# Would you want a robotic pet cat or dog?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-robotic-pet-cat-or-dog/629277>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 24, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-robotic-pet-cat-or-dog/629277 "2012-07-24T20:20:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-robotic-pet-cat-or-dog/629277/62 "2012-08-05T19:37:39Z")

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> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#):
>
> Instead or, in in addition to, a real cat?
> 
> A robot is not the same thing as, say, the purring furball currently stretched out next to my chair making “pet me” noises.\<snip\>

But that’s the premise - that the robotic pet is virtually indistinguishable from the real, flesh-and-blood thing. The robot kitty _would_ stretch out next to you and purr and make “pet me” noises.

I forgot to add another dimension to this discussion - cities could make bylaws that outlaw flesh-and-blood pets in favour of programmable robotic ones that don’t shit everywhere, don’t bark all night long, don’t bite people, and don’t dig up other people’s flower beds. 🙂

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**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-robotic-pet-cat-or-dog/629277/63 "2012-08-05T20:31:35Z")

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> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#):
>
> But that’s the premise - that the robotic pet is virtually indistinguishable from the real, flesh-and-blood thing. The robot kitty _would_ stretch out next to you and purr and make “pet me” noises.
> 
> I forgot to add another dimension to this discussion - cities could make bylaws that outlaw flesh-and-blood pets in favour of programmable robotic ones that don’t shit everywhere, don’t bark all night long, don’t bite people, and don’t dig up other people’s flower beds. 🙂

They’ll take my dog away when they pry my cold, dead hands from his leash and pooper-scooper.

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