We’re all guilty of talking to inanimate objects, whether it’s a plant we’re watering or a car that won’t start. It’s not a big deal, so long as we don’t expect them to answer back—ha! That being said ...
Ruiz-Miranda, Carlos R. 1992. "Effects of the presence of the mother on responses of domestic goat kids to novel inanimate objects and humans." Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 32 277–285.