Owning a pet has been proven to reduce stress and ease loneliness in people of all ages, but one group of people is especially susceptible to feeling lonely, especially this time of year: older people. Caring for pets, however, is a lot of responsibility and costs more money than someone on a fixed income might not have — so robots are the next best thing! That’s why Hasbro has introduced Joy For All Pets, which are animatronic cats meant to mimic the actions of real cats without the dander or litter box or mangled mouse corpses.
JOY FOR ALL Companion Pet cats are designed to bring comfort, companionship and fun for your elder loved ones. With realistic fur, purrs and meows – and sensors that respond to petting and hugs with familiar, cat-like actions – Companion Pets deliver a soothing, joyful experience that inspires smiles, laughter and fond memories for people of all ages.
Yup. Cat toys. Toys that are cats. For old people. That’s not at all insulting or infantalizing for the people who have lived on this planet for the longest!
But I think we can all agree that old people are not the only people who are going to buy these $100 cats. How do I know this? Because I work for the internet. I’ve seen how people act when they see cats. They are even weirder than people who like dogs because at least dogs like us back 100 percent of the time. Cats are only reliable for about 60 percent, maybe 65. So a mechanical cat without real emotions? Sure! Unconditional love! The perfect way to delude yourself while the real feline overlords take over the planet.
Don’t be a sucker. Resist the robot cat.
Source: Time