Communicating with life

When I was a JV in Gresham, my roommate Renata and I were walking through the neighborhood towards some shops. Along the way, I happened to spot a fellow sentient being and decided to try and communicate with it, as it looked lonely. I made the sound, "MEOWWW!" The cat looked over at me with excitement... but just then, Renata yelled at me, "You can't meow in public!" so I stopped and left the cat to be alone again.

Now let's take a step back, I guess I understand that it's probably not really looked at favorably if you're just a normal person trying to practice communicating with other creatures. If you try and think about Jon's life in the cartoon Garfield, he seems a bit crazy having a majority of his discussions with his cat. But is it ever ok for someone to talk with animals, and when is it not ok?

I have put together a list of times when it's probably OK to talk with a creature of another species.

1. The other creature can communicate in the same language
        If you are speaking to a creature that understands your language and can talk back, then you're in the clear. Take Amy from the movie Congo, or Doug from the movie Up, they seem to understand just fine, and communicate back too. But be on the lookout if you have one of these creatures, they may be in high demand or you might not be taken seriously, for example, Donkey in Shrek or all the animals in the movie Zookeeper.

2. They are your animal in your home
        Typically if you're in your house, the people you're living with either a) talk to the animals too b) already know you're crazy and don't mind. Besides, who doesn't love talking to their own pet?

3. Professional
        This is for those Cesar Milan's and Siegfried and Roy's out there. If your job is to communicate with animals, you're probably really good at it, or really good at fooling everyone that you're good at it.

4. Survival Situation
        When you're alone and trying to survive by yourself, you get a bit lonely. Tom Hanks showed us this with his buddy Wilson, who wasn't even a real creature. Even in real life, this has happened... A man named Callahan was adrift at sea for 76 days and befriended the fish that were around his boat.  While it's not totally normal, either is being lost and alone; whatever works to keep you sane and alive is permissible in survival situations.

This does not cover all situations, but if you find yourself communicating with animals, you're just enriching your life, that animal's life, and anyone watching too.