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Has Anyone Gotten Pet Buttons For Their Cats?
- Thread starter SeanS
- Start Date
No, but I’ve loved watching Billi! “Mad. Mad. Mad.”
I strongly, strongly recommend not adding a "kill" button.
Seriously, I think the buttons are a neat idea. After all, its totally clear that cats can recognize a whole variety of different cues. For example, my former indoor/outdoor & current escape artist knows that picking up the trash bag from the kitchen means to get ready by the front door. That said, cats are great at finding ways to tell you want they want, so I'm not clear how much the buttons are going to help. A cat too dumb to figure out meowing by the food dish or door to the catio isn't going to figure out the button for "food" or "catio", right?
Seriously, I think the buttons are a neat idea. After all, its totally clear that cats can recognize a whole variety of different cues. For example, my former indoor/outdoor & current escape artist knows that picking up the trash bag from the kitchen means to get ready by the front door. That said, cats are great at finding ways to tell you want they want, so I'm not clear how much the buttons are going to help. A cat too dumb to figure out meowing by the food dish or door to the catio isn't going to figure out the button for "food" or "catio", right?
I think it’s a fun inexpensive thing to try. Worst case you have wasted $20 or so but some may find it a really useful communication aide with their cat. I would start with something that is usually a requested item like catnip. My Willow is not likely to be able to figure out buttons but Lola just might.
I shudder to think what Phoebe and Daisy might say! 
Yes. We have them. It took Magnus a year to begin pressing them.
They have: hungry, outside, bubbles, birds, friend, catnip, play, pets, music, Calcifer, Magnus, Mom, Nobel.
Some very interesting things are said by Magnus. Calcifer still just uses the hungry button mainly. Over the last week he started pressing "Nobel".
Really cute moment was when we went out for a full day and thought we'd get the boys used to the cat sitter. We had her come for their lunch (they met her before but not when they were alone). Magnus kept pressing his "Magnus" button. I think he was introducing himself.
Magnus generally uses them to ask us to put his cat music on, or feed the birds or go outside for a walk. Sometimes 'outside pets' (big brush), or 'outside bubbles' (snow or rain coming). He frequently follows it up with going towards what he wants so we feel he has a good understanding.
Aside from the regular words, he's made up his own sequences to mean things and we've been left to figure it out. Since he's good at showing us it hasn't been too hard to follow the dots he's connected usually.
They have: hungry, outside, bubbles, birds, friend, catnip, play, pets, music, Calcifer, Magnus, Mom, Nobel.
Some very interesting things are said by Magnus. Calcifer still just uses the hungry button mainly. Over the last week he started pressing "Nobel".
Really cute moment was when we went out for a full day and thought we'd get the boys used to the cat sitter. We had her come for their lunch (they met her before but not when they were alone). Magnus kept pressing his "Magnus" button. I think he was introducing himself.
Magnus generally uses them to ask us to put his cat music on, or feed the birds or go outside for a walk. Sometimes 'outside pets' (big brush), or 'outside bubbles' (snow or rain coming). He frequently follows it up with going towards what he wants so we feel he has a good understanding.
Aside from the regular words, he's made up his own sequences to mean things and we've been left to figure it out. Since he's good at showing us it hasn't been too hard to follow the dots he's connected usually.
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I'd almost be scared to use this if Fancy and Delilah figured out how to write about each other 
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Astounding. I wonder if this could help vets… “tummy” “ache” “UTI” Etc. I‘m gobsmacked. Does it work w dogs?
I am sure it would. Check on YouTube. I have seen both cat and dog videos using buttons.
Dogs were the first to use them Stella was the first. Her human works with humans who use AAC buttons to communicate and she tried them with Stella. https://instagram.com/hunger4words?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=
Another famous one is Bunny the Talking Dog. Bunny is part of a long observational experiment on AAC speech in dogs. https://instagram.com/whataboutbunny?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=
Many people give their cats and dogs 'ouch' buttons. Billie (above) has an ouch button and can communicate when the symptoms of her illness causes pain.
I don't think a pet will be able to diagnose such as UTI. But being able to express stress could limit UTIs anyway
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If a dog is food/treat or toy motivated it could definitely work - our dog loved treats and would do anything for a game of catch with a tennis ball. As much as I love our cat, Carleton, I'm not sure the pet buttons would work with him. 
Thanks for sending the link! I did not know what this was about. Stella understands more than me! Ha!!!Dogs were the first to use them Stella was the first. Her human works with humans who use AAC buttons to communicate and she tried them with Stella. https://instagram.com/hunger4words?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=
Another famous one is Bunny the Talking Dog. Bunny is part of a long observational experiment on AAC speech in dogs. https://instagram.com/whataboutbunny?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=
Many people give their cats and dogs 'ouch' buttons. Billie (above) has an ouch button and can communicate when the symptoms of her illness causes pain.
I don't think a pet will be able to diagnose such as UTI. But being able to express stress could limit UTIs anyway
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Ah… thank you. Something else I have to buy now. Lol 
I was not aware of these. Of course, if it is like everything else, she will at least play with the box.
I was not aware of these. Of course, if it is like everything else, she will at least play with the box.
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Have not been able to stop thinking about why the cat keeps pressing the “mad” button. Linguistic frustration? Not enough tuna?
All of the above?
In the videos I’ve seen Billi often seems cross that her Meowmy isn’t doing what she wants RIGHT NAOW, or upset/stressed by noise outside, for instance.
