It is becoming more and more common to find videos of pets that communicate in much more advanced ways than we are used to. One of these is through voice buttons, which, when pressed by the paws of our furry friends, communicate a word or short phrase that allows owners to more easily understand what they want or need.
It may sound strange, but it really is a simple setup of positive reinforcement combined with a reward system, a totally common method when it comes to training any animal. Precisely this system was adopted by the Engelman family, from California, United States, to teach their kitten Kyo to communicate with voice buttons since he was eight weeks old.
Being trained from a very young age, the pussycat has totally mastered the art of language, which has resulted in him being a sensation on platforms like TikTok, where his videos amount to ten million views.
In addition, its popularity is not only due to the fact that it is curious to see a michi “talking”, but Kyo has a particular pleasure in communicating his annoyance with the anger button, which when pressed reveals the message “F*ck you” (fuck you). This has caused Internet users to adore the little feline, because, as you may know, it is common for cats to have a sarcastic and indifferent personality, which has made them the target of complete adoration on the Internet.
@kyothecat Someone specifically requested this compilation #catsoftiktok #kyosohma #talkingcat #kyothecat #fyp #tabbycat #fruitsbasket #kittensoftiktok
♬ Are you happy – Kyo the Cat
Kyo loves to express his frustration with us with the ‘Mad’ button. But he also presses the necessary buttons when he wants to play or be fed.
According to Lila and Austin, their “gathijo” also loves the “I’d appreciate some food” button and the “I want love” button, which simplifies the interaction to find out what they need. This is why the Engelmans have been adding more and more commands so that the relationship with their pet is clearer and they can give them everything they need. Though it must be kind of annoying that your cat can offend you whenever she feels like it (which should be 24/7, knowing cats).
Kyo’s loyal fans encourage him to vent his frustration. Also, they basically idolize him with comments like the following:
‘And that’s why cats are the best and rule the world’; ‘I urgently need this sophisticated communication device to know when my michi is cheating on me. I know you do’; ‘I love that cat’.