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Connected Objects Pets

RollyCat prevents roly-poly cats by keeping them active

Lack of stimulation is the main reason behind the physical and mental issues that arise in household cats, leaving many owners seeking solutions to keep their little furry friends out while they’re out for the day.

Appearing like the head of an old WowWee robot, the RollyCat is a smart toy robot that automatically plays with a cat when its owner is not around, tracking its fitness levels while it does. Three modes define the RollyCat’s operation: its automatic mode reverts the home into a primal space where the cat can spend hours chasing around it an ever-escaping RollyCat, a manual mode facilitated by its iOS or Android app lets owners get in on the phone, and its fitness tracking capabilities saves the length and quality of playtime for later so owners are better informed.

Categories
Connected Objects Pets

Mousr robotic mouse prepares cats to ignore robot apocalypse

The extent to which pet owners go out of their way to ensure their pet is comfortable and entertained in the face of eight or more hours of being alone at home is impressive. Every year, the industry innovates new toys and tech to keep tails wagging and paws pawing. Usually, though, dogs get all the fun stuff, like dispensers that challenge them with puzzles for treats. Cats haven’t had much luck, until now.

Mousr is exactly what a cat owner is looking for. The jury is still out on the cat itself, but from the videos posted on the campaign site, it looks like this miniature robotic mouse is nothing but a good time. Mousr has been engineered with the idea of reacting to a cat’s movements rather than forcing a cat to react, thereby engaging the feline’s predatory instincts. Most importantly, it constantly challenges the cat through its continuous learning, so no two hunting escapades are the same. Interchangeable tails give your feline friend different targets and keeps their interest piqued, and a Bluetooth LE compatible smartphone app will even let an owner get in on the furry fun, just make sure you don’t have a really thick carpet as Mousr probably won’t work too well when it’s stuck. The Mousr unit costs $140 with an estimated delivery date of October 2015. The campaign is looking for $100,000 to get this out to all those crazy cat owners everywhere.