Why can’t we speak to animals?

[lalalagarden]

We can learn other languages so why can’t we speak to animals? Or understand their communication

I read his books years ago . He was ashamed that his own pony Ginger was "broken" in the way many horses were when he was a child and was determined to find a more sympathetic and in sync way of communicating.
There has been a lot of nay saying , maybe now his methods are outdated but yes, a lot kinder than how they were broken to ride.
He also fostered loads of children at his ranch .
He used his understanding of why horses do or don't do what you ask them and understood why these children behaved how they did.
Not breaking the spirit, making them want to be with you . Trust . Safety

Guinea pigs have an extensive vocal range , each noise means something different . DD and I had 8 guinea pigs, and I kept them as pets when I was a child.
They are not the most intelligent creatures on this earth and 99% of their brain power is concerned with getting food.

We have a few pubs near our house. My dog understands exactly which one I tell him we are going to. Finds his own way there, I usually follow him about half an hour later (village life)
He can say hello as well.

Dogs have a huge vocabulary and also read your body language well. But there’s still stuff they don’t understand. I find it odd when I say something and they haven’t a scooby doo. Then I remember they’re animals, and I’m struck anew by how amazing it is to be able to talk to another species.

I always say to my mum, I wish there was a bark translator so I could understand what my dog is barking about. I’d love to know what goes on in thier heads.

This. It took humans ages to find out and prove that animals DO communicate. Katy Payne is worth looking up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Payne

Plus as other pp’s alluded to, the predominant messaging will be about where to find food, how to avoid predators, and ‘look at me I want to mate’ (polite euphemism there!)

Men haven’t evolved much really.

I talk to my cats, sometimes they listen but mostly they give me the side eye 👀 😒

I speak to my cats and dogs. If I tell dogs they are good girls they wag their tails. If I saw shall we go for a walk. They run over to harness leads. If I say do you want water they go to their water bowl. I understand my cats. I was packing to go on holiday yesterday and 1 of my cats as soon as I brought case down he jumped on me and wouldn't move. After 20 minutes of cuddles I put him on the floor and started putting clothes in my case and my cat jumped in my case and would not get out. Clearly he wants to come on holiday with me. My other cat has different mixes and squeaks when she wants food or fuss.

Side eye from my cats is them engaging with me 😁
It's the "Oh for the Love of Bastet ( Egyptian Cat God) , what the Jeff is she gibbering on about now"
When Female at stands outside my DD room angrily meowing I understand perfectly she means "open this door, now"
It's a one way street with cats

One of my parents' cats was obsessed with cream. He even had a special "cream meow" and I much enjoyed his "cream dance" in which he would stand up on his back legs facing a kitchen cupboard and move from side to side, drumming his paws on it. Sadly for me, he soon had my mum so well-trained, that he merely had to catch her eye and glance at the fridge to get his cream. I wanted to see more of the cream dance!

I wonder this most days 😭

We can learn the language of animals but due to our physical differences cant always replicate it in a way that would make us understood. Fortunately animals tend to be quite receptive to learning a few words/gestures in ours.

Ah, that makes much more sense than what I was envisioning! 😂

Do solitary cows get lonely?

I love this so much, it’s made my day 😊

I do find this topic fascinating. My 2 cats have never meowed for food, ever. At most they will sit in the kitchen looking hopeful! But then neither are massive eaters and theres usually dry food left in their bowls for when they want it (they get wet food at dinner time) so I guess they don’t feel they need to.

They do however meow for attention. That is the area where they have focused all their vocal talent! They’ve learnt that this invariably works and whoever they are meowing at will pay them attention. So they continue to do it. If for some reason I don’t give them immediate attention they just get louder and more insistent. It’s like having toddlers sometimes!

Yes - they’re herd animals so shouldn’t be kept alone. We have 4, plus their younger ones. Unfortunately we have to sell some as it’s getting a bit too much. we are very fussy who we would sell them to so it’s hard to find them homes.

If my cats are in a chatty mood, I repeat their noises back to them. We can keep it up for quite a while until they get bored.

I talk to them human-style all the time. I'll have elaborate but one-sided conversations with them.

They understand:

Their names
'Come and sit with mummy/daddy'
'Brekkie'
'Supper'
'Out'
'Off'
(one of them only) 'Do you want a tummy tickle?' (He rolls over if he does)

I understand:

"Let me in/out"
"Wake up!"
"Feed me"
"Oooh!" [surprise trill]
"Fuck the fuck off and then fuck off some more" [when trying to put them into their baskets, apply flea treatments etc]
"How could you betray me so callously?" [wailing in basket on way to cattery]

My friend & I walked past a field of cows yesterday when we were walking her dog - several of them came hurrying up to the fence to see us.

The dog was very polite & I think a bit intimidated by the big white things, especially when one of them mooed at him.