Pet ownership isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. There’s the wear-and-tear on the carpet, the vet visits, the untimely messes. But looking at the alternatives, such as hovering robotic Slinkies, maybe your shedding cat isn’t so bad. That doesn’t mean that these Cthulhu-esque robots created by the design and architecture firm Minimaforms don’t need a little love. (Watch the video for more horrifying details.) To the contrary, they like being petted by you.

In fact they like attention so much that “they will ‘perform’ to stimulate engagement between the potential participants,” their creators told Wired. These gentle giants are programmed to display an array of emotions, ranging from curious to disinterested to angry, in resposne to what you do. So play nice! I’d really hate to see one of these things in a bad mood.