meow meow meow meow

Jassie and Macy are 8 months old. Since we adopted them at 5 weeks old there has been such a huge range of different sounds coming from each of them. I imagine this is how they learn to talk and communicate...BUT... As soon as I think I have figured out what one meow means they introduce a new one....and I'm wondering what do you want? Or are you just talking to hear yourself talk?
I'd love to hear how long it took for others to understand the range of their kitties vocals and their meanings. ANd when you figured out which to respond to and which to ignore.
I've never had cats before so each day is new!

Both my boys are very, very vocal, so we get lots of practice in the interpretation department. I've had Tailer for about 10 years, and I usually think I've got his meows figured out. Of course, lately he's started meowing for no apparent reason, so I obviously don't know it all. Forest is 4 and I'm still working on him. I swear that cat meows to himself. In the middle of the night we'll hear him downstairs playing with his toys and "muttering" on about it.

Cats always love to throw a new one in the mix - I understand most of what my two want, but sometimes Portia just rambles on for no apparent reason

Kitties are so much fun when they talk to us aren't they?

A third of mine are talkers and I can tell who it is by their meows. The one I can completely understand is my senior Joji. The bond after 13+ years is strong with us.
The one who meows for no apparent reason is my youngster Go. He is like a human singing while working or in the shower.

I'm still figuring it out. I can definitely tell an "I'm in pain" or "I'm hungry" meow, and most of the time, I can tell "Pay attention to me" or "What's that, let's go check it out." But sometimes Oliver will meow just to hear himself meow. Just like with a kid, I'll find myself checking to make sure everything's OK before I decide, "Oh, he's just being chatty."