You might have seen the trending videos of talking pets which use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Initially, it started with dogs using these talking buttons but now, cats are also using them.
Cat talk buttons are little buttons that may be set to say a specific word when pressed with your voice. The buttons can be programmed to say a number of things, and they can be joined to form a whole soundboard. In theory, your cat can use the buttons to express what they want or how they feel.
It may seem unbelievable at first, but experts say that you can really communicate with your fur babies through these talking buttons. Researchers find these devices to be a new way to study animal cognition.
Because of the trending videos, these talking buttons are also rising in the market. We have tested tons of AAC solutions offered in the market but most of them are terrible options.
The majority of the talking buttons being sold on different online websites are not worth buying as manufacturers were only riding on the hype built by the talking pets’ online videos.
After testing over 20 talking buttons on my cats, I came to pick the five best ones and reviewed them here.
Talking Buttons for Cats That Are Worth Buying in 2022
FluentPet Cat Talking Buttons With Basic Vocabulary Kit
The FluentPet Basic Vocabulary Kit includes 12 FluentPet Talking Buttons, 6 HexTiles, and 67 pieces of labeling stickers. FluentPet is the most popular talking button kit for pets.
FluentPet employs a versatile approach to handling pets of various sizes. The buttons must be pressed lightly to be activated. More space between buttons can be maintained for larger cats with larger paws. As their competence improves, the dogs can become more accurate.
The buttons and hex pads are both of great quality. The nonslip construction also enables you to use them on a wooden floor without worrying about the tiles shifting.
Even when my cat jumps or runs over the panels, they remain stationary. In terms of durability, this product is evident to be durable and can easily resist years of wear and tear.
The sound quality of the recording function is also top-notch. It is the best quality among the talking buttons I have tested.
I like that the FluentPet is easy to use as you can simply press and record on it. They also offer a variety of kits that also serves as an expansion pack. The buttons are customizable and can be adjusted according to your pet’s size.
Chumia Cat Communication Buttons
Chumia includes 12 pieces of different colored buttons. It is made up of durable ABS plastic so it can handle large cats and dogs. It is powered up with AAA batteries and has low power consumption.
It is easy to record with these buttons. It is also simple to operate. You can record the sound of various commands, such as sit, go, lie down, and so on. The different colored buttons make it easier to discern between commands and help your pet comprehend what you mean.
My cat loves the color scheme of the buttons, however, she sometimes gets confused with the colors. While the colors are striking and noticeable, I still think that labeling is still a better option to train your cats.
Also, some customers left negative Amazon reviews because the product is not working upon receiving or after using it a few times.
Genipaws Cat Talking Buttons Starter Pack
Genipaws Talking Button Starter Pack includes four ready-to-use buttons with pre-installed batteries, individual triangle mats, printed and blank stickers, and a training manual.
The mats are designed to look like puzzle pieces. Protruding tabs along the edges allow you to attach one mat to another. As a result, you may keep adding to them and expanding your soundboard as your pet learns additional words.
On the other hand, the tabs are seamlessly connected to one another. Once they’re locked in place, they won’t readily come off or be torn apart. The package also includes edging mats, which you may use to disguise and protect the tabs around the edges of the mat.
In my experience, this product generally works fine. I wouldn’t recommend it though for big pets as the buttons can get stuck because of too much pressure from heavy pressing. The buttons are simple to configure, and the playback is clear and loud, however, the mats are made of lightweight materials which makes it easy for my cat to throw them away when she wants to.
If you have a small to medium pet, everything will work just fine. With time and patience, your feline will definitely learn to use the right words and communicate with you easily. The training manual is a big help to achieve this.
Deekin Cat Communication Buttons
Similar to Chumia, these buttons also come in different colors to help cats associate a color with a command. The package includes 8 colored buttons which are also made in ABS plastic though I find it to be of less quality compared to others.
It is pretty straightforward to operate. Simply push the animal buttons to communicate, hear the beep sound, and record the audio. When the recording is finished, release the button and listen for the beep sound to signify a successful recording. When you need to use them with your cat, simply push the button and it will send out the voice you recorded.
The buttons work fine and serve their purpose though. I was able to record my voice though not as clearly as the other buttons. My cat also had fun jamming on the buttons.
While there were some negative reviews on Amazon about the inefficiency of the product, I was able to use it without functionality issues.
Jexine Cat Training Buttons for Communication
This colorful button set can record sounds. The package includes 24 pieces of colored buttons which your cat will surely adore. It is also pretty simple to use and you can easily record your voice.
The recording process is similar to the other buttons. You can record for 30 seconds and the voice recording can be also changed. It is fairly simple to operate and also uses AAA batteries.
While it works fine and does its job, my cat finds the colors too confusing since it includes 24 colored buttons. I received 24 buttons with two similar colors. If you are going to use all of the buttons, it can be perplexing for your cat to associate the color with a word or command because there are buttons with similar colors.
How Do Cat Talking Buttons Work?
Positive reinforcement helps pet owners to communicate with their cats and dogs about what we expect from them, and because we reward desired actions, our cats will learn to exhibit those excellent behaviors more frequently.
Each button contains a recorded word as well as a purpose. When you press that button, it will make a sound. We can teach our cats to associate a sound with a need and then to click the button to convey that need.
Your cat, like other cats, tries to communicate with you most of the time through body language. Furthermore, they are only known to communicate with humans thru meowing.
Cats meow for a variety of reasons, including the following:
- attention
- to request food
- to go out
- to express dissatisfaction
Understanding what your cat is saying can be tough. This is where you can use the talking buttons to let your cat associate the buttons with words so they can clearly explain what they want from us.
Cat buttons work well for many cats since they can rapidly express themselves by pressing on the emotion they are feeling. Cat buttons serve as an excellent communication bridge between the two dialects because humans cannot speak feline fluently and cats cannot learn English.
Talking buttons bridge the gap between difficult-to-read cat body language and our ability to comprehend it.
Can Cats Master the Use of Talking Buttons?
Yes, talking buttons may be used to teach cats. Cat buttons are simple to press, and your cat will pick it up fast and enjoy himself. Some cats, particularly those who are highly expressive, can adapt to the idea in a couple of days.
Cats are intelligent creatures who are capable of learning a variety of skills. Although a cat can learn to utilize talking buttons, it can take some time for it to become accustomed to them. Keep being patient and reward them for their efforts.
They might need some time to get used to it, but with practice and positive reinforcement, they can learn how to do it correctly. A cat typically takes three months to develop the link between the secondary reinforcer and the primary reinforcer.
How to Teach a Cat to Use Talking Buttons?
There is no perfect method for instructing your cat to utilize the talking buttons, other than changing your expectations around how long it will take your kitten to learn how to use them.
What’s important is that as you implement a modeling strategy for your cat. You will assist your cat in understanding what the buttons say, what they mean, and how they differ from other buttons.
Nonetheless, I am sharing the steps on how you can train your feline pal to use talking buttons:
1. Select the words that you want to teach your cat.
Your cat is probably already triggered by a few words. Some of these are undoubtedly food, hunger, being outside, and playing.
Observe which words or phrases your cat recognizes and that pique their interest or curiosity.
Start utilizing these terms more frequently when engaging in the action to which you are attempting to relate. Once you’ve picked the words to teach your cat initially, record the buttons and choose a location.
You can start with one word and one button to begin your training. Once he learns one button, you can add more words and buttons.
Some cats absorb better when buttons are close to the object or activity with which they are familiar. Others find it more convenient when all of the buttons are in one place. Pay attention to how your cat learns and from there, adjust your training.
2. Demonstrate how to utilize the talking buttons.
After you’ve recorded the words on the buttons and decided where to put them, you must get your cat to press them.
Demonstrate how to use the buttons by doing the following:
- Saying the word or phrase
- Pressing the talking button
- Focusing your cat’s attention on the action
You can think about moving the buttons closer together after your cat is actively utilizing them to make exercising their decision simpler. However, be careful not to confuse someone as it could be more challenging to tell the buttons apart when they are side by side.
The speech buttons may be given a more distinct appearance. You can put them on other things or have forms on top of the buttons to make them more obvious signals.
3. Be persistent and patient.
Beginnings can be difficult when learning a new language. Your cat will spend the first few months largely observing and assimilating. This is the first step of learning, which might take up to three months.
After your cat has mastered the first three buttons, you can add more, but be careful not to overcomplicate things. Keep things simple for the highest likelihood of success.
In our case, my cat got used to the buttons and learned her first words in our second week of training and I am looking forward to adding more words to the mix.
Once again, be patient with your cat. It was slightly harder for me to train compared to cat toilet training kits.
Final Thoughts
People are understandably enthused about this technology because, deep down, we all want to have greater communication with our cats possible in order to meet their requirements and provide them with fulfilled lives.
But, cat parents must recognize that each cat is different. As a result, they may react substantially differently to cat buttons and the sort of message they provide.
Additionally, the usage of talking buttons is still in its early stages. The training approach nor the testing of an animal’s grasp of buttons are not yet firmly established.
Nonetheless, the cat-talking button is an excellent technique to better understand and enjoy your cat. Improving communication can undoubtedly aid in your bonding with your cat.
Whether you use the talking buttons with your cat or not, keep in mind that there are other ways to communicate with your cat. Whether you realize it or not, you are always conversing with cats.
