Think your cat doesn't understand what you're saying?

[misty8723]

A few days ago I had a doctor appointment, and was getting ready to leave. I was going downstairs and Cricket was going upstairs. As she does, she tried to lure me into going up with her so we could hang out. I said "I can't now, Cricket, I have to go to the people vet." Then I decided heck, I have a few minutes I'll just go up and brush her a bit. Got up to the top of the stairs and she's sitting there. Looked at me and started Meowing loudly. I said Cricket, what's wrong? Are you hurt? I was starting to freak out. I started to reach down, and she ran under the bed and crouched there looking at me. I was concerned, but I didn't have time to deal with it then because I had to get to my appointment, so I headed back down the stairs. Austin was in his tree and when he saw me he flew off and ran up the stairs. I was like, what the heck?

It wasn't until later that I figure out Cricket heard "vet" and saw me turn around and come back up the stairs toward her. And Austin saw me coming down without Cricket, so he probably figured oh no! She's gonna get me!

I feel bad she got scared, and now I really do have to take her to the vet tomorrow.

 

[di and bob]

Oh that is so funny if it wasn't so sad for them! My cats know time for bed, they start heading there when I say that. They back up when I say 'back' loudly at the door, they know they can't go out. It is nice they do that when I am coming in with my arms full. Of course my little 'chicken monster' heads towards the kitchen when he hears either of us say chicken!

 

[Furballsmom]

now I really do have to take her to the vet tomorrow.

Was this an already scheduled appointment? Did both cats act normally when you got back after your dr's visit?

 

[misty8723]

Was this an already scheduled appointment? Did both cats act normally when you got back after your dr's visit?

Yes, they were normal. They don't care if I go to the doctor, it had to be because I said "people VET" and they know what vet means.

 

[misty8723]

Oh that is so funny if it wasn't so sad for them! My cats know time for bed, they start heading there when I say that. They back up when I say 'back' loudly at the door, they know they can't go out. It is nice they do that when I am coming in with my arms full. Of course my little 'chicken monster' heads towards the kitchen when he hears either of us say chicken!

I suspect they understand a lot more than we realize.

 

[danteshuman]

Yeah I think they all learn the word vet!

My cat knows the phrase “not the car” because I say it every time I take him into the car. He complains the first 5 minutes or so of the drive to/from Nana’s house. He freaks out when I pull out his crate because that means vet (as opposed to his harness for his car rides.) Funny enough the cats are completely silent on the drive back from the vet.

I think cats understand the general idea or the the emotions of what we are saying.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I used to use the threat of the vet when our late Magnus got into another of his many, many fights. He’d come in, curl up in a chair with his back to the world and growl at anyone who walked past. I’d say “Maggins, if you don’t sulk your way back to health I’ll have to take you to the vet and Doug will shout at you.” (This was from an incident when more or less bellowed in Magnus’s face “I’ve got no sympathy for stupid cats that get into fights!” - only time I ever saw Maggot look intimidated. Don’t be misled, he was a very good vet and looked after Magnus well.)

The threat of the vet worked sometimes.

Currently, I‘m sure Daisy knows what I’m saying when I tell her if she does a poo I’ll give her some dins as a reward!

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I suspect they understand a lot more than we realize.

I say the only phrase they don’t understand is “Get out of the way!”

 

[neely]

I feel bad she got scared, and now I really do have to take her to the vet tomorrow.

I hope everything's ok, how did her vet appointment go?

 

[misty8723]

I hope everything's ok, how did her vet appointment go?

Thanks, it's all good. She even gained half a pound. And she's been hanging around me all day, so she isn't mad at me, lol.

 

[MikeAndCats]

Mine learned the word "meat." If I say "want yer meat," she starts squeaking and rubbing against my legs. She walks over to her meat-spot and squeaks at me. Other long-e words do it too like 'feet' or 'heat' but not as strong as 'meat.' I posted videos of this somewhere on this site. Because of the meat stuff, I decided to never say 'vet' when its time to go to one. I get the carrier a few days before the vet and put it in the kitchen so she gets used to it for a while before its time to go.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Mine learned the word "meat." If I say "want yer meat," she starts squeaking and rubbing against my legs. She walks over to her meat-spot and squeaks at me. Other long-e words do it too like 'feet' or 'heat' but not as strong as 'meat.' I posted videos of this somewhere on this site. Because of the meat stuff, I decided to never say 'vet' when its time to go to one. I get the carrier a few days before the vet and put it in the kitchen so she gets used to it for a while before its time to go.

That reminds me of the advice I read years ago that ideal cat names - as in ones they’ll learn and respond to - start with a hard consonant and end with an “ee” sound.

 

[Willowwombat]

Cats understand all kinds of words and phrases around here. A few examples:

Uppie-uppie (My signal to my cat that I'm going to sleep and she has to leave the room.)
Off the table!
Want a treat?
Outside?
Where's your leash?
Fish!
Where's Dude/Willow? (their names)
Want your brush?
Want your dinner?

My previous cat also understand the phrase "it's only John," which was a catchphrase that calmed her when she was startled by a noise (John was my late husband).

 

[Caspers Human]

When Casper hears the words, "cookie" or "tuna," his ears perk up and he comes a-running to get his kitty treats or his canned food.
(Our code word for his canned food is "tuna" but he also gets a teaspoon full of tuna juice and some bits from the bottom of the can whenever we have tuna for dinner.)

He also knows the names of his three best cat buddies from outside, "Freddie," "Elliot," and "Louise."
Louise lives next door. Freddie and Elliot are ferals that Casper's Girl-Human feeds at the back porch. They all come to the patio door to see Casper. We only need to say their names and Casper comes to see them.

He knows the word "door" because he likes to sit by the open patio door (with cat proof screen) and supervise the goings-on, outdoors. If you say, "Open the door," Casper will come and wait for you to open "his door." Same goes for "his window" in the kitchen breakfast nook that faces front. If you ask, "Open the window?" he'll jump up on the breakfast table, next to the window, and wait for you to open it.

"Dinner" and "food" are on his list, of course! If his girl-human says, "bed" or "bedtime" he'll jump up on the bed and wait for her to lay down so he can snuggle.

I think the funniest thing Casper knows is the sound of the thermostat clicking on. He runs over and lays down by the air vent and waits for the central air system to come on. He'll lay there to soak up some heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. It's funny because we never taught him to do that. He learned it by himself.

Casper takes his afternoon naps on the corner of the bed. Even though he looks like he's sleeping, you can tell that he's only snoozing because you can see his ears swiveling like satellite dishes every time a bird chirps or he hears some other sound throughout the house. His girl-human makes his food, mid-afternoon. Even though he seems to be napping on the bed, his ears will be swiveling toward the kitchen, downstairs as his listens. Casper can tell by the sound when she's done making his food and puts it down. Then, he'll get up and casually mosey on down to the kitchen to eat.

I read about some research which said that cats can localize discreet sounds in three-dimensional space. They say that they actually build a 3-D sound map of their environment and can navigate through their territory by sound, alone. If the cat hears a bird chirping, he knows where it is and how far away, just by listening. It wasn't very surprising to me when I read that article because I often say that Casper seems to supervise the house by listening.

No matter where he is, in the house, Casper always knows where his humans are even if it looks like he's just having a snooze because he knows every sound in his domain.

 

[Smarl]

They definetly know words "hungry", "out", "down" and "cold" (when it's too cold to go to balcony). And they also know names of their favourite humans!

 

[betsygee]

Funny kitties! The only word I'm 100% sure Ozzy knows is 'treat'.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Daisy gave another example of understanding everything today. I’d asked her if she was going to grace us with a poo, because it was over 24 hours since the last. An hour later she came out to the lounge, headbutting and generally after attention. It wasn’t for food; she’d not long had her lunch. No, she was telling me she’d been a Good Girl and used the litter!

 

[Tik cat's mum]

Oh I know boy's understand what I'm saying. They definitely know the words treat, bedtime, and no. They even know when I say you need a pee before bed if they haven't been and go. The only word that they understand but choose to ignore is the no that one is maybe I'll listen then again nope. But I definitely know they do consider behaving.

 

[vansX2]

Sometimes I'm totally confused as to what either boy wants. About 20 minutes ago now. My younger boy Jackpot wakes me from a wonderful sleep. I'm thinking it's much too early for breakfast. After some petting and scratching I get up. His bowl is 1/2 full, his water fountain seems to be running fine. What is the issue to wake me up? I'm guessing that he wanted his litter box attended Too. As I hadn't done it for several days. Now That both boxes are scooped he's not to be seen or heard from. I often have similar misunderstandings with my DW.

 

[game misconduct]

cats understand whether they listen or not is a whole different story