Meowlingual: Japanese Cat Translation Device
Meowlingual, much like the dog version Bowlingual, allows a cat owner to finally learn what their cat is trying to say to them.
So you take the Takara Tomy’s Meowlingual cat-langauge electronic interpretation device and hold it next to your cat as it meows. The palm-sized gadget will then interpret what your cats meows and purrs really mean.
“I can’t stand it”, is just one of the many phrases the device will announce after it has heard a meow from your cat, exact wording has not been decided yet.
The Meowlingual, coming this November, will run for about $75 and should be purrfect for all you cat lovers.
By Kimi Naitou on 12-09-2007
Comment by Tourex
September 12th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
If you need this device to understand your cat,then you shouldn’t be owning a feline pet. Cats aren’t that hard to understand their likes,and dislikes.Us humans,are a different matter,perhaps we need this gadget for our loved ones.
Comment by LadyFaire
September 13th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Really! I agree totally with the previous comment. For our human loved ones, perhaps, but I understand my cat, mainly she is either demanding attention, food, or swearing at us! I don’t know WHERE she learned that language, but I keep threatening to wash her tail out with soap!!
Comment by Killian
September 13th, 2007 at 10:24 am
I want one! However, it’s really not that hard to figure out what cats want. It’s either FEED ME or PET ME or PLAY WITH ME. And of course they always want it done RIGHT NOW.
Comment by Sandcastle
September 13th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Does it even work, scientifically? Most likely a gimmick gear.
On the other side of the animal research world, scientists are still trying to confirm the existence of African Grey Parrot speech…
Comment by Thing
September 13th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
I agree with the human translator idea because they sure don’t seem to mean what you think you hear. As stated, cats are easy to understand if you try a bit and rather refreshing after trying to figure out person. If anybody has that kind of disposable income I could probably talk to them and understand specially if they want to send some my way!!
Comment by tigerlily
September 13th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
of course I can’t take this seriously but its a really cute conversation piece and I am sure it will amuse! I imagine phrases like “Just feed me and leave me alone” “You have GOT to be kidding.I’m outta here!” “I will allow you to pet me now.” and “That outfit you have on is embarrasing me. Can you stand farther away from me until you get a new wardrobe? Puh-leeez!”
Comment by Casual Adventurer
September 13th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
In Vietnam it would only have to be programmed with one thing “Please Don’t Eat Me”
Comment by Michael VanDeMar
September 13th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
OMG I swear they work!
There was one sitting on the table next to my sisters cat when I took a picture of him. He meowed at me, and the device translated it:
“Michael, if that pic winds up on the internet with me as a LOLCAT I will poop in your shoes!”
Honestly, it was spooky!
Comment by Allen
September 13th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
it would be nice if it would say
“get the fuck away from me!”…
i learned that the hard way… (>.
Comment by Mike
September 13th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
And in the U.S. a pig translator would say “please don’t torture me” – but pigs aren’t all furry and cuddly so who cares…
Comment by Jon
September 13th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
“i taste great with eggs!”
Comment by Kwipper
September 13th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
I want one, then mod it to say LOLCAT Phrases.
Comment by moyer
September 13th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
I can see it now….
“Feed me a stray cat.”
American Psycho style.
Comment by sara
September 13th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
yah right. I got one of these things as a prototype for review and you bet your ass you need one. Now that I know what my cats really want and think I know that before, when I thought I knew I was just an ignorant jerk.
Cats don’t say ” “FEED ME or PET ME or PLAY WITH ME”. And of course they always want it done RIGHT NOW.”
Idiot.
you think they are such superior animals! HA
Comment by Blueman
September 13th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
If you need a device to understand your loved ones, perhaps you shouldnt be having any relationships.
Comment by Arman
September 14th, 2007 at 1:23 am
love your comment!
Comment by Cracknip Cat
September 14th, 2007 at 2:05 am
“Get me some of that cracknip and then leave me the f*** alone.”
My moody, cracknip addicted cat.
Comment by neko-san
September 14th, 2007 at 2:17 am
meowwwww translated : gimme food you bastard
Comment by mirko
September 14th, 2007 at 4:03 am
If you took the time to read that in order to post such crap then you surely have too much time on your hand. I for one would be interested in such device, not to understand my cat who doesn’t want it, but just for the fun of checking how inaccurate it’d be…
So, keep your politically correctness at home and stop bothering funny people.
Comment by Mikey
September 14th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Thanks for reminding me, I need to add bacon to my shopping list.
Comment by merkhava
September 14th, 2007 at 4:56 am
If the cat meows in english, then it makes sense why the Japanese would invent a meow translator.
Comment by Gail
September 14th, 2007 at 5:39 am
YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!!!!!!!!!
HOW RIGHT YOU ARE!!!!!!!!
PEOPLE SAY ONE THING AND MEAN THE OTHER, WE ALL NEED THIS!!!
Comment by Luke
September 14th, 2007 at 7:02 am
You’ve obviously never dated a woman before.
Comment by Derrick
September 14th, 2007 at 9:35 am
The recent charity show “Night of Too Many Stars” already parodies this in a similar way. Watch the hilarious video and see how Steve Carell appeals to the cat community for help.
http://www.break.com/index/steve_carell_night_of_too_many_starsl.html
Comment by Yoda
September 14th, 2007 at 10:35 am
An inflatable one, he has.
Comment by Foo
September 14th, 2007 at 10:50 am
That was funny!
Comment by Jason
September 14th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Can I use this for myself? I don’t understand what even I am talking about most of the time…
Comment by nada
September 14th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Jel imas ti tak nesto
Comment by sale
September 14th, 2007 at 11:16 am
nemam nado, al kuzim zvijeri
Comment by Jordan Lund
September 14th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
I suspect it’s all going to come out as “GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!”
Comment by darkwing duck
September 14th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
that funny
Comment by Kevin Burton
September 14th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Actually, someone with Autism might be able to use this device since they seem to have a difficult time picking up on social cues..
Also, it’s probably just a fun toy. I need to get a humanlingual to translate my human expressions into feline talk!
Comment by Nils
September 14th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
This is actually a story from 2003, not from this year. So “November” would be “November 2003″.
Comment by Jeff
September 15th, 2007 at 1:35 am
it’d be funny if it had LOLKittenz phrases…
“I iz in ur lap. Wy u got stoopid machine?”
Comment by kgitch
September 17th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Old news much? Like the post above says, tproduct went on sale (only in Japan, with only a Japanese language interface) in November of 2003!
Now if you really want to terrorize your cat, check out TakaraTomy’s new i-SOBOT robot : http://www.isobotrobot.com
Comment by jen
September 18th, 2007 at 2:54 am
I don’t need to spend $75 for a translation. MEOW = “DUH”
Comment by faceless
October 4th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
this story is four years old!
thanks to the commenters for a good few laughs
Comment by paul
October 8th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
you overlooking the obvious fact:
it doesn’t matter if you can’t understand your cat, what matters is how fucken cool it would be to have a cat translator.
Comment by Paulos
October 8th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
What you need is one that translates what a woman really means. Am I right gentlemen?
Not even the Japanese can come up with the technology for that!
Comment by Leah
October 12th, 2007 at 6:31 am
Hahaha that’s hilarious…
Comment by molly
November 9th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
i want to translate my kitty mocha from a concerned 12 year old
Comment by tokyo kiss
November 13th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Miaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooowww
Svea I love you
Comment by umm...
December 6th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
HELL YA IT IS!!!!
Comment by umm...
December 6th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
I LIKE BACON I LIKE PORK, RUN LITTLE PIGGY I HAVE A FORK!!!!!
Comment by Melissa
June 11th, 2008 at 2:22 am
It would be amusing to hear actual words from a cat along with reading feelings. They might need to make sure the word bitch is in the cat dictionary though.
For $75, you know it doesn’t work.
Comment by Matty
August 24th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Now if we could reverse it and turn English to Cat, then perhaps back from cat to Chinese… hmmm
Comment by amada
September 4th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
there’s no need for that stuff. Cats enjoys us guessing their moods. it’s like games to them.
Comment by Mileena
July 7th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Dude it's just for fun duh. Be more open minded
Comment by KayCee71
July 9th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Yes, but pigs make for a tasty treat, slathered in BBQ sauce, or with a light Teriyaki glaze!
Comment by Noah Lieske
July 9th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I want it and I want it now!
Comment by ---
January 13th, 2010 at 12:30 am
Jeez, can this thing really work? To program such a thing first a person would have o understand cats. Cats halfway talk with body language anyway. Who would want a $75 dollar thing that only tells you 1/2 of what cats say, possibly. LOLcat phrases are a good idea though. "For not feedin meez, zoor pupy is 1/2 dog tomorows."