Poppy Playtime's CatNap is the big bad of Chapter 3, and it's wise to learn everything you can about your enemy, especially one who's as heinous as the Prototype's loyal follower. In this guide, we tell you all about CatNap's background, including which child ends up becoming him, his role in the story, personality, and appearances.
but we have to admire his loyalty, even if he chose the side of a murderous, rampaging thing we're yet to fully see. However, there's actually more to CatNap than meets the eye. Even back when he was a human child, he was quite conniving, so, to better help you understand your enemy, we're here to walk you through his backstory, role in the ongoing events, his personality, and his appearances.
If you struggle in your fight for survival against CatNap, check out our Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 walkthrough. If you're stuck in one of the previous chapters, we also have Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 and Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 guides to help you overcome Poppy Playtime's Huggy Wuggy and Poppy Playtime's Mommy Long Legs.
Here's what you need to know about Poppy Playtime's CatNap:
Who is Poppy Playtime's CatNap?
CatNap, also known as Experiment 1188, is the primary antagonist from Poppy Playtime Chapter 3. However, before he was CatNap, this monstrous toy was a young boy, an orphan in Playtime Co.'s Playcare facility. While he was human, he was Theodore Grambell, living at Home Sweet Home, but his relationship with the staff was anything but sweet, as they weren't fans of his imaginary friend. The reason is that his 'friend' encouraged Theodore to sabotage Playtime Co.
Before Chapter 3's release, we gave a quick theory on who his friend is, as if you go through the intractable ARG experience for Chapter 3 (the Leith Pierre Computer Search), you see a drawing that shows Theodore sitting on a bed wearing purple while a long mechanical arm reaches out from under his bed - this made us believe the imaginary friend is Poppy Playtime's Prototype. After completing Deep Sleep, we know this theory to be 100% true, so allow us to give you a quick rundown on how this friendship came to be.
Theodore's background
One day, the Prototype, also known as Experiment 1006, tells Theodore to pick up a grabpack and a green grabpack hand to open the maintenance door in Playcare. To open this door, you need two people to work together, so when the Playcare staff stumble across a wounded Theodore near the door, they surmised it was his imaginary friend who encouraged him. You might be wondering why the child was injured; well, it turns out the boy electrocutes himself while trying to work out how to use the grabpack.
The staff gives Theodore urgent medical care, but the experience doesn't deter the young boy from his shenanigans with Experiment 1006, which ultimately leads to the staff deciding to turn Theodore into one of their abhorrent experiments, resulting in the creature known as CatNap.
Interestingly, Theodore isn't the only child that the staff considered for the Bigger Buddies initiative, but after much deliberation, it was agreed that Theodore would be the perfect subject to become CatNap. Thus, he became the guardian of Home Sweet Home, the very place he called home as a young lad.
CatNap's background
CatNap's sole purpose is to prevent children from escaping Playcare, though Playtime Co. also required the toy to abduct kids for experimentation when the time came. Given his role, it comes as no surprise that CatNap lived in Home Sweet Home, diligently watching the children, making use of his red gas to put them to sleep - something that also helps with kidnapping them, as is his main purpose.
The gas isn't lethal, but it's still highly potent, causing all kinds of distress to its victims. One such unlucky soul is Marie Payne, who you know better as Mommy Long Legs. The gas gave this poor girl severe night terrors, which is simply awful for a young child. Despite what she does as a toy, I can't help but feel for her on a humane level.
Another interesting fact about CatNap is that there were two previous experiments, 1186 and 1187, before staff settled on Experiment 1188 for Home Sweet Home. Of course, Theodore's friendship with the Prototype remained, except that in the months following CatNap's creation, he became more of a pet to Experiment 1006, revering him as a god.
At first, the staff had high hopes for CatNap, considering him to be a near-perfect toy, but his relationship with the Prototype is where he falls short. Considering the events that transpire, I'm inclined to agree with the scientists on this one.
What is CatNap's role in the story?
CatNap lives in Playcare and has done so since his creation, being designed to look after the children found within. And, as we suspected, he worships the Prototype, with numerous characters claiming CatNap reveres him as a god throughout the chapter.
As such, CatNap is against those who dare not agree with Experiment 1006 and the dastardly things he has done. An unfortunate example of his cruelty comes in the form of Poppy Playtime's DogDay, who we find in the Playhouse with his lower body missing, claiming that "this is what he does to heretics." We also find out that DogDay is the last surviving Smiling Critter from the Bigger Buddies Initiative, and the chances are that CatNap is behind their deaths, possibly putting an end to them shortly after The Hour of Joy. At the very least, it's clear that the Smiling Critters are long dead by the time you arrive in the factory.
While you only see him a couple of times before your showdown, it's highly likely that he follows you all throughout Playcare - or, at the very least, he's aware of where you are and when. Despite there being other dangers to concern yourself with (Poppy Playtime's Miss Delight comes to mind), CatNap is clearly the big kid on campus here.
His impressive loyalty to the Prototype means he wants you dead, and you know how he deals with heretics after seeing what he did to DogDay, and hearing the screams of the other Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters. However, you're better than CatNap, outsmarting him, and causing the Prototype to teach this toy a very valuable lesson: everyone is expendable. We almost feel sorry for him, then the Prototype stabs him, and we're just thankful it's not us.
Why was CatNap recalled?
CatNap was recalled after it came to light that the toy emitted red gas that gave children who inhaled the fumes horrid nightmares. Our time in Playcare tells us just how heinous this gas is, and we're glad that the recall was too little, too late for Playtime Co., as the company's reputation was severely damaged.
Poppy Playtime CatNap's personality
CatNap is a sadistic and vicious individual, yet oddly loyal at the same time. What we mean by that is if you're on the same side as him, he's not going to stab you in the back, but if you go against him and the Prototype, he might go ahead and shove your head on a pyke. No, we're not joking, one of the trailers shows a Huggy Wuggy head on one. Plus, when you see what he's done to DogDay, you might pretend to worship his god to avoid the same grizzly fate.
However, when it comes to the children of Playcare, during the days of the orphanage, he was a kind and calm figure, having been a scared child once himself. In fact, it's said that he was a docile creature with a gentle side and that he took his job very seriously. Once upon a time, CatNap truly was a lovely being.
Poppy Playtime CatNap's appearances
CatNap only appears in Chapter 3, and considering that the Prototype basically turns him into a kebab, it's highly unlikely that we'll see him again, unless we're right about the Prototype grafting toys to himself. Plus, CatNap didn't make any surprise appearances in Chapter 4, leading us to believe that he's not going to be in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 - just one outlandish comeback is enough, thanks.
And that's all we have to tell you about CatNap. It's time to go even deeper into the factory with Poppy Playtime Chapter 4, so make sure you read our Poppy Playtime Yarnaby and Poppy Playtime Doey guides to learn about your enemies and your allies. However, just remember, not everything is as it seems.