MeowCV

An openCV + mediapipe program that detects facial expressions and displays goated Tiktok cats like Rigby and Larry

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Introduction

MeowCV is a CV program that maps human facial expressions to popular cat reactions on Tiktok in real time.

Using your webcam and the mediapipe library, the system tracks key facial landmarks and displays a corresponding cat image when it detects expressions. Each cat is triggered using lightweight rules based on landmark movement like:

1. Shock → mouth opens wide
2. Tongue → mouth open without triggering shock
3. Glare → eye squint

Note: This program is designed to be fun and easy to extend — perfect for experimenting with facial heuristics and expression detection.

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How it works

1. Your webcam feed is processed in real time using mediapipe face mesh
2. Facial landmarks are extracted (mouth, eyes, nose, etc.)
3. Simple geometric heuristics determine which expression is active
4. A matching Tiktok cat reaction is displayed in a separate window

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Installation

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/reinesana/MeowCV.git

2. Install dependencies

Python 3.9 – 3.12 required (tested on Python 3.11.7). Python 3.13+ is not supported for mediapipe==0.10.14.

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Run the program

python main.py

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Configuration

You can customize how the system behaves by editing the configuration values in main.py.

eye_opening_threshold — Shock Detection

Measures the vertical distance between the upper and lower eyelids for both eyes and triggers the shocked cat.

• Increase this value → shock triggers only when eyes are very wide
• Decrease this value → shock triggers more easily

eye_opening_threshold = 0.026  # very exaggerated shock
eye_opening_threshold = 0.020  # subtle eye widening

mouth_open_threshold — Tongue Detection

Measures the vertical distance between the upper and lower lips and triggers only when the mouth opens in a narrow “tongue-out” shape.

• Increase this value → tongue must come out more to trigger
• Decrease this value → slight mouth opening may trigger tongue

mouth_open_threshold = 0.045  # tongue must be very visible
mouth_open_threshold = 0.030  # easier tongue trigger

squinting_threshold — Glare Detection

Measures how close the upper and lower eyelids are and controls when the side-eye cat is triggered.

• Lower this value → glare triggers only on strong squints
• Higher this value → glare triggers more easily

squinting_threshold = 0.016  # very strict glare
squinting_threshold = 0.020  # softer glare

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Have fun 🐱💻

MIT License © 2026 Shana Nursoo