Robotic Cat

by Michael
(London, UK)

A robotic cat is better for some people than a real cat! And I am serious but this article is written a little tongue in cheek. Of course, a robotic cat can never substitute a real cat but under certain circumstances a robot cat could be a decent compromise.

Apparently electronic pets first came to prominence in the 1990s with an animal called Furby which was based on a fictional creature. The market has expanded since then.

Electronic pets these days are interactive. They contain touch sensors, which allows the pet to respond to petting by purring or opening and closing eyes. Some are more sophisticated and also react to sound and light stimulation.



The above cat is called: Dream Cat Venus - Yume Neko Robotic Cat. The cat is a Turkish Van type - well the markings are "modified" Turkish Van! It is available for $121 at Japan Trend Shop. This cat is one of the most realistic on the market. It raises its paw as well as making facial expressions in response to petting. Below is another version. This one is an orange bicolor it seems:



Please note: Videos sometimes get pulled by the creator of the video or YouTube leaving a blank screen

Through no fault of their own, some people's personal lives are not ideally set up for the keeping of a pet. Also bearing in mind that some people are allergic to cats; a furry, cuddly friend that does not require a litter box might appeal!

I am also thinking of you know what. Claws, scratching, furniture..etc. Many people don't like cat claws because they can damage furniture. Declawing is not the answer despite what the vets say. I wonder if a robotic cat is the answer for some people and particularly people who would like to declaw their cat?

A robotic cat might also be a kind of testing ground for a child who wants a cat. If a child shows real interest in a robotic cat that might provide a good basis for going down to the local shelter and adopting a rescue cat. Give a months trial and see what happens.

There are stories of robotic cats providing a nice substitute for real cats that are cared for by people with dementia, who are no longer able to care for a domestic cat.

In another example a gentleman bought a robotic bird to keep his parrot company!

I wonder if a real domestic cat would be comfortable with a robotic cat. I am almost certain that the response would be initial inquisitiveness followed quite soon afterward by boredom.

Anyway here are some links to places where you can buy robotic cats and other interactive robotic pets/animals:

Japan Trend Shop (new window). The product is manufactured and shipped from Japan as far as I can tell. They appear to ship worldwide although pricing is in $ USD indicating that America is the target market place.

Electronic Pet Shop (new window) - this seems to be the leading UK online shop for electronic pets.

Amazon sell robotic cats too (new window). The link is to the USA version of Amazon.

Electronic Pets (new window) is a UK based online store.

From Robotic Cat to PoC Forum