With Kittyo, keep your cat chasing that pesky red dot from afar

The mysterious red dot is back. All the time.

That’s what your cat will think, but in reality you’ve probably just installed a Kittyo, a new gadget that enables cat owners to play with their cats remotely.

Through the Kittyo app for iOS and Android, you can use the device as a laser pointer, watching your cat go bonkers chasing it. You can also record video, speak to your pet, and dispense treats through the crowdfunded pet gizmo.

Above: The Kittyo

Image Credit: Kittyo

At 7 inches tall, Kittyo attaches to shelves and walls to ensure it’s impervious to your cat’s curious bats. The gadget looks a bit like a coffee machine — but it’s obviously way cooler, because it has a laser.

The eponymous pet-tech startup on Monday launched a Kickstarter campaign, which hit its $30,000 goal in an absurdly fast 36 minutes, according to the company. Five days later, the campaign total stands at $177,119 raised, nearly six times its original goal with four weeks of crowdfunding left.

“We’ve had an incredible week since we launched on Kickstarter just 5 days ago,” the Kittyo team wrote in a Kickstarter update Saturday. “With [over] 1,600 backers and more than $175,000 pledged already, we couldn’t have dreamed of a better launch. We hope we can maintain this incredible momentum for the next 27 days.”

The startup is offering Kittyos to campaign backer who plunk down at least $139 (though there are still some available a lower ‘early bird’ price). The company expects to ship Kittyo to backers in November. To learn more about Kittyo, check out the Kickstarter video below.