'Chatter bowl' to talk to your pet while you're not home

London, Feb 17 (UNI) Tired of those terrible pangs of guilt you endure when occasionally forced to leave your pet home alone for the day? Well, a firm has come up with a novel way to save you from the guilt, a talking food bowl that will reassure your pet with the sound of your voice when you are not at home.

It is, as they call it, 'Chatter bowl'.

The bowl has a built-in sensor that detects when the pet is within six inches and triggers a pre-recorded ten-second message, the Daily Mail reported.

The makers of the product claim that once animals become used to the sensor, they will deliberately set it off just to hear their master's voice.

Made of sturdy plastic, the device runs on four AAA batteries and can even be placed in the dishwasher once the recording box has been removed.

''There is a small recording unit inside the bowl. The message should encourage your pet to eat or just make them feel comfortable can be anything from 'Good boy!' to 'Don't chew the sofa just because I'm not home!','' Miss Karen Ross, spokeswoman of the Canadian-firm Contech Electronics, which made the product said.'' ''It definitely helps keep a pet company while the owner is at work all day or away for the weekend.

"I know how much my own pet loves hearing my voice. I thought, if only there was an easy way to leave my voice behind when I couldn't be there,'' Inventor Jay Mr Taylor, 69, said.

UNI XC MS YA KP1018