It may seems like a tall tail but a new app claims to be able to translate a cat's miaows and purrs into English.
The creators of MeowTalk say it can identify 13 meanings, including 'Feed me,' 'Leave me alone,' and 'I'm in love'.
Designer Javier Sanchez – who was an engineer on Amazon's voice assistant Alexa – ultimately wants to develop a smart-collar that would instantly translate miaows into human speech.
The creators of the new app MeowTalk claim it can translate a cat's miaows and purrs into English and identify 13 meanings. (Stock image)
He said: 'I think this is especially important now because, with all the social distancing that's happening, you have people that are confined at home with a significant other - this feline.'
'This will enable them to communicate with their cat, or at least understand their cat's intent, and build a very important connection.'
The app is already available on Google Play Store and Apple's App Store, but is still being developed and is set to change in the future.
So far, it has attracted mixed reviews.
One user said: 'I was getting the translation 'I'm in love' 90 per cent of the time.'
Another reviewer said: 'It surely looks promising.'
The app, which was designed by Javier Sanchez, is already available on Google Play Store and Apple's App Store, but is still being developed and is set to change in the future. (Stock image)
Cat behaviourists are also divided, with one warning that inaccuracies could give owners the 'wrong impression'.
But Anita Kelsey, author of 'Let's Talk About Cats,' said: 'The app seems like fun and there's no harm in having fun with your cat.
'We will probably never be able to convert a cat's miaow into human words. All we can do is have fun thinking about what they might be saying from our own human perspective.'
The vocabulary will be expanded as more and more sounds are submitted by cat owners.
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