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

Seahorses

Seahorses are characterized by their equine appearance. Its upper body is shaped like the head of a horse and its lower body ends in an elongated tail.
Beago

The playful little Beago brings together the ultra-easy going nature of the Beagle and the keen-to-please personality of the Golden Retriever.
Razorback Musk Turtle

The Razorback Musk Turtle is the biggest type of Musk Turtle. The Razorback Musk Turtle is shy, and might even be the shyest of all of the Musk Turtles.
How to Care for Stray Cats

While we may not be able to adopt stray cats, there are many things we can do to make sure they are taken care of while they live outdoors.
Slovakian Wirehaired Pointing Dog

The Slovakian Wirehaired Pointing Dog has a noble appearance and he is generally very even-tempered. Used for hunting small and large prey.
Clear Conscience Pet SuperGravy Review

It amazes me that Oscar is so picky when it comes to dry kibble. That''s why I was intrigued when I received Clear Conscience Pet SuperGravy to try out.
Be Part of the 10,000 Dog Aging Project To Study Why Smaller Dogs Live

Have you ever wondered why small dogs live longer than large dogs? That''s the catalyst behind the 10,000 Dog Aging Project.
Top 5 Best Supplements For Dry Skin On Dogs

Is your dog suffering from unstoppable itching that''s driving him crazy? Stop the scratching with common and proven remedies for dry skin on dogs.
Clumber Spaniel

The largest of all spaniels, the Clumber Spaniel is a dog fit for a king. Much of the breed''s early history centers around French and British nobility.
Tibetan Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff truly is a gentle giant. A wonderful watch and guard dog, the Tibetan Mastiff loves his people, making him a fantastic family dog.
What Factors Go Into Determining Monthly Premium for Dog Insurance?
Adoptable Dog of the Week- Magellan

Our Adoptable Dog of the Week is Magellan, a 3 year old Mastiff mix from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He is neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped.
Adoptable Dog of the Week – Daisy D

Well howdy-do, Miss Daisy D! This adorable flower is our Adoptable Dog of the Week. Daisy D hails is an adult Papillon from San Antonio, Texas.
The Honest Kitchen Starter Kit Contest

This month, we’re all about nutrition. That’s why this week we’ll be giving away The Honest Kitchen Starter Kit. And to win it, all you nee…
Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle

Also known as the Alabama Red-Bellied Cooter, the Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle is popular in the pet trade, and it is also Alabama''s official state reptile.