here kitty kitty...

Sasha never comes when she is called. We expect she just doesn't realize, or care, that when we say "Sasha", we mean her(we're pretty darn positive her previous owners did not call her Sasha). Turtle and Tag have not quite picked up on the fact that when we call them, they should come out of where ever they're hiding. but something that I've noticed is that while calling for them ("Tag! Turtle! here kitties!") does nothing, as soon as I start singing, they come running. As soon as they hear 'On My Own' (from Les Miserables) they tear out of their hiding place and sit at my feet. I think this is the cutest thing ever! but I wonder, do they like my singing...or do I just sound like their mom? lol

Cats are so funny. Just from experience, cats can "learn" their names. All my cats know who I am calling or talking to. In my best guess, I think it has something to do with the pitch and tone of a voice. Now, why when I call just one of them, only one comes..is an unknown. I would have to say that they really do learn what their name sounds like. LOL Don't worry, I don't think it's your voice..it has to be the pitch of the song.

Your post brought to mind a cat I had several years ago who has since gone on and crossed the 'Bridge...

Sadira (pronouced Sah-dear-ah) hated it when I would sing. And I do sing - while I am cleaning, or sitting on the sofa folding laundry - I sing. I walk from room to room putting away clothes or other stuff my two "men" (well, one man and a teenage boy - grin) leave tossed about, all the while humming, or singing to myself.

Sadira would nip my ankles, or if I was sitting, she would jump up and crawl to my shoulder, where she would attempt to bite me on my neck. >grin<

I admit to not being capable of carrying a tune in a bucket, but GOSH! I didn't think I was THAT bad! ~Everyone's~ a flippin critic!

Yours,
Gaye

I guess I am lucky - Satey always comes when called. I can even make him run faster if I increase the rate at which I am calling him. If he's being stubborn I just shake his bag of cat food and call "kitty-kitty-kitttyyyy"

I always told my Herculese (boy, do I miss him ) that he was the smartest kitty in the world. He learned his name so fast, and (this was my favorite thing to show people, because no one ever believed me) I taught him to sit. I think that Sasha doesn't answer just because it's probably in her head that she has another name, from her previous owners. My mom always says that she wishes she knew her other name. But I like calling her Sasha!

gosh darn it, my smiley is smiling. let me try again...

there we go

Hi, Michelle: I have had cats most of my life and they seem to love the sound of the singing human voice plus rushing water and any high-pitched sounds they encounter. I have 5 cats and they react to this high-pitched trill sound that I make -- they ALL come running! And they do recognize individual names, but whether or not they respond -- that's something else again!!! So, don't worry, they recognize their names, but don't always choose to acknowledge it! Cats can be mysterious creatures (and fascinating) and that's why they enchant us so!

My Goof doesn't (I don't think anyway) recognize her name. She does come when my boyfriend or I blow "kissy" noises or say "Here Goof" in a sing song high voice. Why is it that cats like high pitched noises?

I really believe my cats know their names. I have 16 cats and if I call Emily, Emily comes, when I call Bailey, Bailey comes and so on. I don't think it is the sound of my voice because someone else would come and not the right cat but who knows.....

There are a few tricks with naming your cat, if you want him/her to come when they are called.

My Lily will only respond when I call Lily... not kitty. First, I began calling her by her name when she was a baby. I also use a very high pitched voice. She knows this sound and responds every time.

The second trick is choose a name that ends with an ee sound. The most common way to call a cat is kitty kitty.. if you choose a name that ends with the same sound they will most likely respond to it.
Such as, Lily, Satey, Bailey, Emily. There are some examples here in this thread that show kitties with these names will typically come when called!

Originally posted by Michelle
Sasha never comes when she is called. We expect she just doesn't realize, or care, that when we say "Sasha", we mean her(we're pretty darn positive her previous owners did not call her Sasha). Turtle and Tag have not quite picked up on the fact that when we call them, they should come out of where ever they're hiding. but something that I've noticed is that while calling for them ("Tag! Turtle! here kitties!") does nothing, as soon as I start singing, they come running. As soon as they hear 'On My Own' (from Les Miserables) they tear out of their hiding place and sit at my feet. I think this is the cutest thing ever! but I wonder, do they like my singing...or do I just sound like their mom? lol

Click to expand...

Michelle,
Cats tend to respond quicker to names ending with an "E" sound (as in the word bee), but they also know the tone of your voice and associate it with whatever activity is most common when you are calling them. A little trick I have learned is when I am feeding them a wet food, I walk down the hallway tapping a spoon on the can as I walk. They associate this sound with food. When I need to gather up a cat for whatever reason (usually a vet visit) and they won't come or I can't find them I take a can of food and tap it with a spoon; cats come out of the woodwork! As for your singing, they apparently associate it with something pleasant to them or it wouldn't work. In my case, if I sang, the cats would be in the next county and still running!

Pete

We got Anastasia from a shelter, and (I guess) they had already given her that name. She won't respond to it. She will respond to Kitty (so that's what I call her!), and she knows she's in trouble if you just call her Cat (she gets all lovey-dovey, like she's trying to get out of trouble . doesn't work, but she always tries!). She used to come if I whistled for her (just like a dog), but she doesn't do that anymore. Of course, the best way to get her to come running is to shake her food bag!

The cats we had when I was a kid would come when I called their names. (Gypsy's name seems to fit the pattern, but I can't explain Tina . Then again, she seemed to think she was a dog sometimes, so maybe that explains it!)

My cats recognize their names, Tasha and Taffy. In fact, Taffy will answer me with a little 'mrp' when I call her. (That's how I found out she was sleeping on my sofa pillows under an afghan, she answered when I called her.) Tasha may or may not respond, but I know she realizes I'm calling her because she feigns disinterest. Another cat, Tallie, would come running so she must have liked her name, but she never even raised her head when I would call Tasha! These animals are smarter than they want us to know about!

My cats definitely know their names, and my sweet boy, Woody, always comes when called. As a matter of fact, all of my cats have responded to their names when called. I seem to end up giving everybody nicknames, and even then, they come. Woody understands everything I think, he responds to whatever I say, questions or just conversations.I had a pretty little white cat named Salt, who just loved Billy Joels "The Stranger" so every time she heard whistling, she would "sing along" and bring me her fav toy to play while we're listening. My current female, Riah, has quite the "catatude" and comes when it suits her needs. She also has nicknames, but it makes no difference. And she will look at me when I call and then just go about her business!! Typical...but we love em' anyway!

My five children all know their individual names - Baby - Noodles - Lumpy and Bootsie and Little Red. Goldie - my elusive stray mama has gotten to know her name as well. We had a female years ago that was an adult stray until we found her. Her given name from us was Princess. She, however, came running one night when the "old spice" aftershave commercial was on TV - Everytime we wanted Princess we just had to whistle that tune....I hope she can still hear that tune over the bridge.......

Hi, just wanted to jump in here. I am of the firm belief that these independent babies know their names and make us work for them like our kids do. My Mony and Oreo know there names and can tell by my pitch what is happening. They especially know :"kittlins, treats!". They also know when they hear their plastic bowls - it's milk or a real special treat - tuna fish.

They do respond when I call them individually and together and they haven't gotten confused with the name.

Aren't they wonderful?

Hi, twocats: YES, you are absolutely right -- THEY KNOW THEIR NAMES AND IF OTHERS RESPOND, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN w-h-a-t y-o-u a-r-e d-o-i-n-g. Cats are independent, it's true, but they are also very loving and very responsive in their own, endearing ways. YES, they are truly wonderful!!!

My first cat comes running in response to her name (Termite) or Termie. Whether she thinks "that's my name!" I don't know. My second cat, Davy Crockett, responds to "Coonie" (short for Coontail, the name my husband gave him. I hadn't thought about the importance of some word ending in "ee," but it does seem to be important to our little hairballs, doesn't it? Wonder why...

When I got my second cat last summer, I was worried about how to get her to learn her name. I didn't want her to think that her name was Nigel, like my older cat, so I told my daughter that every time she was with her in her room to always use her name: when petting, talking, feeding, holding. In less than two months you could see her ears turn when you called her name. Now, when the two of them are together, and you only call one of them, only one will look up.

The funny thing is, when I call her, she won't come. She looks at me, and just "takes a message". When my daughter calls her, she comes like a dog that was trained. No matter what she is doing, she will turn and look to see where the sound is coming from, and race to be with my daughter. My older cat will come when I call him from wherever he is. So, depending on who is doing the calling, will depend on which cat will respond.

"WHEN YOU CALL A DOG, THEY COME. WHEN YOU CALL A CAT, THEY TAKE A MESSAGE

I know cat's can learn their names. My cat Orion knows his, even if I or someone else say his name in a monotone voice he will turn his head to see what you want. We have tested him by saying other words, but he only turns his head when his name is said. I think cats respond to their names if they know they are going to get something, (Dinner, Treat, pet, affection or play a game). Do you know what your cat enjoy's to do the most? My cat LOVES playing catch, so when I want to teach him something I reward him with a game of catch. I suggest a toy of some kind, while playing with your cat, constantly say her name. In the beginning only say her name when you are playing, don't try calling Sasha or saying her name at any other time. Then after a few days Sasha will know when she hears her name what is in store for her and will come running. Orion never ignores me and ALWAYS comes when called now. I have even taught him that it's play time when I make a special sound with my mouth, he goes nuts when her hears that sound and comes running from the other end of the house!