Poppy Playtime’s CatNap is turning heads after his nightmarish performance in Chapter 3: Deep Sleep; he certainly creeps us out. Usually, we love cats at PT. Laguna, Raine, Xiao, Beans, and Uno are the kitty members of the team, and not one of them is half as terrifying as CatNap. Mind you, Laguna certainly screams as though the big bad pink cat is chasing him down.
Just like with our Poppy Playtime Huggy Wuggy and Poppy Playtime Mommy Long Legs guides, we intend to look at CatNap’s role in the story, dive into his personality, and offer insight into his character. To learn about some toys that came before him, check out our Poppy Playtime characters guide, and maybe go through our Poppy Playtime download article if you’re yet to play the previous chapters.
Anyway, onto what we 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 run down 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.
While it’s nonlethal, the gas is still highly potent, causing issues to unfortunate victims. One such case involves Marie Payne, the kid who goes on to become Mommy Long Legs, as she suffered from severe night terrors. I’ll never condone the actions of the toys, but things like this force me to have a sympathetic outlook.
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 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 what let him down. Considering the events that transpire, I’m inclined to agree with the scientists on this one.
What is CatNap’s role in the story?
As Deep Sleep is still very new, please consider this your warning for spoilers.
Now that Deep Sleep is available to players worldwide, we can tell you exactly how CatNap plays into the Poppy Playtime story. He 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. If you interact with their cardboard cutouts throughout the chapter, you can even hear them scream in agony and terror, adding fuel to the fire that CatNap is likely behind it.
Previously, we thought CatNap would stalk you throughout the Chapter, and while we still believe that to be true, you only see him on a couple of occasions before the big showdown. However, while there are other dangers in Playcare (Poppy Playtime’s Miss Delight comes to mind), it’s evident that CatNap and his red gas rule the roost.
As you’re a clear danger to the Prototype, CatNap fully intends to have you meet the same fate as DogDay and the other Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters, but you turn the tables on this kitty, forcing him to learn a harsh lesson – everyone is expendable. Luckily, you do have friends in this area, as Poppy Playtime’s Kissy Missy, Poppy Playtime’s Poppy, and Poppy Playtime’s Ollie help you when they can.
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
Absent from Poppy Playtime Chapter 1 and Poppy Playtime Chapter 2, CatNap makes his debut in Chapter 3, and it’s safe to say that this will be his only meaningful appearance, given what the Prototype does to him at the end. As such, we feel he might have the same fate as Huggy Wuggy and Mommy Long Legs. However, he might appear in future documents or posters, as do various over characters.
Is there a CatNap plush?
For those of you who want to show your love for the toy, you can buy an official CatNap plush from the Poppy Playtime website. However, it’s not the spooky variant you get, but the adorable one from the Smiling Critters TV show. Actually, we think it’s gaping mouth is still pretty creepy. Still, it’s a great addition to any collection you may have going on.
And that’s all we have to tell you about CatNap. To get a look at other Poppy Playtime toys, check out our Poppy Playtime Boxy Boo and Poppy Playtime Boogie Bot guides. Also, make sure you read our Poppy Playtime Chapter 4 guide to see what the next installment may have in store.