Raspberry Pi Scans Cats for Caught Prey

(Image credit: Eee_bume)

If you're into deep learning and love cats, this project is for you. Created and shared by a Reddit user known as Eee_bume, it relies on image recognition and deep learning to scan cats using a Raspberry Pi 4.

The Raspberry Pi is connected to a camera which parses images through Tensorflow looking for a cat. If a cat is detected with possible prey in its mouth--things like mice, lizards, ridiculously large moths--the system sends an alert through Telegram.

This system could easily be adapted to a controlled cat door, only allowing access if the cat has been deemed free of unwanted critters. According to Eee_bume, the project results were fairly reliable using just a small sample size of 150 images.

The notification process is handled through Telegram. When the system first boots, a bot sends a notification message through Telegram. As cats are detected, the Telegram bot will send a message along with an image of the suspected cat.

If you'd like to take a closer look at this project or even make it for yourself at home, visit the official project page on GitHub.

Ash Hill
Contributing Writer

Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.

  • Shadowclash10
    So... you just don't let your cat in until they leave their prey behind?? That isn't nice! :P :P
    Reply
  • mogster
    Would you prefer to wake up and find a dead mouse on your pillow?
    Reply
  • Shadowclash10
    mogster said:
    Would you prefer to wake up and find a dead mouse on your pillow?
    Well... if it's a choice between leaving my cat outside and potentially facing a dead animal on my pillow, I'll take the latter :). Too soft-hearted. Besides, the only problem with that really is risk of disease. Also, you can just train your cat not to bring dead animals to your bed. I'm aware that I'm in the minority here :).
    Reply
  • mitch074
    I would really have enjoyed this back when my cat tried to "train" me - it would bring in LIVE animals (birds, mice etc.) so that I'd learn how to catch them, and... I did learn (not that I cared much about it, but my wife and my mom were much more enthusiastic for me to learn).
    Catching live mice is difficult, especially when you're 1m85 (6'1" ) tall and weight 90kg (200lbs) and they can scurry underneath all your furniture...
    Reply
  • Shadowclash10
    mitch074 said:
    I would really have enjoyed this back when my cat tried to "train" me - it would bring in LIVE animals (birds, mice etc.) so that I'd learn how to catch them, and... I did learn (not that I cared much about it, but my wife and my mom were much more enthusiastic for me to learn).
    Catching live mice is difficult, especially when you're 1m85 (6'1" ) tall and weight 90kg (200lbs) and they can scurry underneath all your furniture...
    Oftentimes they don't even try to teach you - they just give up on you once they see how poor of a hunter you are, and resign themselves to the fact that they'll have to catch food for you for the rest of your life 😂
    Reply
  • mitch074
    Shadowclash10 said:
    Oftentimes they don't even try to teach you - they just give up on you once they see how poor of a hunter you are, and resign themselves to the fact that they'll have to catch food for you for the rest of your life 😂
    I did catch them all - but it also saw me release them to the wild. Quite a few mice went airborne through the window right over its head.
    Reply