What are the pros and cons of owning a robotic cat? Are robotic cats part of our future?
Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly and among the applications are robots that can walk the dog, cook dinner, and teach the kids (Reference 1). So, it is not a surprise that robotic pets are being offered as companions.
Consider the MarsCat made by Elephant Robotics:
“You will never know what MarsCat will do next because it is like a real cat, fully autonomous. MarsCat acts independently without any instructions. MarsCat walks, runs, sleeps, sits, stretches, bites nails, kneads, and even buries litter although she won’t produce any waste. It may express different emotions by different meows or gestures” (Reference 2).
The Pros and Cons of Owning a Robotic Cat
We’ve all heard about the benefits of owning a pet. Pets provide companionship, keep us from being lonely, reduce stress and anxiety, give you unconditional love, lower your blood pressure, and increase the survival rates from heart disease and cancer.
But what if you are not able to own a live pet? Perhaps your mobility is compromised or you suffer from memory loss or you are living in a care facility?
I get it – owning a robotic cat, there are no litter boxes to scoop, no worries about feeding your cat and him eating too much, no worries that he will scratch you because you mishandle him.
Robotic pets have been found to reduce agitation and aggression in older adults with dementia. Conversations and social interactions are easier for older, compromised adults when they have a robotic cat – after all, the cat would be a conversational icebreaker. Studies have found older adults feel less lonely with a robotic cat, that they can hold and pet (Reference 3).
One of the popular robotic cats for the elderly is the Joy for All Cat. This kitty features hypoallergenic fur and responds to touch by purring. You can actually feel this cat “purring”. The cats contain touch- and light–activated sensors so that they can respond to a person by vocalizing or moving. For example, the robotic cat will roll over to have their tummy rubbed. These pets come with a standard program and cannot be reprogrammed.
Of course, before caregivers use one of these robotic pets, they need to consider the preferences of the individual user, the older adult or person with dementia who will receive the pet. A robotic pet may not be appropriate for a person who did not like animals when they were young and not compromised. Or maybe the recipient would prefer a robotic puppy or seal as opposed to a cat (Reference 3).
Artificial Intelligence and the Robotic Cat
Artificial intelligence (AI) can look for patterns in data (input), uncover insights, and improve the results of just about any given task.
The MarsCat mentioned above does have some adaptive learning capabilities. The more you play with it and interact with it, the more it will adapt its behavior to be more responsive and seemingly “attached” to you. (Reference 2)
It is interesting that AI seems to mimic how biological organisms learn. Robotics labs have found that robots learn faster with positive reinforcement, similar to the way you can train a live cat or dog.
At Johns Hopkins University, Spot the robot learned to focus on constructive actions. It earned “points” instead of treats for stacking blocks; when it knocked over a stack – it was not awarded any points. Researchers found that reinforcement accelerated learning – what used to take Spot weeks to master, would now happen in days (Reference 4).
At Stanford University, robo-dogs with vision-based programming were able to scale objects, leap across gaps, crawl under things and squeeze through crevices that they had not seen before. The robo-dogs got rewarded (numerical “points”) for actions that allowed them to accomplish the challenge (Reference 5).
The pros and cons of owning a Robotic Cat – is a robotic cat right for you?
These pets are increasingly popular in Japan particularly among the elderly. If you are busy or have other conditions that would preclude owning a live pet, robopets can fill the gap.
However, as cute and charming as they are, owning a robotic cat differs from owning a real, live cat in a number of ways. In addition to needing to be fed, have the litter box scooped and going to the vet from time to time, live cats are sentient creatures with emotions. There will be times your live cat will not want to be stroked or sit on your lap and you might get scratched if you persist. Petting-induced aggression will not happen with a robotic cat, making these cats more suitable to the elderly and people with dementia.
Although live cats like their robotic counterparts learn through reinforcement techniques, their emotional state can complicate interacting with them. This makes the interaction changeable from day to day. This is another reason that robotic cats may be more appropriate for dementia patients.
Working with your cat and helping them manage their emotions forms a bond that is unique to you and your cat. Although the more advanced robotic cats will adapt to you and your style of doing things and seem to be attached, your live cat will have their own plans that can change daily. Until your robotic cat becomes not just autonomous but sentient, it will in a sense, be a mirror of you.
references
- Optimus (Tesla Bot). Robots:IEEE Spectrum, ©2025. https://robotsguide.com/robots/optimus, viewed 3/25
- Companion Robots in the Post-Pandemic Era – Marscat. The World’s First Bionic AI Pet Cat. 3/17/2022. Elephant Robotics. https://shop.elephantrobotics.com/blogs/news/companion-robots-in-the-post-pandemic-era-marscat-the-worlds-first-bionic-ai-pet-cat. Viewed 3/25
- Koh WQ, Ang FXH, Casey D. Impacts of Low-cost Robotic Pets for Older Adults and People With Dementia: Scoping Review. JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2021 Feb 12;8(1):e25340. doi: 10.2196/25340. PMID: 33497349; PMCID: PMC8082946
- Rosen, Jill. Dog training methods help JHU teach robots to learn new tricks. HUB Science + Technology. 10/26/20, https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/10/26/positive-reinforcement-for-robots/, viewed 3/25.
- Myers, Andrew. New dog, Old Tricks: New AI approach yields “athletically intelligent” robotic dogs. Stanford Report. 10/04/23. https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2023/10/ai-approach-yields-athletically-intelligent-robotic-dog. viewed 3/25.
