Robot takes place of feline friend

Engineers have invented a small, furry companion that feels and sounds like a cat, but comes without any of the mess, fuss or responsibility of caring for a living animal. It also comes without a head.

The Qoobo, made by Yukai Engineering, is essentially just a round pillow with a tail. There’s no feet, either.

The robot comes in two colours, husky grey and French brown, and wags and curls its tail when you pet it. It even vibrates to simulate purring.

The Japanese invention was unveiled at a trade show in October and should cost about $125 Cdn when it debuts in Japan next summer, technology news website Engadget reported.

The idea behind the robot came about when its designer was forced to leave her cat behind because her new apartment wouldn’t allow pets, reported Edgadget. She wanted to come up with a substitute that would make her feel better.

The lifelike tail is a big selling point for the robot, and will change speeds depending on how much you pet it.

“We have studied the actual tail and developed mechanisms and programs to reproduce the movement,” the company said.

Feeling comforted is the main goal of Qoobo, according to the company’s website. The threestep process to using the robot is “stroke, react, get healed.”