Socially Intelligent Virtual Petz

https://alumni.media.mit.edu/~benres/verbiage/Socially%20Intelligent%20Virtual%20Petz.htm

Calls Petz socially intelligent agents living on the desktop whose goal is an intimate relationship with the user; evolving social relationships with the user and each other; adopted and named; trained to do tricks for treats; hungry pets search for food, hunt mice, or beg; individual likes, dislikes, coloration, and quirks; personalities change under extreme circumstances; begin as puppies or kittens, age, then stop aging and do not die; neglected pets eventually run away.

Petz (Dogz and Catz)