Todd and I started working together to learn how to communicate with each other through the use of recordable buttons a year ago. Todd has done an amazing job and is currently at 32 words and ready for his next set of words this upcoming weekend. Jackson Galaxy, a well-known cat behaviorist, recently released a video where if I understood it correctly was saying cats are not actually communicating with us but rather just exhibiting a push and reward response when using buttons. Shortly after the video was released I made a response video showing Todd using his buttons in a manner that goes beyond just a push and reward system but in my opinion, exhibits true thought and communication. You can see my response video here. There is a link in the description of the video to Jackson’s original video but I believe he has since taken it down.
I don’t know what research or videos Jackson looked at to come to this conclusion but I hope he will view my response video and it will lead to a discussion on the topic. Some of the examples I provided in my video are of Todd using far more words than are necessary to get the “Reward” he wants. He wanted to play with his string thing and could have just pressed that button and known he will get it yet he takes the time to say “Soon” “Play” “Todd”(‘s) “String Thing”. Again, way more than what is necessary to get me to turn on the toy and he knows soon means less than 15 minutes and later means longer than 15 minutes. Another example is Todd told me he was going to take a nap. He pushed “Sleep” and went to my recliner, got up on it, and went to sleep. I would ask in this situation here what is the “Reward”? He asks for nothing, he gets nothing. This is communication, Todd is saying Hey Dad, I’m going to take a nap now. Another example in the video is Todd sleeping in Glamour’s basket. Glamour does not like anyone in her basket and when she found Todd asleep she woke him up by smacking him in the head. Todd got up and went to the buttons and told me “Ouch” “Sleep”. I think that is an amazing way to tell me Glamour hit him in the head while he was sleeping. Again, there was no “Reward” here, he was simply telling me Glamour hit him.
When teaching Todd we only do single words/concepts and their meanings, I do not teach multiple words. Todd is adding the additional words on his own and the words he chooses, while they may not be in the normal order, are correct for what he is trying to say. I do not understand how this is not communication. I feel cats are so much smarter than most people give them credit for and studies are being done now to learn what cats understand and if this is true communication or not. The most prominent one I am aware of is over at TheyCan Talk.org. So Jackson, watch more Billi, watch more CatManJohn, and watch more Todd and reach out to one or all of us, I know I would love to discuss it with you.
