. He is the first NPC you can hire for a specific job, distinct from the story characters like Liz or Barney who follow scripted questlines.
Sam is a calico cat NPC added in the July 25, 2026 'Hazmat Team Arrives' update. He wears a yellow hazmat suit and blue gloves, and he's the first hireable cleanup employee in the game — he cleans slime, removes Hiders and puts out fires during Slime Shifts.
$250 per Slime Shift. Once hired, Sam stays for three consecutive shifts, cleaning up hazards automatically. When his three shifts are up, he leaves and doesn't return until the next Slime Shift begins.
Sam handles three hazards: he cleans slime trails left by Slimebert, removes Hiders camouflaged on walls, and puts out fires. He works automatically once hired — you don't need to direct him.
Sam appears during Slime Shifts, a new event type that can start spawning from around Shift 10 onward. He's only available to hire when a Slime Shift is active.
Facts verified against community data. Last checked: July 26, 2026.