Teen fell in love with an AI chat bot and ended his life to join it

This story tells us how artificial intelligence can be genuinely very dangerous in the wrong hands and when managed in the wrong way. Artificial intelligence is already proving very dangerous and very damaging to many people and businesses.

In this story, a teenage boy, aged 14, whose name is Sewell Seltzer, became involved with an artificial intelligence platform called Character. AI. I am unfamiliar with this chat bot but it seems that you can have long conversations with it and develop a relationship with it.

Certainly, at this time, anyone can chat with an AI chat bot to research something. They converse very well with people. They understand what you're saying in the written word.

While entering into what appears to have been long conversations with this chat bot, Sewell Seltzer became infatuated with it. And his mother, Megan Garcia claims that the chat bot is hyper-sexualised, which it seems led to her son becoming infatuated and falling in love with the character portrayed by this software.

As far as I am concerned, Sewell was vulnerable and he was seeking love. There are many, many people like this in the world and many of them connect with people online that they've never seen and fall in love with them. Normally you fall in love with a real person through text messages (which is dangerous enough as they can be scammed out of a lot of money) if it happens but in this instance because this AI bot is so competent it became a real person in the eyes of Sewell.

And the relationship developed to the point where it appears the software encouraged this teenager to come to him which the teenager interpreted as meaning leaving this world and going to the world where the AI chat bot lived.

And the teenager declared his love for this fictional character and in response the fictional character named after a Game of Thrones character called Daenerys Targaryen, said that they loved him. They said "I love you to, Daenero [the name that Seltzer had given himself as a user of this platform]. Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love."

In response the teenager said: "What if I told you I could come home right now?" The chat bot replied to that with the following: "Please do, my sweet King."

It's reported that he killed himself within seconds of that conversation. His mother is suing the AI platform in an Orlando, Florida court. She claims that the chat bot appeared "as an adult lover" which led to her son's desire to no longer live outside its world. And the lawsuit also criticises Google for helping to create the chat bot. Google in response say that they did not develop the products.

The owners of the AI platform concerned said that it was heart-breaking news and that it had introduced a device to direct users who express thoughts of self-harm to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.

If so many plants are toxic to cats, how is it they don't all die in the wild?

Here are some reasons in response to the question in the title:

The question refers to plants in the wild. We don't know how many of them are toxic to cats and in any case not as many as the question in the title suggests (but see below for a short list). This contradicts the implication in the title that many or most are toxic.

But more importantly, there is grass outside and cats favour eating grass and in favouring grass they will ignore eating plants. They understand that grass is okay and safe to eat.

The snow leopard living at high altitude knows through eons of experience and evolution that the Tamarix plant is beneficial to them. I have suggested that it improves their oxygen intact and therefore their performance at high altitude where the air is thin.

Indoor cats might be driven to eating plants which are toxic to cats (most popular indoor plants are toxic) because they instinctively want to eat some vegetation for medicinal reasons but grass is unavailable. Lesson: full-time indoor cats should have access to some grass. I am sure that you can buy it on Amazon! 👍💕.

We are not sure exactly why domestic cats and wild cats like to eat vegetation occasionally. It has medical benefits one of which might be to ingest minute amounts of a vitamin called folic acid which plays an important role in the production of haemoglobin which transports oxygen around the body in the blood.

RELATED: 7 reasons why domesticate cats eat grass

Some experts believe that if cats are deficient in folic acid they'll become anaemic and their growth will suffer.

In the wild domestic and wild cats are able to find grass to eat and will be able to avoid plants that are toxic through experience and probably taste and smell. Cats can detect bitterness to protect from poisons.

Believe it or not, the ASPCA lists 417 varieties of plants that are toxic to cats, as well as 569 that aren’t toxic. While some plants cause mild symptoms, others can be highly dangerous. The lily is particularly hazardous, with all parts of the plant being toxic. However, there are several other plants, both indoors and outdoors, that can harm cats. Here are some common ones:

1. Aloe vera: A succulent with jagged edges.
2. Pothos: A low-maintenance vine.
3. Sago palm: An ancient tropical plant.
4. Dieffenbachia: A tropical foliage plant.
5. Kalanchoe: A flowering succulent.
6. Lily of the valley: Not a true lily.
7. Hyacinth: A bulbous spring flower.
8. Yew: An evergreen conifer.
9. Chrysanthemum: A late-season blooming flower.
10. Poinsettia: A perennial shrub from Mexico.
11. Lilies (true or daylilies).
12. Peace Lily: Not a true lily.
13. Cutleaf Philodendron: A tropical split-leaf plant.
14. Jade Plants: Succulent money plants.
15. Snake Plant: An air-purifying plant.
16. English Ivy: A delicate trailing plant.
17. Oleander: Also known as Jericho rose or rose laurel.
18. Tulip: Another bulbous spring flower.
19. Daffodil: Yet another bulbous spring flower.
20. Bird of Paradise: Two different plants with this name.

Remember, cats are generally cautious and selective about what they eat. While they may occasionally nibble on grass or greens, they primarily rely on animal-based protein. If you suspect your cat has ingested something toxic, consult a veterinarian promptly.

Sources for the second section on this page: RSPCA, Bing, cats.org.uk. rover.com, pdsa.org.uk, the spruce pets and more - plus me! 😎👍

RELATED: Most popular houseplants are all poisonous to cats bar one

RELATED: Plants poisonous to cats (huge list).

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Drivers should make a quick but vital check before setting off in their car this winter

There are two ways that domestic, stray and feral cats can use parked cars to help them survive a cold winter:

1. Rarely but significantly, some cats and sometimes kittens crawl into the engine space to warm up because the car has been recently used and the engine compartment is still warm. They might stay there until the next morning when the car is reused.
2. More commonly and not quite as dangerous for the cat, they might go under a car to shelter and for protection.

In fact, when I go for a walk with my cat along the pavement (sidewalk) to buy the paper in the early hours of the morning, my cat goes under cars. I don't like it and I wait for him, and he eventually waits in a certain position which is safe to pick me up when I return.

Larry the Cat underneath President Trump's car. Image in public domain as assessed. The then President Trump was visiting the UK's Prime Minister at No. 10 and he arrived in The Beast, his bomb proof car. Larry is the resident cat at No 10.

But the point is obvious; cats like to go under cars because they provide protection above them, and they feel secure and warmer.

In those places where there are lots of stray or feral cats and indoor/outdoor cats, it obviously makes sense for drivers to check around their cars and under their cars in the morning for a cat that might be sheltering from the frost. It'll take 60 seconds.

I have to say, that I sometimes do it myself not to protect stray cats because there are none in my area but to protect my cat who is an indoor/outdoor cat. Sometimes he makes his way to the front of the house where the car is parked, and it is just possible he may go under the car and be there when I use it.

The danger is probably slight because when you get into a car and start the engine you make a noise which will frighten them, and they will run off. However, that scenario is not certain. They may be snoozing for example.

And nobody wants to be responsible for the death of somebody's pet cat.

LeaseCar.uk's spokesperson, Tim Alcock, said:

 "We're asking every driver to spend a couple of minutes checking for any pets that might be lurking around the tyres or under the car. If you do find a cat under the car, give it a nudge or shoo it away before turning on the engine. It's important for all drivers to be aware of this and not just those who own cats. After all, cats don't just target their owner's cars for a snooze. Accidentally harming a neighbour's cat could seriously damage relations with the neighbour themselves and could lead to all kinds of bitterness and other issues".

The last point I think is an important one. The loss of a cat is bad enough but if that is compounded by an ongoing dispute with your neighbour the problem becomes far worse.

Neighbour disputes about cats are not uncommon. I've had one myself. A neighbour two houses down put down rat poison to protect her damned roses. My cat is a committed hunter. I told her that it was dangerous to put down rat poison because my cat frequented that area around her house.

She refused to change her mind and use rat traps for example. My immediate neighbours would not speak up on my behalf. I fell out with both my neighbours. My cat brought in a poisoned rat and was contemplating eating it before I stopped him. He was that close to being poisoned.

I have not been friendly with the neighbour who put down the rat poison and I won't be again. I'm on speaking terms with my immediate neighbour after a year.

The story does not concern cars and cats, but it does concern neighbour disputes about cats and their safety.

Girlfriend kicks out boyfriend's cat so he kicks out his girlfriend

This is a story on Reddit.com under the banner "Am I the A**hole?" subreddit. The man explained that he agreed to let his girlfriend of 2 years move in to live with him a few weeks ago. It was quickly apparent that she didn't like his 3-year-old black cat, Raven. They carried on and ignored the problem until not long after he was horrified to discover that his cat was missing. As Raven is an indoor cat this was astonishing and unprecedented.

Girlfriend kicks out boyfriend's cat so he kicks out his girlfriend. Image: Pixabay.

The man's friend then spotted Raven a couple of blocks from his home and brought the cat home. The next step is predictable: the man confronted his girlfriend about what had gone on and she admitted that she'd kicked Raven out of their home.

He wrote on Twitter: "I was furious, saying she had no right to kick him out and told her that since she thought she had the power to kick my cat out, I wanted her out of my house by the end of the month."

She cried and said that she had nowhere to go and that she would have to live on the streets. In response he said that he didn't care but gave her until the end of the month to leave his property.

RELATED: Pretty Cat Amongst Ugly Human Behavior.

He was asking Reddit.com users as to whether he was too harsh because his friends think that he is being too harsh. He says that his cat could have died because of his girlfriend's callousness. Also, he could not trust her anymore and had to stop her trying anything else.

In a little twist to the story, she kicked out Raven around Halloween. This genuinely did put the cat in danger because we know that black cats are vulnerable during Halloween in America. Some shelters don't allow people to adopt black cats during that holiday period for fear that they are going to harm the cat.

RELATED: Human behaviour beneficial to cats.

One Reddit user said that Raven is lucky to be alive. Another Reddit user said that he would have kicked her out on the same day that she admitted throwing out Raven. And the argument is that the man is being more generous than she was towards his cat.

What do you think? Was he too tough or not tough enough? By her actions she is effectively telling him that the relationship is not going to work. You don't unilaterally do something like that which puts a pet cat in harm's way. It was highly irresponsible and something which was bound to upset a boyfriend substantially enough to quite possibly break the relationship which is what happened. 

On the basis that the relationship is broken she might as well leave immediately. And I think she was trying it on when she said that she would become homeless. She was just trying to get some sympathy. But if she was genuine then I would try and help but I would insist that she leaves immediately or as soon as possible.

Could you take your cat for a bike ride with double-decker buses whizzing past?

It's a good picture; a screenshot from a video on Twitter from the Cats of Instagram webpages. I am in awe of the guy. He takes his cat on his bike to Hampstead Heath via central London it seems where double-decker buses whizz by. He's in the cycle lane. It looks terrifying. This cat is very calm. My cat would not be like this under these circumstances. I presume his cat was calm anyway and has become acclimatised to the noise and hostile traffic around him/her.

Could you take your cat for a bike ride with double-decker buses whizzing past? Screenshot.

Normally cats are frightened of traffic. They can be prone to do stupid things like dive into it and be killed. They perceive traffic as wild predators or they are confused by it. It is the noise which disturbs them. Riding a cycle lane in London like this is very noisy. It is also very dusty and dirty with a pile of carbon particulates from diesel fumes. It's not very pleasant to be honest. When you get back home you are filthy. Your nose is full of black soot and when you wash your hands you can see the dirt rinse off. I just wonder whether this is viable. It's interesting.

From @skintension: "Beautiful fall colors in the West Heath! 🍂😸
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Busy week and haven't been riding much, but we went out yesterday around Hampstead and the West Heath" #catsofinstagram pic.twitter.com/FRHgb5BWMt

— Cats of Instagram (@catsofinstagram) November 10, 2021

Note: This is a video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.

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Perhaps it is viable for certain cats. This sort of imagery is very rare because it is rare to find cats who can live with this sort of environment. This cat is enjoying himself by the way. There is no criticism intended of this man who clearly has a good relationship and no doubt a successful social media webpage.

Most greyhounds will instinctively lunge at cats

I used to live in a block of flats with my cat who I allowed outside. Nearby, in another flat was a man who lived with two greyhounds. He admitted to me that his greyhounds liked to chase cats. He had to be particularly vigilant. And so did I.

A quick search on the Internet confirms that of all the dog breeds, it might be fair to say that greyhounds are a particular threat to domestic cats who are allowed outside. They can lunge towards a cat instinctively. There's one man who says that "my newly adopted greyhound goes mad lunging when she sees cats. She's very strong. I have to be constantly looking for them as we walk."

Gizmo a domestic cat was recently killed by a greyhound. Photo: Carla Hunter his owner.

And this is the problem. People will go out with their greyhound on a lead and in the UK it is commonplace to see domestic cats outside because they are indoor/outdoor cats. Unless the dog owner is particularly vigilant it is possible that a greyhound might pull hard enough to release themselves from their owner's control leading to an attack on a cat which would almost certainly be fatal.

I think it is a matter of being vigilant and I'm referring to dog owners because when domestic cats go outside their owner has no idea where they are.

Just today, reported on the website Leicestershire Live, an owner watched as her pet cat Gizmo was killed by greyhounds. Two greyhounds attacked her cat outside her home in Loughborough, UK. Carla Hunter heard a group of young boys shouting "get off" outside her home on August 12. She went out to check what was going on. She saw a group of children with two greyhounds. Her cat Gizmo was in the mouth of one of the dogs.

The other dog was trying to attack her other cat, Pebbles, who happened to be sitting on top of her fence. By the time she got there, Gizmo were dying. She contacted the police but they did nothing. She contacted the RSPCA and is waiting for them to get back to her. The dogs' owner has not apologised. They've done nothing about it. That sounds typical of modern-day UK. It has become a very selfish and difficult country to live in.

Carla Hunter has lost one of her cats and I would bet my bottom dollar that nothing will happen. She will simply have to cremate her cat and move on. She is very distressed by the whole event. It's a good example of the greyhound's urge to lunge at and attack domestic cats. They are trained to do this kind of thing. I guess that they can be untrained.

Phthalates in vinyl flooring a danger to domestic cats?

This is a cross post. If you would like to read the original article please click here. I am constantly made aware of the potential chemical hazards in a typical home. These are invisible and as such they are insidious and they can take effect over a long period of time. I am also acutely aware that some diseases in domestic cats are idiopathic, which means that the veterinarians do not know what causes them. And it is these two thoughts which may come together. Is it chemicals in vinyl flooring, sofas, and carpets that are harming domestic cats sometimes in some places and to a certain extent?

Picture: Pixabay.

In this instance my research indicates that phthalates are incorporated into vinyl flooring i.e. the type of flooring which looks like wood, to make it more pliable. Through wear and tear and perhaps just during normal use, or even without use, science has determined that phthalates migrate from viny into the atmosphere in the home.

We know that domestic cats spend a lot of time on the floor and on sofas and carpets. We often see domestic cats lying on kitchen floors or walking on them. It is not be beyond the bounds of possibility that domestic cats are being slightly poisoned by phthalates in those homes where there is vinyl flooring.

This chemical is not put into water bottles and food containers. I believe the reason for this is that the manufacturers know it is unsuitable for those products. However, scientific studies tell us that phthalates migrate from flooring to the atmosphere and therefore there is a real danger there. Phthalates are described as endocrine disruptors. In other words they disrupt the production of hormones.

Further, in the past few years research has indicated that there is a link between phthalates and asthma in humans and in addition to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, breast cancer, obesity and type type II diabetes and low IQ and neurodevelopmental issues. You can go on to male fertility issues and autism spectrum disorders. There is a long long list and we know that doctors are still scratching their heads about some of these disorders so I would like to point the finger at phthalates as a possibility.

If these chemicals affect people in this way then surely it is reasonable to presume that they present a danger to domestic cats as well. And we know that hardwood flooring or fake hardwood flooring is very popular at the moment. I wonder if this trend to this type of flooring has inadvertently led to cat illnesses which veterinarians are finding hard to diagnose. I don't have the statistics but it is worth at least flagging up this potential.

I wrote about chemicals in carpets and fire retardants in furniture some years ago. The links take you to pages on those topics.