Naughty dog owner Sony's objection to the “Naughty Cat” trademark app, saying “dog” and “cat” are “highly similar”
Blog Andrew Joseph 05 Jun , 2025 0
The words “dog” and “cat” are similar enough to cause confusion? Naughty dog owner Sony considers himself to be and uses it as the basis for a formal objection to the Naughty Cat trademark application.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has objected to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a “Naughty Cat” trademark application filed by a company called Naughty Cat Co.
The Hong Kong-based company lists two apps on the company App StoreBoth gambling “games” promise to reward users with real real money. It's a world away from our last and unknown, but that didn't stop Sony's lawyers from showing their teeth and barking in anger on their feline competitors.
In the documents reviewed by IGN, Sony's lawyers believe that the naughty cat trademark is “similar” to the naughty dog trademark it owns “in the overall business impression and connotation”.
“The first major element of the two marks of Naughty is the same,” Sony said. “The second element, dog and cat, is highly similar because both elements refer to pets and are likely to mislead consumers to believe that naughty cats are associated with West Asia and/or naughty dogs, or that their merchandise is authorized or approved by Sie and/or Naughty Dog.”
The objection continues to insist that any registration of the Naughty Cat trademark “can cause confusion, or cause errors or deceptions to the public against the source of the applicant’s goods for the purpose of causing harm and damage to Sie and Piblic.”
“Registration of Applicant's Mark will lead the public to conclude, incorrectly, that Applicant is or has been affiliated or connected with SIE, and/or that Applicant's goods provided under Applicant's Mark are or have been authorized, sponsored, endorsed, or licensed by SIE. Issuance of any registration to Applicant for the proposed mark will result in damage to SIE and the public.”
Most importantly, the naughty CAT application requires the first use date on December 25, 2023. The naughty dog trademark has certainly been used many years ago.
Whether you agree with Sony's claims here or not, the USPTO outlines a timetable for resolving the dispute and sets a trial date. Naughty Cat Co. Ltd. must answer Sony's objection by July 12. If you don't do so, the USPTO may mark the application as waived and Sony will win. If not, the dispute could be tried in 2026.
It seems unlikely that any developer of Naughty Dog is related to this trademark business. Neil Druckmann and the Company (Co) are busy with work Star-like: Heresy Prophet and The second, secret, unnotified items.
We know nothing about this. Maybe it's about cats?
Patrick Pleul/Picture Alliance Photos by Getty Images.
Wesley is IGN's news director. Find him on Twitter via @wyp100. You can reach Wesley via [email protected] or secretly visit [email protected].