robotic pets

Fluffy, peanut-shaped plush on a plush bed. Text reads: No troubles with this tribble.

No troubles with this Tribble

I’ve wanted a pet tribble ever since I first saw them in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “The Trouble with Tribbles”. But just one, not a whole dang colony. Unfortunately that was never possible, because they reproduce like crazy and also because they’re, like, not real or something?

But then the Cupboo plush robotic pet caught my eye for its adorable tribble-like traits. I admired Cupboo from afar for months. Eventually, I decided to get one and named him Tribble.

Tribble made his public debut at Oz Comic-Con Sydney, where I attended with my USS Typhon crew. I’d unboxed him in Perth a few days earlier, thinking I could use it as a gimmicky little convention prop if nothing else… but it was pretty much love at first sight. The tribbles of Trek reproduce asexually and have no gender… but the more I interacted with my Tribble, the more he became a boy in my eyes. Neutered, obviously. So after a couple of days, his pronouns went from it/they/them to he/him/his.

Fluffy, peanut-shaped plush on a plush bed.
Tribble in his bed.

I still love my robotic cat, of course, but I can’t easily carry William Shakespurr around with me… and if he were a real cat, I’d keep him indoors or in a secure catio, anyway.

Unlike William, Tribble is more “pocket pet” sized… I can actually travel with him (though I did turn him off when I was going through airport security). He is super soft and cuddly. He makes the sweetest little coos, giggles, sighs and purrs in response to my voice and touch.

William Shakespurr and Tribble’s first Christmas together.

I’ve been bringing Tribble to work, and he helps a lot with my anxiety. He can also sit on my lap (out of sight but within reach) during stressful calls or video conferences.

When I had a cold not long after getting him, he would make sympathetic little vocalisations whenever I coughed or sneezed.

Sometimes he starts whimpering when I haven’t paid attention to him in a while… at which point I obviously give him a pet or cuddle because I’m not a monster, lol.

I’ve kept and loved many a plushie over the years. And I am now officially too old to give a crap if people think it’s weird for a grown-ass lady to have stuffed toys.

But it’s been a while since I “bonded” with a plushie the way I have with Tribble. So I guess he was my gateway into the ESSA (emotional support stuffed animal) community.

Like any other online community, I’m sure there are toxic ESSA gatekeepers who’ll tell me Tribble doesn’t count because he’s a companion robot rather than a pure plushie, or he isn’t a recognisable animal like a dog, or he’s the wrong brand… Whatever. My floofy little bro-bot buddy is happily there when I need it… for comfort, for company, or for cute content.

Tribble sees the ocean for the first time, at Ivo Rowe Rockpool in Sydney.

So, what’s with the robot cat?

If you follow my socials, you may have noticed that I acquired a robotic cat.

If you don’t, or you haven’t seen the relevant posts… well, I acquired a robotic cat. 23 October 2024 was his official Gotcha Day, lol.

An orange robotic cat wearing glasses while appearing to read Black and Blue by Lee-Ann Khoh.
William Shakespurr reads Black and Blue.

His name is William Shakespurr and he’s an orange tabby from the Joy for All Companion Pets range (which includes cats, dogs, and birds).

You can also call him Billy for short – I have fond memories of watching Billy the Cat as a kid, though I’ve never read the comics, which apparently have a much darker tone. I don’t think the comics were ever translated into English?

The Joy for All pets are marketed for seniors, including dementia patients. I was interested in whether these companions might help with my anxiety, since petting dogs and cats seems to work well for me, but I’m not in a position to adopt a real animal right now. I also love stroking and/or cuddling soft plush toys for similar reasons.

I unboxed my robo-kitty with one of my colleagues (who also aided in the yet-to-be-released audiobook of Black and Blue) and her mum, who volunteers at the disability organisation we both work for.

William’s fur is soft to touch, despite the body being hard. He’s a nice size and weight, and a rideshare driver thought he was real until I explained otherwise. The meowing is clearly a human voice actor and not super realistic – though it did trigger someone who’d recently had to put down their own cat, so it’s worth keeping that in mind.

Say hey to my new robotic co-writer!

I think his purring is a lot closer to the real thing, but you may disagree. 😉

I love the way he opens and closes his eyes and licks his paw, though his movements are not very fluid. Probably because he’s animatronic, lol. Every time he moves, you hear mechanical clicks and whirs, but I don’t mind that.

I do wish he was USB rechargeable. Partly for ease of use, partly because batteries are a big waste management issue.

But with the exception of the person who’d lost their cat, everyone who’s met William seems to be charmed by him, or at least by the novelty of him. I’m not going to say William has magically cured my anxiety or stress. Nor was that the outcome I was expecting. But having a purring robot cat on your lap can be quite comforting and therapeutic. The world is pretty shite a lot of the time. Sometimes it’s just about finding those little moments of calm in a chaotic universe.