In Turkish cities, feeding machines for stray cats have been part of everyday life for years, with locals regularly using them to help animals living on the streets. In recent days, however, social media has gone viral not because of the cats using these machines, but because of seagulls. The birds apparently learned to imitate the sound of meowing in order to get food.
The video shows seagulls gathering around cat feeding machines and making sounds that surprisingly resemble a cat’s meow. Their goal seems simple: attract the attention of passers-by and encourage them to insert coins or activate the machine, which then releases food.
The footage has sparked thousands of views and many discussions about animal intelligence and the ability of wildlife to adapt to urban environments. Some internet users jokingly commented that the seagulls had become “street scammers,” while others pointed out that this is a fascinating example of observation and learning in nature.
Turkey is already known for its special relationship with stray animals, especially cats, which in many cities have dedicated stations providing food, water, and veterinary care. In Istanbul, cats are considered part of everyday life and local culture, with many residents seeing them as shared “citizens” of the city.
And while the machines were originally installed to help abandoned cats, it seems the seagulls quickly figured out how the system works, unintentionally revealing just how intelligent they really are.
