cat words

[PeanutsFriend]

Okey. You may view me as nuts here, and all the friends I made will slowly fade away.
BUT I noticed when I say the word, now and hang on the last siluable. The cats perk up like I just said something important. What, I am not sure.
Also when say yeah. And say it in a cheerful question. They come running.
Has anyone else noticed this from their cats?
Maybe someone even knows what it means, is that possible?
And, does it matter what part of the world they are in?? That was the other thing I was wondering.
Jill

[Walesgang]

I think cats have some key words they understand much like dogs.

If our blind girl Tips is heading straight at something we say 'watch' and she slows down.

Our first cat used to know the words 'Orph' (her name)' she, her, the cat.......

I think they are as smart as dogs but less bothered to be obedient

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

If you're nuts we all are, Jill! I think our furbabes definitely pick up on words and inflections. We say 'Good girl/boy' so often with different inflections I think Pepsi considers it part if her name now. Edgar definitely knows to back off bothering Pepz when OH says 'Good boy Edgar'. Lou Lou responds to her name however it 's said and her ears twitch even if you say 'Little Lou' really quietly. I sing to them and they get that too! I just make up silly verses about them to random tunes and they are used to it now!

[Walesgang]

Sarah, I find your post strangely reassuring that I (or we?) am (are) not the only mad cad lady(people) around!!

How different are things in your neck of the woods Jill

[Cat]

This thread has so made me smile.

I mostly work from home, and Scholes naps on his blanket while I'm working. Whenever I move on to a new task I'll often say 'right now'. Scholes invariably stands up and has a huge stretch (to the point that his back legs tremble) as if he's getting ready for his next cat task! I'm lying in bed at the moment and just tested him out. 'Right now' and yep he's ready!

[Shelly and Dora]

Well I'm definitely a fully paid up member of the nutty feline club!!

I GENUINELY believe Dora totally understands me. Biscuits, foodies, brekkyfast, game (she has a board game where I hide treats), treatsies, Friendlies, servatry (our name for the conservatory), lounge, playroom, kwispies.... They are all words she responds to & there's loads more too!

She chatters back to me all the time & I even believe that her meows sound like words sometimes....... and you thought you were mad Jill/Sarah/Val!!!

[Hazel]

I have a theory that cats and dogs probably understand a fair amount of what is being said but just haven't got the ability to form the words to talk back!
Very much like when people move to another country and don't know the language, I've heard that they often learn to understand the spoken language well before they can read it and then writing and speaking it comes last.
But maybe this is taking it too far and I am not just cat crazy but a little bit strange-crazy too

[lilynmitz]

Most of my cats understand a fairly wide vocabulary, but to them they're just noises, rather than words, but when used frequently enough and associated with action or context, they can understand their meaning. Both the sound and the tone of voice are important, as well as the context (ie, about to jump up on the table, a firm "no" means, er, don't jump up on the table!). Even Lily, who is the dimmest cat I have ever met, knows when we're talking about her, and if I start addressing her mid-sentence, she recognises the change in tone of my voice and looks up. Mo on the other hand was so smart I swear I could practically have a conversation with him.

Just like we learn to interpret a wide range of noises they make to communicate with us, as "feed me", "let me out", "let me in", "I'm scared" "where are you" "play with me" etc etc. We always underestimate the intelligence of other species simply because their communication appears more limited than ours, but it doesn't mean they're incapable of understanding complex concepts.

[Hazel]

You have put that better than I did! Yes they are just noises, I don't think they understand the meaning of the words, but they do know what the sounds mean - food, treats, toys, walk (dogs), bedtime, all sorts. As you say, just like they have different meows or chirrups for different things and we know what they mean.

[PeanutsFriend]

Good you guys notice the bond as well. How reassuing.
Noises or not, its all just noise if you think about it.
My cats listen and take what I say to heart. More than any of my human aquantances do.
The dogs do less. Although dog people beg to differ. Once you know cat, you find they listen and have plenty to say back.
jill

[HRHFluffy]

It's difficult to know for sure if Fluffy understands words. She has very selective hearing

However I do talk to her all the time and she always chats back to me. We have a proper little conversation. Since we lost our Harvey she has become even more chatty. What a repertoire of meows and squeaks she's got. She's such good company.

I really chuckled at Scholes with his standing up and stretching ready for the new task. So funny.

[Crewella]

I understand all sorts of noises from my lot, and mine definitely know some words, and they know their names. So when I'm shouting 'No' at one of them I have to say the name as well (usually Daz! NOOOO!) to stop them all looking sheepish ......

I do remember when I was growing up, my mum used to have to spell out the word 'M-I-L-K', as our cat went mad if she just said 'milk'.

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

If we want Lou Lou or Edgar to be helpful and get up from the sofa or move rooms, usually when we're trying to settle them all for bed or when we're going out we often have to resort to a little treat of ham. Lou Lou goes insane for it meowing and bobbing her head like a meerkat even before I open the fridge so we've started saying 'time for some H-A-M' but now they're getting to understand that so we'll needs other code soon. 'Dead pig' perhaps?

[mr_frisky]

Mine certainly know many different words. Even when saying something in conversation to someone else that sounds like one of 'their' words they look up. An example would be 'dreaming' which sounds like 'dreamies', or 'cheeky' which sounds like cheekin (chicken). These words can take on a different meaning to Tango when I attempt to bribe her in with them! I had also better not say 'biscuits' and 'bite n chew' or 'hungry hippos' to them unless I'm serious.

Non-food related words and phrases they understand include 'sheds' (they can go down to the 'bottom garden', beyond the cat-proofed area where the sheds are), 'torchy' (Kitty jumps on my shoulder because she knows she can explore the loft,illuminated by said item), meecee (playing mice games on the lawn where they all congregate waiting) and each others' names.

[Willowgill]

Sweeties (Dreamies) - Alfie definitely knows that word and if we tell Daph to go find mousey she trots off and invariably comes back with him when she finds him. Max only needs to hear the word Tuna and he's there in an instant and bedtime sends Daph straight to the living room door ready to go