⚠️ Warning: Numerous incidents of robot vacuums injuring pets have occurred in 2026. If you have a cat and are planning to purchase a robot vacuum, please read this article carefully.
Recently, a Roborock G20S Ultra robot vacuum was involved in an incident where it sucked up a kitten’s tail and dragged it.
If you have pets at home, please be extremely vigilant!
This is not an issue specific to this model; it’s a common, hidden problem with robot vacuums.
Incident Details and Brand Response
The kitten was lying normally on the floor, but the robot vacuum failed to accurately detect it.
Therefore, it got caught in the kitten’s tail and dragged it for nearly ten minutes.
The surveillance footage shows the kitten crying in distress.
During the ten minutes the kitten was dragged, the machine did not issue any alarms.
It only started issuing warnings when the machine got stuck on the sofa.
The kitten then managed to break free and was safe.
Without the sofa legs, the kitten might have been dragged for even longer.
The store manager stated that the pet obstacle avoidance function depends on the actual situation, meaning that the machine has a chance of trapping a cat.
This also serves as a warning to pet owners: Robotic vacuum cleaners are not entirely safe; always use them when no one is home!
[Reference Source: Real-world case of Roborock G20S Ultra dragging a cat’s tail]
Why Can't Your Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Completely Avoid Obstacles?
Even models like the Roborock G20S Ultra, which integrate industry-leading sensors, still have obstacle avoidance vulnerabilities.
Current AI recognition models mostly rely on static feature libraries.
When a cat’s tail is stationary, its height is extremely low and its shape is irregular.
The scanning plane of a LiDAR scanner is usually a few centimeters above the machine. For a long, thin tail close to the ground, the laser often misses it.
If AI vision fails to capture the cat’s head or body features, relying solely on a tail, the algorithm might misinterpret it as a thick power cord or the edge of a carpet.
Regarding power cords, the machine’s logic is to attempt to go around them or cross them with low power, rather than physically shutting down.
The kitten cried for ten minutes, but the machine didn’t react at all—this is the most disheartening aspect.
Most robotic vacuum cleaners use a constant rotation speed for their brush motors.
When hair or a tail gets caught, if the resistance doesn’t reach the preset “stall” threshold—the point where the motor is about to burn out—the machine will assume it’s just encountered stubborn dirt.
It might even increase the current to try and force-suck it in.
Furthermore, current robotic vacuum cleaners lack the highly sensitive sensors that allow for touch-based stop-and-go functionality like industrial collaborative robots.
Beware: The "Disclaimers" Behind These Slogans
As the store manager responded, the brand is well aware of this.
At the bottom of complex instruction manuals or product detail pages, this logic is usually hidden:
When we see an astonishing obstacle avoidance rate of 99% mentioned in product advertisements, it seems almost perfect.
However, in real-world use, that seemingly insignificant remaining 1% can cause unexpected trouble.
Therefore, we shouldn’t be misled by the high obstacle avoidance rate advertised in product advertisements, but should pay more attention to that seemingly small but potentially serious 1%.
AI learning functions sound sophisticated, but they also have their own unique operating logic.
This means that before truly learning to skillfully avoid obstacles, it may need to undergo multiple collision tests. Through these collisions, it collects data and analyzes the situation until it can accurately identify obstacles.
Rights Protection Guide: How to Fight Back Against Brands?
When brands use probability as an excuse to shirk responsibility, parents can legally protect their rights through legal means and public opinion.
Step 1: Preserve False Advertising Content
Quickly open the official website or the original e-commerce product details page and screenshot all promotional statements such as “accurate pet obstacle avoidance” and “optimized cat and dog recognition.”
If your advertisement claims the robot vacuum can successfully avoid pets, but in reality it sucked up a cat’s tail and dragged it for ten minutes, this is blatant false advertising.
This isn’t a probability issue; it’s a failure to deliver on your promised function—it’s fraud!
Step 2: Preserve Evidence
1. Save CCTV Footage: Save footage of the cat struggling and screaming. This is the most direct evidence that the machine dragged the kitten without triggering an alarm for an extended period.
2. Export App Cleaning Logs: Be sure to save the tracking map and alarm notifications. This will help establish a better timeline and chain of evidence.
Step 3: Want Compensation, But Demand Video Deletion?
If the other party offers a refund and demands video deletion, refuse immediately.
Brands usually demand video deletion for two reasons: either they want to settle privately through compensation, or they are using their legal department to exert pressure.
Just remember one thing: as long as your video is genuine and doesn’t contain defamation or insults, it doesn’t constitute infringement.
Our demands must be clear and firm.
Never delete the video before reaching a satisfactory written compensation agreement.
Once the video disappears, you lose your strongest bargaining chip, and the other party may immediately change their attitude.
Summary of Avoiding Pitfalls: How to Avoid These Pitfalls for Pet Owners?
If you already have a robot vacuum at home, or are considering one, always remember that robot vacuums currently only have weak artificial intelligence.
The best approach is to schedule cleaning for when you get home from work.
Having the robot vacuum work under your watchful eye reduces the likelihood of serious consequences in the event of an accident.
If you are a reader located in the United States, you can use the following authoritative channels to file a strong complaint:
You can report its false advertising to the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov).
If the incident results in serious injury, be sure to file a complaint with the CPSC (SaferProducts.gov), which may trigger a government safety investigation into the defective product.
Additionally, filing a complaint with the BBB (bbb.org) usually forces the senior public relations department of major brands to intervene directly, which is far more efficient than ordinary customer service.