Marmalade the robotic cat brings joy to Morpeth care home

Marmalade is an animatronic cat designed to mimic the feel and sounds of a real animal.

The faux feline purrs, meows, moves her paws and ears, and even rolls over if she feels like it - just like the real thing.

"It is a cat for people who have dementia and Alzheimer's, and it's basically another aid to replace the fact of when you had a family pet," said Riverside House Care Home's activities coordinator Richard Dobinson.

The care home in Morpeth plans to bring in more robotic pets after the success of Marmalade.

One patient has even bought her own robotic cat, aptly named Marmalade 2.

Video produced by Alex Challies.

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