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?

Both of mine know:

Supper time
Breakfast
Sweeties (Dreamies)
Stick (chew sticks)
Chicken
Tuna

Do we see a theme here?

Boycat also knows Cuddles, and "come up" (onto the bed). I'm sure Girlcat knows and understands a fair few more, but chooses to ignore them!

I remembered another one - I can see you so get DOWN now!

Previous cats knew lots of words but my kitten only knows "come on quick". The words no and down aren't in his vocabulary yet.

Loving all these - clever kitties!

Mine also knows "all done" (no more treats, although this sometimes has to be said a number of times, so maybe she doesn't) "bed time", and "in a minute" (when she's harassing me to go out to work in the morning because she gets a treat just before I go).

Oh I forgot she knows:

Down

Roll over (she does this on the bed in the morning for tummy tickles 🤗)

Mine are not very bright but they both know their names. And 'get your furry backside inside now'. Snorg will come in when called, Cheddar is selectively deaf, but definitely understands!
Cheddar is very vocal and she says she knows lots of words. She just thinks yowling is more effective!

One cat I had knew "if you're not back by quarter past eight you'll be out all day". I would say when letting him out at 7am whilst I got ready for work. He would be on that doorstep to come in as I left the house.

*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

Our last cat could also miaow "hello" perfectly, as a greeting!

Present cats only know:

1. Their names
2. No
3. Dinner
4. Do you want to go out
5. Treats (aka Dreamies)
6. Do you want to go in the airing cupboard/loft (one of them)
7. Its raining

They also understand patting our lap means do you want a cuddle? Equally, DBrotherCat squeaks at us persistently, when he is on our bed to mean he wants to be made a fuss of. DSisterCat opens her mouth in a silent miaow to say hello; or while making eye contact and then looking meaningfully at the airing cupboard or loft! She's black and has a thing about dark places.....sigh

Our Trev's couldn't care less what is said to him as long as his dish is full. I'm not convinced he knows and human words. Although maybe he does but chooses to be an arse

Her name
Bedtime
Dinner
Treaties
No

We also play a game where we put a blanket over her head and she play fights through it, we call it ‘where’s Catty’ and she knows that one - sticks her head and paws under the blanket in preparation

Where's the birds?

Chicken

Dreamies, Lucy

We also play a game where we put a blanket over her head and she play fights through it, we call it ‘where’s Catty’ and she knows that one - sticks her head and paws under the blanket in preparation

Omg that's beyond cute!!!

My cat knows her name and nickname.
If you call her name she will come to you even if she’s in another room. If she’s asleep and you say her names or “cat” she will look at you.
She knows the words “treat” and “food” too.

My cat knows the word bedtime.

If I say it, she runs upstairs and lies on the bed waiting for me. She's very clever 😁

My little girl also squeaks a delighted 'Hello!' when I come home 😻

My old boy, when up to no good would answer 'Nowt' when I asked him what he was doing (with an appropriate guilty face like 😯) And when I asked him where he'd been, he'd always reply 'Out!' 😹

I don't think mine know their names, only because I call them both in with a particular noise instead

Boycat knows 'No' when it comes to not eating his sister's food.
Girlcat knows 'I'm up/down here' when she's shouting to find me.

They both know 'Bedtime!' and trot off to the conservatory (mostly, although Boycat sometimes likes to be carried)

Boycat also knows 'Wanna be dried off?' when he comes in wet from the rain, and stands still while I briskly rub him down with a towel.

That's it really

I have loved reading this thread and am going to show it to DP to prove he is WRONG. I know some of it’s just tone of voice (like “NO” if she looks like she’s about to jump on the kitchen work surfaces, or “she’s the prettiest, purr-iest, cleverest girl” if she’s lying in my lap being petted) but I have always been convinced that she at least associated certain words with things.

DP also said there was no way of teaching a cat to sit. WRONG AGAIN.

Mine know:

One of their names - they will both come when Manc cat1's name is called but not Manc cat2's
Chicken
Down
Nighty night (they run upstairs and jump on the bed)
Chair - when I want them to get off the bed and sit on the chair so I can make the bed

Also not words but...OH thinks I am mad when I maintain that they can tell the time.

The cat flap is on a timer, but about a minute or so before it unlocks in the morning, they are sitting in front of it patting it. The flap unlocks half an hour before we get up so it is not like it is us getting up that wakes them up.

They also come back in half an hour later when I do come downstairs in readiness for their breakfast, despite sometimes being a street away only minutes before (they have tracker collars).

They also often come out of the house a few minutes before we get home and wait for us on the green at the top of the street.

Just because- mine know when breakfast time is ...

"Meow" mostly.

But even the meows are different.
Matt has a certain howl for where are you, momma cat? Usually when I’ve gone to bed. For a bright cat he can’t seem to work out that the most likely place I’ll be is in my bedroom.
Then there’s the I’m hungry (usually accompanied by staring at the fridge just in case we’ve gone deaf). In the summer when the door is open he will announce his arrival home with a meow. But if the door is shut and I open it for him he does a little mmmwww as he walks in, which I guess is hello, thanks for letting me in.
Then there’s a little affectionate noise when he jumps on my lap.
Socks the kitten is just starting to find her voice which is quieter and higher pitched than Matt’s.
As for words, they both know their names although she’s only just learned hers.
He knows do you want to go out, do you want din-din, get down, beddy time, give me a kiss, what do I want, and possibly be a good boy and I’ll see you later. I also think he knows be nice to Socks, and where’s sister?!
It’s hard to know for sure but I do think the more you talk to them and interact with them, the more they reciprocate.
Where’s @YesQueen? I’ve seen videos of her Ollie saying Mama clear as anything.

His name
His nickname
His (now sadly departed) sister's name
Dinner
Dreamies
In or out (as in "I am not standing at this bloody door all day while you decide")

He also says hello, and if he's downstairs by himself and feels lonely he shouts HELLO, HELLO?

His name
Crunchies (treats)
Mama (he can say this!)
Sit
Paw (as in give paw for a treat)