THE STORY BEHIND HOWIE
Howie began with a real cat, not a business plan. What started with one unexpected visitor has grown into an idea for entertainment, education and interactive technology built around his real life.
Currently being built. Curiosity included.
HOW HOWIE FOUND US
How Howie found us
Howie was around three months old when he appeared as a stray in our front garden one afternoon.
We left the door open and he followed us inside. He stayed overnight, with the doors left open so he was free to leave, and the next day we took him to the vet to check for a microchip and have his fleas treated. From there he went into the care of a cat charity while the proper process was followed. We then went through the adoption process and brought him home for good.
The cat who walked into our home eventually became the inspiration for Howie.
FROM HOWIE TO THE PROJECT
From Howie to the project
The idea grew from wanting people to experience more of Howie’s real world — and to help educate people about cats from a cat’s perspective. The project combines two connected ideas. The entertainment side uses genuine footage of Howie’s real adventures, including point-of-view footage, fictional reactions, a consistent voice and eventual audience interaction. The educational side uses Howie’s character to make reliable information about cat behaviour, communication, senses, enrichment and care more engaging and accessible. A cartoon version of Howie can present educational content, while the real Howie remains at the centre of the entertainment. In both cases, technology supports the experience rather than replacing the real cat, and factual educational content remains subject to human research and review.
04 / HUMAN-LED PROJECT
Built by people, supported by AI
Howie is a human-led project. Human judgement remains responsible for Howie’s welfare, factual accuracy, privacy, which footage is used, educational standards, partnerships, publication decisions and overall creative direction. AI is being developed as a production, research and interaction technology — helping support content creation, Howie’s fictional character and voice, viewer interaction and the wider business — but it does not replace human responsibility.
FOUNDER
Steve
Steve is the founder of the Howie project. A military veteran who now works in Cyber Security, he has a strong interest in artificial intelligence, technology and how emerging tools can be turned into practical real-world systems. He is developing the technical architecture behind Howie, shaping the entertainment and educational concepts, coordinating partnerships and building the business around the real Howie.
05 / WHAT MATTERS
What matters
Four principles shape how the Howie project grows.
PRINCIPLE / CARE
01 / CARE →
Howie comes first
His welfare takes priority over filming, content, technology or commercial opportunities.
PRINCIPLE / HONESTY
02 / HONESTY →
Keep it real
Real footage and genuine events stay clearly separate from Howie’s fictional voice, imagined reactions and entertainment character.
PRINCIPLE / CRAFT
03 / CRAFT →
Build it properly
Develop and test the technology in stages rather than pretending unfinished systems are already complete.
PRINCIPLE / EDUCATION
04 / EDUCATION →
Make learning useful
Use Howie’s perspective to make reliable information about cats more engaging, while keeping research, factual accuracy and human review at the centre.
LET’S BUILD SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING
Want to be part of what we’re building?
Howie is pre-launch, and we’re building the project around his real adventures.