diff --git a/arkouda/__init__.py b/arkouda/__init__.py
index a6659bf99e..c87dbc1581 100644
--- a/arkouda/__init__.py
+++ b/arkouda/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from arkouda.client import *
 from arkouda.client_dtypes import *
 from arkouda.dtypes import *
+from arkouda.decorators import *
 from arkouda.pdarrayclass import *
 from arkouda.sorting import *
 from arkouda.pdarraysetops import *
diff --git a/arkouda/categorical.py b/arkouda/categorical.py
index ed90ee7860..4d9f799450 100644
--- a/arkouda/categorical.py
+++ b/arkouda/categorical.py
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@
 
 import numpy as np  # type: ignore
 from typeguard import typechecked
+from arkouda.decorators import objtypedec
 
 from arkouda.dtypes import bool as akbool
 from arkouda.dtypes import int64 as akint64
-from arkouda.dtypes import int_scalars, resolve_scalar_dtype, str_scalars
+from arkouda.dtypes import int_scalars, resolve_scalar_dtype, str_scalars, str_
 from arkouda.groupbyclass import GroupBy, unique
 from arkouda.infoclass import information, list_registry
 from arkouda.logger import getArkoudaLogger
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@
 __all__ = ["Categorical"]
 
 
+@objtypedec
 class Categorical:
     """
     Represents an array of values belonging to named categories. Converting a
@@ -77,7 +79,6 @@ class Categorical:
     BinOps = frozenset(["==", "!="])
     RegisterablePieces = frozenset(["categories", "codes", "permutation", "segments", "_akNAcode"])
     RequiredPieces = frozenset(["categories", "codes", "_akNAcode"])
-    objtype = "category"
     permutation = None
     segments = None
 
@@ -137,8 +138,13 @@ def __init__(self, values, **kwargs) -> None:
         self.nlevels = self.categories.size
         self.ndim = self.codes.ndim
         self.shape = self.codes.shape
+        self.dtype = str_
         self.name: Optional[str] = None
 
+    @property
+    def objtype(self):
+        return self.objtype
+
     @classmethod
     @typechecked
     def from_codes(
diff --git a/arkouda/decorators.py b/arkouda/decorators.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08a9cfec12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arkouda/decorators.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+def objtypedec(orig_cls):
+    orig_cls.objtype = orig_cls.__name__
+    return orig_cls
diff --git a/src/AryUtil.chpl b/src/AryUtil.chpl
index fd8eca09d9..7b3101a6b4 100644
--- a/src/AryUtil.chpl
+++ b/src/AryUtil.chpl
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ module AryUtil
             thisSize = g.size;
             hasStr = true;
           }
-          when "category" {
+          when "Categorical" {
             // passed only Categorical.codes.name to be sorted on
             var g = getGenericTypedArrayEntry(name, st);
             thisSize = g.size;
diff --git a/src/UniqueMsg.chpl b/src/UniqueMsg.chpl
index e1110ff21f..fa85c03c27 100644
--- a/src/UniqueMsg.chpl
+++ b/src/UniqueMsg.chpl
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ module UniqueMsg
       for (name, objtype, i) in zip(names, types, 0..) {
         var newName = st.nextName();
         select objtype {
-          when "pdarray", "category" {
+          when "pdarray", "Categorical" {
             var g = getGenericTypedArrayEntry(name, st);
             // Gathers unique values, stores in SymTab, and returns repMsg chunk
             proc gatherHelper(type t) throws {
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ module UniqueMsg
       }
       for (name, objtype, i) in zip(names, types, 0..) {
         select objtype {
-          when "pdarray", "category" {
+          when "pdarray", "Categorical" {
             var g = getGenericTypedArrayEntry(name, st);
             select g.dtype {
               when DType.Int64 {
diff --git a/tests/categorical_test.py b/tests/categorical_test.py
index 1a73b85170..5a83834ce9 100644
--- a/tests/categorical_test.py
+++ b/tests/categorical_test.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def testBaseCategorical(self):
             ).all()
         )
         self.assertEqual(10, cat.size)
-        self.assertEqual("category", cat.objtype)
+        self.assertEqual("Categorical", cat.objtype)
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             ak.Categorical(ak.arange(0, 5, 10))
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def testConcatenate(self):
         catTwo = self._getCategorical("string-two", 51)
 
         resultCat = catOne.concatenate([catTwo])
-        self.assertEqual("category", resultCat.objtype)
+        self.assertEqual("Categorical", resultCat.objtype)
         self.assertIsInstance(resultCat, ak.Categorical)
         self.assertEqual(100, resultCat.size)
 
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ def testConcatenate(self):
         self.assertFalse(resultCat.segments)
 
         resultCat = ak.concatenate([catOne, catOne], ordered=False)
-        self.assertEqual("category", resultCat.objtype)
+        self.assertEqual("Categorical", resultCat.objtype)
         self.assertIsInstance(resultCat, ak.Categorical)
         self.assertEqual(100, resultCat.size)