Compare · Neko
Desksquattaz vs Neko. Different animals.
Neko: The original desktop cat. It chases your cursor, and it has since the 1980s. Desksquattaz: a deadpan box cat with his own life on your Windows desktop. Here’s an honest look at both.
- Origin
- Late-1980s Japanese PC program, later ported everywhere (oneko, Neko98, and more)
- Price
- Free
- Platforms
- Almost everything, including in-browser versions
- Vibe
- Chases the mouse pointer, scratches, falls asleep when you stop
Where Neko wins
- Pure nostalgia, and a design so simple it’s perfect.
- Tiny and runs almost anywhere.
- It notices you all the time. Toastah, for free, mostly doesn’t.
Where Toastah is different
- He has his own computer full of games, and he plays some of them with you.
- Neko reacts to your cursor. Toastah has his own plans and ignores your cursor on principle.
- He eats from a real folder, makes a mess in another, keeps a stash, and brings souvenirs back from trips.
- He has a computer, friends, roommates, and games you can play together.
- With Cat Plan he turns around: he chats and remembers you.
| Side by side | Neko | Desksquattaz |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in games | Not listed | 12 (5 free) |
| Co-op games with you | Not listed | Yes: 5 local co-op games |
| Tamagotchi-style care | Not listed | Real-folder bowl and litter, kibble bank and shop, streaks, achievements. Never dies. |
| Chases your cursor | ✓ Yes | Only if he feels like it (he doesn’t) |
| Own daily schedule: naps, work, trips | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Uses real files: stash, bowl, litter, souvenirs | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Has his own computer with apps and games | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Care loop that never punishes you | No care needed | ✓ Yes |
| Talks back and remembers you | — No | With Cat Plan |
| Price | Free | Free, Cat Plan optional |
| Platforms | Almost everywhere | Windows |
| Still being updated | Not listed | 14 builds in the last 30 days |
Pick Neko if
You want the classic, tiny, cursor-chasing cat you remember.
Pick Desksquattaz if
You want a cat who is a bit more like a real cat: busy, opinionated, and only occasionally interested in you.
the ancestor chased mice. I have a job. — Toastah, asked for comment
Last updated: 17 October 2026
Facts about other apps checked October 2026 from their official pages. Something wrong? Tell us at hello@desksquattaz.com.
Try him
Free, and he’ll ignore you. That’s the deal.
Other comparisons: vs Desktop Goose · vs Shimeji · vs BonziBuddy · vs Bongo Cat · vs VPet-Simulator · vs Sill Cats · vs Desktop Mate · vs My Desktop Cat · vs Pets Therapy