Shimeji alternatives. Fewer clones, more cat.

Shimeji-ee is little desktop companions that run around your screen. You pick from characters drawn by artists around the world. It is free and open source. It requires Java, and it runs only on Windows. The longer note is Desksquattaz vs Shimeji. The project page is kilkakon.com/shimeji. The apps below are the Windows alternatives that skip that Java install.

VPet-Simulator

VPet-Simulator is made by LB Game and was released on Steam in August 2023. It is a desktop pet you feed and look after, with work and study interactions and Steam Workshop mods. It is free and open source, and it runs on Windows. AI chat is available through community Workshop mods that use your own API key. It has a big Workshop mod scene and lots of stats if you like managing them. About 50,000 Steam reviews call it Overwhelmingly Positive. See Desksquattaz vs VPet or the official Steam page.

Bongo Cat

Bongo Cat is made by Irox Games and was released on Steam in March 2025. A cat sits on your taskbar and hits a drum for every key press and click. You collect points and hats. It is free on Steam, optional paid cosmetic packs are about $5–$10 on the US store, and hats are earned through item drops. It runs on Windows and macOS. It is instant and tiny, it reacts to every keystroke, and it has a huge community. Over 100,000 Steam reviews call it Overwhelmingly Positive. See Desksquattaz vs Bongo Cat or the official Steam page.

Sill Cats

Sill Cats is made by SQOOL and was released on Steam on 12 May 2026. Tiny realistic cats walk along the tops of your windows, nap, bat at your cursor, and get zoomies in the middle of the night, with up to two cats on screen. The base app is free with two cats, Abyssinian and Tuxedo. Extra breed and toy packs are about $1.99 each. It runs on Windows. It is very faithful real-cat behaviour, with several breeds. See Desksquattaz vs Sill Cats or the official Steam page.

Desktop Mate

Desktop Mate is made by infiniteloop and was released on Steam in January 2025. 3D characters sit on your windows, play with your mouse cursor, and respond to head pats, with a built-in alarm. The base app is free. Officially licensed character DLCs are $14.99 each, for example Hatsune Miku. It runs on Windows and macOS. It wins on official licensed characters, 3D models, and Mac support. See Desksquattaz vs Desktop Mate or the official Steam page.

My Desktop Cat

My Desktop Cat, by hirsch-dev, was released on Steam on 1 October 2026 for Windows. It lives behind your windows, you can feed, pet and brush it, and it grows to level 100. See Desksquattaz vs My Desktop Cat.

Pets Therapy

Pets Therapy, by Csquared Digital, is free on macOS, Windows and Linux, with 100+ pixel pets that talk to each other. See Desksquattaz vs Pets Therapy.

Desksquattaz

Desksquattaz is one cat, Toastah, on Windows 10 and 11. He is not a sprite pack and he does not need Java. He roams, naps, moves icons without deleting them, and goes on trips that leave souvenir files. His food bowl, litter box, and My Stash are real folders. His computer, the Meowputer, holds a Journal, Meowter, My Bank, My Shop, Meow Painter, a Territory map, and Scratch Boom. Co-op games are Battle City and a dungeon crawl. Free is $0 forever, no ads, no card. Cat Plan is $4.99 a month or $39 a year, 7-day trial, no card. There is a Mac waitlist and no Mac app yet. Download from desksquattaz.com/download. The Shimeji note is Desksquattaz vs Shimeji.

Pick VPet-Simulator if you want a free care sim and Workshop mods. Pick Bongo Cat if you want a cat that drums when you type, including on a Mac. Pick Sill Cats if you want realistic cats on Windows. Pick Desktop Mate if you want licensed 3D characters and a Mac build. Pick Desksquattaz if you want a cat with Tamagotchi-style care and a computer full of games you can play together. Shimeji-ee stays the right pick when you want characters drawn by artists around the world and you are fine installing Java on Windows.