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11/09/2026
As someone in my thirties who already has a perfectly real dog, I can’t say an electronic cat was particularly high on my list of things I needed in my life. Yet here I am, reviewing the CHONGKER Percy Cat 1.1, a plush robotic companion designed to look, feel, and occasionally sound like a real cat.
And while I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Percy at first, my dog River certainly had an opinion. She was absolutely convinced he was the real deal, barking like crazy and desperately trying to get her paws on him. We eventually had to move Percy up onto the bed, out of her reach, just to keep the peace. My 11-year-old niece, meanwhile, was considerably less impressed. More on her reaction in a bit.
Of course, Percy isn’t necessarily designed for people like me. He’s intended to provide a little companionship without the responsibilities of owning an actual pet, something that could be particularly appealing to older adults, people who live alone, or anyone who loves animals but can’t have one. After spending some time with him, I can certainly see the appeal.
First Impressions
Straight out of the box, Percy is pretty darn cute. He arrives curled up in a relaxed, resting position, with black-and-white fur, a fluffy tail, and a pair of shiny eyes. From a distance, he could be mistaken for a real cat. Up close, he’s more like a high-quality plush. He doesn’t blink or simulate breathing, but he’s still a charming little companion.
His fur is reasonably soft, with a texture that’s surprisingly close to real cat fur, although perhaps a little rougher. It was slightly messy when I first removed him from the box, but nothing a quick brushing couldn’t fix. In fact, CHONGKER includes a little comb specifically for grooming Percy, which I thought was an adorable touch. Sitting down to brush him gives owners another way to interact with him, especially if they enjoy the familiar routine of caring for a pet. He also has some weight to him, and his proportions are fairly similar to those of an actual cat. Resting on your lap, he feels a lot like the real thing.
One of my favorite details is his paws. Instead of plain fabric feet, Percy has soft, squishy rubber pads that feel a lot like real toe beans. And let’s be honest, toe beans are the best part of any cat.
As far as construction goes, I was pleasantly surprised. The stitching and fur seem secure, and I haven’t noticed any shedding during my time with him. Percy feels like a thoughtfully made product rather than a cheap novelty toy.
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Petting, Purring, and Some Questionable Cat Noises
Naturally, the main attraction here is that Percy does more than just sit around looking cute. CHONGKER has equipped him with touch sensors around his head, neck, back, and tail. Petting these areas triggers different responses, including meowing and purring. He also supports simple voice commands, responding to phrases such as “Percy,” “Pretty kitty,” and “Rise and shine.” You can even give him a custom name, though I haven’t tried that feature. In my experience, the voice commands work quite well. Percy consistently responds when called with a little meow. Granted, the meows aren’t particularly realistic, but they’re still cute.
Some of his other noises are a bit… peculiar.
My niece described one of them as sounding like a “dying goat,” which, while perhaps a little harsh, isn’t entirely inaccurate. Every now and then, particularly when touching his tail, Percy produces an odd grunting noise that doesn’t sound much like any cat I’ve encountered. The volume is adjustable, so anyone who finds the sounds a little too enthusiastic can turn them down. There’s also not an enormous variety of sounds, so you’ll become familiar with his repertoire fairly quickly.
The touch sensors themselves work reasonably well, although they aren’t always as sensitive as I’d like. Sometimes, gently stroking Percy’s back won’t trigger a response, and I have to apply a little more pressure to get him to purr or meow. Petting him still feels natural, but I would have preferred the sensors to respond more consistently to a lighter touch. That’s especially relevant for someone with limited hand strength who might not realize they need to press a little more firmly.
The Heartbeat
While the meowing and purring are entertaining, my favorite feature is actually something much simpler: Percy’s heartbeat. When you hug him or hold down the sensor on his back for a couple of seconds, you can feel a gentle heartbeat coming from inside his body.
It’s a sweet feature, and one I could imagine being comforting for someone dealing with loneliness or anxiety. Combined with Percy’s realistic size and slightly weighted body, it makes holding him feel a little more like cuddling an actual pet. You can rest him on your lap, stroke his fur, or simply hug him without needing him to do anything particularly impressive. In fact, I think Percy is often at his most convincing when he’s quiet. His fur, weight, and little paw pads do a lot of the work, even without the electronic features.
Controls, Charging, and Everyday Use
One detail I appreciated about Percy’s design is how well CHONGKER has hidden the electronics. Rather than leaving buttons and charging ports exposed, the controls are tucked away beneath a small fabric flap on his belly. The flap is covered in matching fur and secured with a snap button, keeping everything neatly concealed when not in use. Inside, you’ll find the power and volume controls, along with a USB-C charging port.
According to the instructions, Percy takes approximately four hours to charge and automatically enters sleep mode after 30 minutes without interaction. He also uses a rechargeable battery, eliminating the need to keep replacing disposable ones. As for battery life, I haven’t had to recharge him yet. Between my own testing and my niece spending some time playing with him, he’s held up well through several sessions.
The controls themselves are straightforward enough, although someone who needs assistance with electronics may benefit from having a family member or caregiver handle the initial setup.
Who Is the CHONGKER Percy Cat Actually For?
Personally, I don’t have much need for an electronic cat. I already have a dog, and I’m not particularly interested in collecting interactive stuffed animals. My niece wasn’t terribly enthusiastic either, although she’s 11, already has real cats, and generally prefers her tablet and video games to traditional toys. But that doesn’t mean Percy doesn’t have an audience.
I can easily imagine him appealing to someone who has always loved cats but can no longer care for one. Perhaps an older adult living in assisted living, someone who struggles with loneliness, or a child who desperately wants a pet but lives somewhere that doesn’t allow animals.
My grandmother actually comes to mind.
She had Alzheimer’s disease and always loved cats, but she wasn’t able to have one. At one point, we gave her a simple stuffed dog, and she absolutely adored it. There was nothing electronic or particularly realistic about that little dog, but it still brought her comfort. Thinking back on that, I could easily imagine her enjoying something like Percy, especially earlier in her illness. That said, I would be a little more cautious about giving him to someone in the later stages of dementia. As my grandmother’s condition progressed, she developed a habit of persistently picking at fabrics and pulling things apart. Although Percy’s fur seems securely attached, I could imagine her eventually managing to pull some of it out. That was just her experience, and not everyone with dementia will behave the same way, so it’s worth thinking about the individual.
And unlike a real cat, Percy doesn’t need feeding, litter box cleaning, or veterinary appointments. Though, judging by my dog’s reaction, you may still have to keep him out of reach of any particularly enthusiastic real pets.
River was very intrigued.
Final Thoughts
Percy isn’t going to fool everyone into thinking he’s a real cat, and some of his noises are downright strange. His meows sound somewhat artificial, and the sensors sometimes need a firmer pet than they should. But I didn’t mind. He’s soft, he’s weighted just right, he has the best little toe beans, and the heartbeat is a sweet, comforting touch. I might not be who Percy was made for, but I can see why someone else would love having him around. He’s a niche product, but a cute one.
Buy it if: you or someone you know misses having a cat and would enjoy holding, petting, and brushing a soft, weighted plush, with no litter box or vet bills.
Skip it if: you want realistic cat sounds, you need sensors that respond to a very light touch, or the person you’re buying for tends to pick at or pull apart objects.
Disclosure: CHONGKER provided Percy Cat 1.1 for review at no cost. All opinions are based on my own experience with the product.
