Does your cat (or any cat) know words?

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

My DP says cats do not understand words, just tone of voice/voices they know. I think our cat definitely knows the following words, and he is wrong.

Her name
Dinner
Outside
Garden
Little num (what we call a treat)
No
In or out
Bye bye (if she has an inkling for staying in the garden at bedtime, bye bye is the final word that has her dashing in)
Sit (I have trained her to sit on command, using little nums. I grew up with dogs.)

Does your cat know words?

His name
Sit
Get down
Din dins
No
Also responds to "my sweet boy"

Also, if I say "Who's got a tum?" he rolls onto his back for tummy tickles. They definitely know some words! And it's just hit me how cheesy I am with my lad

My dog can say Sausages.

My cat looks towards the fridge if you say the word. And if you ask her "where's your dinner?" She looks towards her bowl. So yes, they can certainly learn food-related words 😂

Considering how many words service dogs have to know, it's hardly a push to believe cats could comprehend language too...

My first cat knew
Off
Lay down
In your bed
And was trained to meow if she wanted to be let outside.
The second cat - not so much....!

My cat knows “tish” meaning give me a kiss.
That is it. The rest is guesswork [ grin]

My cat says 'hello' when I come in from work!
I say hello and he meows back with exactly the same emphasis as my hello - he is awesome

My cat know words. He just chooses not to respond. If asked he’d tell you I know very little and am almost untrainable...

Name
Dinner ( she runs to cupboard)
Food (same)

His name
Go and find your dad
Go up and warm the bed and we'll be up in minute
Sit
Go and lie down and we'll be back soon
Comes to his name if called out the back door at night.
Would you like some meat?

He DOESN'T know 'Come back here you sodding cat and drop that bird'

My cat says 'hello' when I come in from work!
I say hello and he meows back with exactly the same emphasis as my hello - he is awesome

Isn't it amazing?! People don't believe me until they see him do it

Her name, kisses, down, she recognises the shiny pouches her dinner is in and the shake of the crunchies too.

My cat says 'hello' when I come in from work!

My Aunt's cat used to say "Hello Mam" it was hilarious

My cousin's were teens and they'd walk in from school and sat "hello mam" and the cat picked it up. Obviously the sound, rather than actual word. She was part Main Coombe (sp?) don't know if they're a particularly vocal cat.

My old girl knows "stop it!" and "leave!" she's a bit of a twat tbh. Obviously I adore her and wouldn't have her any other way though.

I have a weird communication relationship with mine.

She jumps on the window sil and mews for me to open it. In summer this is fine but nor in winter when I want the window closed so I ask her if she wants to go out if she does she walks up and down.

If she doesn't it means she wants to sit with her bum in the warm and her nose outside.

Ours know quite a few words/sounds;

Breakfast
Dinner/Dinner Time
Sweeties = dreamies/treats
Flopsy = lay down and roll on side
Out
Birdie = flying bird toy
Dot = laser
Larry = automatic laser
Mousey = one cat's specific fave toy
Where's dd?
Bedtime
Toilet = for when we're all together and I'm just popping to the toilet (meaning they don't need to get up and follow me). Otherwise they tend to follow me around.

They also recognise "get down", and "no/stop that" but whether they wish to obey is very hit and miss!

Oh yeah definitely. They just choose not to respond unless it suits them
Mine definitely know
their names
no
Get down looking at you, Mademoiselle BrokenCat
Food
Play
Move
Hello and See ya / bye (and get offended if I don't acknowledge them )

I forgot treats. I don't usually need to say it though as they recognise the sound of Dreamies being opened.

They know their own names, bad girl, good girl, good hunter, ok (said slow for treats) , wait for me, get down, show time and nap time.
Ramona will try and say 'play with me'
Beatrice will ask me to open windows, or even move furniture, to give her access to places
They both know their feeding schedule to the minute, and will come get us, and remind us, if we run late

Oh and Mademoiselle recognises mousie too also her favourite toy.
I don't allow mine in the bathroom, mean I know. Mademoiselle sits outside and squeaks and miaows. She generally follows me around. Madame doesn't, couldn't care less where I am unless she requires service, in which case she yells

My cats know their names but frequently choose not to respond.

They all know the word 'no'. My oldest cat recognises 'no' so well that he only has to hear it once before grumbling and then scarpering. The younger cats need to hear the word spoken much more sternly along with a gesture. 'Off' is similarly understood.

In/out/come here are comprehended but sometimes ignored (particularly 'in')!

Not words, but my cats also understand that showing empty hands outstretched means 'no more' (treats). Patting a lap is an invitation for a cuddle.

I do tend to find that language + gesture works best when communicating with cats!

mine definitely know the word vet. Sends them running for the hills

My boy knows words

His name
Breakfast
Dinner
Egg and (cackle berry) dp says that meaning egg
"Otherside" when I want him to go to the other side of the door when playing the tissue through the door game
Ball
Temptations
Dreamies

I'm sure there are more words but can't think at the moment

My cat knows:

Her name
Kitty
Dinner
Treat treat
Brush
Rollover
Come

Up
Down
Their names
Sit
Come here
Dinner
Dreamies
Tuna

I think.my cat has a few neurons in her little skull that orbit and occasionally collide.
Shes very cute and a fierce hunter - and costs us a fortune in vets fees due to scratches and bites from fights- but there's really not much going on up top.