Cat Mail Co Controls

Cat Mail Co uses a standard first-person control scheme built around keyboard and mouse input. As a physics-based postal simulator, most of your time is spent picking up parcels, placing them on equipment, and entering stamp mode to label packages correctly. Understanding these controls early prevents costly mistakes during your first shifts on Cat's Island.

The game does not ship with native gamepad support at launch, though Maracas Studio has indicated controller support will arrive in a post-launch update. Until then, keyboard and mouse remain the primary input method across all platforms including Steam Deck, where the default keyboard template maps WASD movement and mouse look effectively.

Movement follows the familiar WASD pattern with mouse-controlled camera look. You walk freely through the post office, dock area, and unlocked island locations. Left-click interacts with objects — picking up parcels, placing them on scales, loading the conveyor scanner, and talking to customers or the boat captain.

Right-click or the designated drop key releases held items. Precision matters because parcels are physics objects that can topple, slide, and collide. Placing fragile packages beneath heavier boxes causes damage, so careful positioning is part of the control mastery curve. Adjust mouse sensitivity and field of view in the settings menu if the default first-person speed feels too fast for relaxed sorting sessions.

The most important control in Cat Mail Co is stamp mode, activated by pressing F while holding a parcel. This opens the labeling interface where you apply destination tags, weight stamps, fragile stickers, heavy markers, and decorative stamps. Every customer parcel must pass through stamp mode before it can be delivered or loaded onto the outgoing boat.

Inside stamp mode, navigate between stamp categories using the on-screen tabs or corresponding hotkeys. Select the correct weight tier after using the scale, attach the destination label matching the parcel's routing, and add constraint stickers when the scanner identifies fragile or heavy properties. Press F again or confirm to exit stamp mode and return the parcel to the physical world. Our Package Handling guide walks through the full labeling workflow step by step.

Place individual parcels on the conveyor belt scanner to detect special constraints. The scanner highlights whether a package needs fragile or heavy stickers before shipping. Only customer-handled parcels require scanner checks — backlog items from the boat typically need weighing and destination labels only.

The scale works by setting a parcel on the weighing platform and reading the displayed weight tier. Match that tier to the correct postage stamp in stamp mode. At dusk, interact with the boat captain to review his requests, load outgoing parcels, and ring the dock bell when satisfied. There is no time pressure — load at your own pace. See our First-Day Walkthrough for the complete dusk boat sequence.

Cat Mail Co includes a key rebinding menu accessible from the settings screen. Rebind movement, interaction, stamp mode, and drop keys to match your preferences. Players using non-QWERTY layouts or accessibility setups should rebind before starting a long co-op session to avoid mid-game confusion.

Additional settings include mouse sensitivity, field of view adjustment, and graphical options. On Steam Deck, map the Q key to a comfortable paddle button for stamp mode access. The System Requirements page covers Steam Deck performance settings including the recommended 40 FPS cap and Proton 10 configuration.

In four-player co-op, each player uses independent first-person controls within the same post office space. Communication becomes essential because multiple players reaching for the same parcel creates chaos. Establish zones and roles early — one player at the scale, one at the processing desk, one managing storage, and one handling dock operations.

Voice chat through Steam overlay or an external app significantly improves coordination. Read our Co-op Guide for recommended role assignments and workflow tips that complement these control basics.