Cat Bringing You Dead Animals as Gifts? Artificial Intelligence Will B

Published A Few Days Ago
ADVERTISEMENT

The use of artificial intelligence in the pet industry is slowly but surely gaining more ground: this AI-powered cat flap just proves it.

If you have a cat that’s free to go outdoors as he or she pleases, you’ve probably got a few gifts in return. And by gifts, I mean dead (or almost dead) critters your kitty has hunted down for you and oh so helpfully put right on your bed so you could find them once you wake up. It’s disturbing and disgusting, but hey- studies show that that means your cat considers you their family member, albeit an incompetent one. While the gory gift is a kind gesture in your cat’s eyes, it doesn’t mean you have to like it though.

Ben Hamm certainly didn’t like his cat, Metric, bringing his prey inside the house. That’s why he developed an AI-powered cat flap that blocked the thoughtful kitty whenever he tried to enter the house with a critter stuck between his jaws. He installed an Amazon Deeplink camera above the cat door and trained the artificial intelligence with pictures of his cats with and without dead animals in tow. The algorithm is based on 3 steps: checking if the cat is going in or out, checking to see if the cat is in the frame, and lastly, checking to see if there are any critters in his mouth. Hamm had to feed over 23,000 images to the AI for it to start detecting his pet trying to sneak in dead animals.

Once the artificial intelligence was able to discern his kitty ‘coming in for a snack vs coming in with a snack’, the rest was easy. He programmed the kitty flap to stay locked for 15 minutes once the gory gift was detected, send him a picture of the deed (just in case) and automatically donate a small sum to Audubon Society, a bird organization. (Metric seems to prefer bird prey.) In the case Metric was coming empty-mouthed, he could enter normally.

Needless to say, many cat pawrents would be thrilled about having this type of AI-powered pet door at their disposal, but this is still far from being a publicly available product. Until it hits the pet store shelves, though, my advice is just to have an indoors-only cat. The nastiest thing my indoors-only cats have gifted me with is hairball vomit- and I’d take vomit over a dead animal every time.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

You May Like

What is Pet Selection Counseling?

If you need guidance when adding a furry family member to your ranks, it may be a good idea to consider pet selection counseling.
GoFundMe Campaign Helps Grandfather Care for Stray Cats

For the past 20 years, Willie Ortiz has been looking after stray cats in his hometown. Help him continue his work caring for these homeless pets.
British Giant Rabbit

The British Giant Rabbit is a good choice for families with children. It makes a wonderful family pet and house rabbit, and grows to 15 lb.
Taking a Bite Out Of Gingivitis in Dogs

Did you know that most dogs will suffer from gum disease during their life? Here''s how you can help stop gingivitis in dogs.
Soft Coated Golden

The friendly, playful Soft Coated Golden brings the sweet-natured Golden Retriever together with the fun-loving Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.
Volpino Italiano

Upon first glance, you might think the Volpino Italiano is some kind of cross between a Pomeranian and an American Eskimo Dog.
Peke-A-Tese

The spunky little Peke-A-Tese brings the spirited nature of the Pekingese together with the fun personality of the Maltese.
Eco-Friendly Ripple Rug For Cats Looking For A Kick Start

This Kickstarter is just for the kitties. Meet the Ripple Rug, a new cat toy made from recycled plastic bottles that saves your furniture from cat-astrophe!…
Dogs Wearing Soccer Jerseys Score With World Cup Fans

PetGuide.com can’t wait for 2014 FIFA World Cup to start tomorrow. And when it kicks off in Brazil, we’ll all be watching with our pooches, sport…
Your Jealous Dog: Study Shows Jealousy In Dogs Is Real

Does it surprise you that Fido may have a jealous side? Researchers find that pooches can turn into a green-eyed monster, too. Ever met a dog at a park or a…
Enter Your Biker Dog In The Tails & Tailpipes Biketoberfest Phot

Does your dog like to ride on a hog? If so, your motorcycle-lovin’ pooch could win you a three-night stay in Daytona Beach. Biketoberfest® Daytona…
Alaskan Husky

The Alaskan Husky is an intelligent and active breed that thrives as a sled dog or simply when given a job to do. Perfect for dog sports.
9 Blowout Tips On How To Throw A Legendary Dog Party

Ain''t no party like a doggy party! It''s time to celebrate National Dog Party Day and throw a bash that''ll have your guests throwing their paws into the air.
Budgerigar Parakeet

The Budgerigar Parakeet is one of Australia''s most vibrant and lively national symbols.They are social birds and their well-being depends on having company.
Let’s Talk About Rotation Feeding for Dogs

While making sudden changes to your dog''s dietary routine can cause tummy upset, it can be beneficial to change your dog''s menu, called rotation feeding.