电子宠物是一种人工玩伴，作为陪伴人类或者作为娱乐用途。人们可以饲养电子宠物以取代真正的宠物。

虽然电子宠物的设计未必一定要求饲养者达成一定的任务，但不少电子宠物的设计都要求玩家达到令到电子宠物不会死亡，和令到电子宠物长大的任务。而要令电子宠物不会死亡的话，一般便需要玩家「喂饲」宠物和与宠物玩耍。

有些电子宠物的设计则不必玩家达成一定的任务。那些电子宠物则多以能够让玩家与之创建关系为设置目标。这类电子宠物会被设计成有不同的性格，可以让玩家慢慢发掘和感受。这类电子宠物多数更着重宠物的视觉和交互的效果，令玩家有以为电子宠物是真宠物的错觉，才能令玩家更易于与之创建关系。

A digital pet (also known as a virtual pet, artificial pet, or pet-raising simulation) is a type of artificial human companion. They are usually kept for companionship or enjoyment. People may keep a digital pet in lieu of a real pet.

Digital pets are distinct in that they have no concrete physical form other than the hardware they run on. Interaction with virtual pets may or may not be goal oriented. If it is, then the user must keep it alive as long as possible and often help it to grow into higher forms. Keeping the pet alive and growing often requires 'feeding', grooming and playing with the pet. If the interaction is not goal oriented, the user can explore the character of the pet and enjoy the feeling of building a relationship with it.